Mission and History

The mission of the Wenham Museum is to protect, preserve and interpret the artifacts of childhood, domestic life, and the history and culture of Boston's North Shore.

In 1921, the Claflin-Richards House was purchased by the philanthropic Wenham Village Improvement Society for the purpose of preservation and exhibition. Then Elizabeth Richards Horton, a former resident of the house, donated her International Doll Collection to the WVIS in 1922, marking the beginning of the Wenham Museum as we know it today. The museum was incorporated as a separate entity in 1952, and Adeline P. Cole presided as President over the grand opening in 1953, when the Pickering Library and Burnham Hall meeting room were added. The Wenham Museum was first accredited by the American Association of Museums in 1973 and underwent a major renovation and expansion from June 1996 to August1997. Throughout 2007, the museum celebrates its 85th anniversary with special exhibitions and an Anniversary Gala, also marking the 10th anniversary of the Wenham Museum Council.