About Us:

As the only membership supported, community-based cultural institution of its kind in Somerville, the Somerville Museum is the City of Somerville's mirror, playing a central role in preserving the past, reflecting the present, and helping to shape the future of this diverse urban community of 76,000. Through its innovative programming, the Museum seeks to engage our audience in an on-going dialogue with local artists, scholars, and educators with the larger aim of fostering cultural education and understanding.

The Somerville Museum presents exhibitions featuring local visual arts, history and culture in the context of neighborhoods and community, as well as musical and dramatic performance series; develops hands-on history learning projects in collaboration with the Somerville Public School Department; and is available as a meeting place for local historical and cultural organizations. 

The construction of the Museum's brick Federal Revival style building was begun in the 1920's to house the growing collections of the Somerville Historical Society. In the 1980's, sensing a wonderful opportunity for cultural revitalization, a handful of committed individuals raised the funds to restore and fully renovate the building. The result was the opening in 1988 of the Somerville Museum. The Museum is located on the corner of Central Street, the geographic midline of city maps, in the literal heart of Somerville's residential neighborhoods.