WESTFORD HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INCORPORATED

The Westford Museum is located just off the town common in Westford, Massachusetts. The Museum building was the original Westford Academy building built in 1794. The Westford Historical Society (WHS) oversees the operation of the Museum and the research and preservation of the collections. The Museum is 3,000 square feet, plus basement storage. Two floors are dedicated to exhibitions. The museum’s collection chronicles 400 years of life in Westford including things that pertained to everyday day life with emphasis on the things that make Westford’s people unique. Since Westford Academy was one of only a few 18th century secondary schools to offer the same curriculum to both girls and boys, it’s not surprising the it produced some remarkable female graduates who went on to distinguished careers. Illustrious alumni of the academy include Ellen Swallow, Nettie Stevens, Sarah Keyes and Paul Revere’s son, John.  As the oldest coeducational secondary school building still standing in Massachusetts, the Museum has an opportunity to tell the stories of these graduates. The collection’s focus is on Westford-centric objects and comprise over 6000 objects, photographs, books and archives, which are cataloged in Past Perfect and are searchable online. WHS collections form the core of exhibits as well as serving researchers and those interested in family genealogy. They are regularly shared throughout the community in schools and senior centers in various forums. The Museum provides class tours for all of the 3rd grade students in town. It also provides projects and resources for Westford Academy students and outreach into the local senior centers. Programming includes  lectures, music concerts and tours of local sites.

The mission of the Westford Historical Society is to promote the understanding and appreciation of Westford’s unique history to the community. By providing programming that features aspects of the daily lives, activities and achievements of Westford residents, we strive to expand and enrich understanding of how our town continues to evolve. We foster an environment of teaching and learning that strengthens our sense of community. We will collect, preserve and exhibit documents, photographs, objects and sites historically significant to Westford, and encourage outside efforts to do the same.

The Museum is open most Sunday afternoons from *2:00pm to 4:00pm.

The office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00am to 1:00pm or by appointment.