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Monday 10am - 4pm Thursday 10am - 4pm Friday 10am - 4pm Saturday 10am - 4pm Sunday 1pm - 4pm

Longyear Museum

Name: Longyear Museum
Address: 1125 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, US
Telephone: +16172789000

Dedicated to advancing the understanding of the life and work of Mary Baker Eddy

10/05/2023

It’s Longyear’s 100th anniversary! Every Thursday, we’re bringing you important moments in the Museum’s history. Did you know that Mary Beecher Longyear’s collection began in 1910 with a spinning wheel that had belonged to Maryann Baker, Mary Baker Eddy’s paternal grandmother? In 1918, she invited Mary Eastaman, Ellen Clark, Janet Colman, and Julia Bartlett—the remaining “First Members” of The Mother Church—to her home and solicited their reminiscences of the earliest years of Christian Science. In the years that followed, she located letters, documents, photographs, and artifacts and also commissioned portraits of early workers (including the one shown here of Emma Shipman, C.S.B, an early Longyear trustee). After Mrs. Longyear’s passing, Longyear Museum opened to the public in 1937 in her 88-room mansion in Brookline, Massachusetts.

10/03/2023

Do you enjoy sharing the story of the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science with the public, as well as caring for historic homes? If so, we hope you will click the link below and visit the job postings on Longyear’s website. We are currently seeking live-in site managers for three Mary Baker Eddy Historic Houses—in Swampscott, Mass., Concord, N.H., and Rumney, N.H. Responsibilities include giving tours, cleaning, gardening, and light maintenance. The site manager in Swampscott also cares for the house in Lynn, and the site manager in Rumney also oversees North Groton. We hope to hear from you!

https://ow.ly/uB8U50PQGaw

09/28/2023

It’s Longyear’s 100th anniversary! Every Thursday, we’re bringing you important moments in the Museum’s history. Did you know that in 1926, the Mary Baker Eddy Historic Houses in Amesbury and Swampscott, Massachusetts, were the first two that Museum founder Mary Beecher Longyear opened to the public? A few years earlier, she had traveled the back roads of New England looking for the homes that had sheltered Mrs. Eddy. Mrs. Longyear purchased them and brought in workers to restore them, all years before “historic preservation” was a field.

09/26/2023

On display in the Museum’s Portrait Gallery, this version of a St. Lawrence skiff was an elegant gift to Mary Baker Eddy from First Church of Christ, Scientist, Toronto, received the year after she moved to Pleasant View. There is no record of Mrs. Eddy ever enjoying an excursion herself, but archival photographs show household workers and friends taking an occasional boat ride on the Pleasant View pond. We invite you to stop by the Museum this fall or click the link below to take a virtual tour of the Portrait Gallery and see the skiff for yourself.
https://ow.ly/SZQt50PLxpg

09/21/2023

In honor of Longyear’s 100th anniversary, every week from now until the end of the year, we’ll be bringing you important moments in the Museum’s history—complete with photos. Take a historical journey with us! First stop: 1923, when Mary Beecher Longyear wrote in her diary, “The most important thing in the whole world at this time … is preserving the incidents and the authenticity of the history of Mary Baker Eddy.” In January of that year, she established the Longyear Foundation, to preserve, protect, and make available to the public the collection she had begun to gather related to Mrs. Eddy’s life and work—from documents and reminiscences to artifacts and houses.

09/20/2023

Calling all of our friends in the Midwest! On November 12, from 1 to 4 p.m., Longyear will be participating in a job fair for Christian Scientists in St. Louis, sponsored by the Asher Student Foundation and the Albert Baker Fund. We look forward to talking to you about our open positions and summer internships. To register, click the link below. See you there!

https://ow.ly/pIWP50PNYav

09/19/2023

Longyear Museum is seeking live-in site managers for the Mary Baker Eddy Historic Houses in Swampscott, Massachusetts, and Rumney, New Hampshire. The site manager in Massachusetts will live in the Swampscott house and also care for the house in Lynn. In New Hampshire, he or she will reside in the Rumney house and also oversee the North Groton house. Responsibilities include giving tours, cleaning, gardening, and light maintenance. Click the link below for more information and to apply.
https://ow.ly/3i0U50PLxHt

09/14/2023

How did students find their way to the Massachusetts Metaphysical College? Enjoy a short video that traces the journey of the Farlows, a musical family from Nebraska, into Christian Science. After the healings of two of the Farlow brothers of a to***co addiction and a life-threatening disease, the whole family—father, mother, and eight children—took up the study together. Eventually, Alfred and Will traveled to the Metaphysical College to take Mrs. Eddy’s primary class in 1887. Two years later, four Farlows—Alfred, Sarah, Will, and Emma—were members of Mrs. Eddy’s last primary class at the College. It changed the course of their lives. Click the link below to watch the video.
https://ow.ly/yYne50PFYbS

09/12/2023

Mrs. Eddy began teaching Christian Science soon after she discovered it, but it was not until 1881 that she chartered the Massachusetts Metaphysical College in Boston. “Her teachings were a wonderful unfolding of Truth to her students,” remembered Julia Bartlett, who worked at the College. “She sat before us with that heavenly spiritual expression which lighted her whole countenance as she expounded the truth contained in her book, ‘Science and Health.’” Momentous growth of Christian Science followed, as teachers and practitioners completed their courses of study at the College and went out into the world. Click the link below to learn more.
https://ow.ly/ZIam50PFXXk

09/07/2023

As we continue to mark the Museum’s 100th anniversary, we bring you more about founder Mary Beecher Longyear, who wrote in 1918, “The History of Christian Scientists and the establishing of the church must be written, so that no one in the centuries to come could doubt that Mary Baker Eddy and her faithful followers founded The First Church of Christ, Scientist.” Three years before, she had searched for the family papers of Mrs. Eddy’s husband, Asa Gilbert Eddy, only to arrive at his family homestead after they had been destroyed. The experience convinced her to act in a timely manner. Click the link below to learn more.
https://ow.ly/2K9b50PFXME

09/05/2023

Hey, kids! Are you getting ready to go back to school? Have you made your ink? That’s what you’d be doing in the 1800s, when Mary Baker Eddy was in school! Take a look back at one-room schoolhouses like the one young Mary Baker attended with her brothers and sisters in New Hampshire. Click the link below and you’ll learn about the textbooks and pens they used, how they stayed warm during the winter, and what happened at school when it snowed.
https://ow.ly/2gFh50PFXi0

08/31/2023

Raise the roof! This summer, the Mary Baker Eddy Historic House in Stoughton, Massachusetts, —and the shoe shop on the property—received a brand-new cedar shingle roof. The previous roof—installed in 2000—was starting to show signs of wear and tear. Slightly thicker tapersawn shingles were used this time to give more coverage. The project included replacing damaged sheathing boards and installing new underlayment, which creates space between the sheathing and shingles, allowing the roof to breath and dry more effectively. Workers also clad the ridge cap in copper, reflashed three chimneys, and installed new gutters. Seven of our eight historic houses are open for tours through October 31.

08/29/2023

As we approach summer’s end, many of us will soon find ourselves back in our regular commuting routines. During Mrs. Eddy’s fruitful years in Lynn, Massachusetts, she published “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” founded her church, and chartered a college. It also became clear that she needed to start lecturing and holding services in Boston to reach a larger audience. Click the link below to read an article from our research archives about the lengthy commute she took weekly from Lynn into Boston’s South End, which found her traveling by horse-drawn trolleys, steam-engine trains, water ferries, and on foot.
https://ow.ly/G4yM50Puo0Y

08/24/2023

In 1899, hoping to reinvigorate the state’s economy, the governor of New Hampshire declared the last week of August “Old Home Week.” Across the state, cities and towns celebrated with everything from speeches to pie-eating contests. Mrs. Eddy was an enthusiastic supporter of civic affairs and extended an invitation to Christian Scientists to attend Concord’s parade, which would pass by Christian Science Hall. Some 500 came to the celebrations and then spent the afternoon exploring the grounds at Pleasant View, her home on the outskirts of the city. Click the link below to read more.
https://ow.ly/NhBU50PunPF

08/22/2023

As back-to-school shopping begins in earnest, we hope you’ll stop by the Longyear Museum Store, either in person or online! You’ll find a wide range of unique products there. Our Chestnut Hill Collection includes notebooks with cover patterns based on historic wallpaper from Mary Baker Eddy’s final home at 400 Beacon Street. If your fall travel plans include Massachusetts and New Hampshire, consider a visit to the Mary Baker Eddy Historic Houses. Seven of the houses are open for tours through October 31. Click the link below to visit our store.
https://ow.ly/pp6V50PxHNp

08/17/2023

This summer, the telescope that was used by workers in Mary Baker Eddy’s household at 400 Beacon Street—donated to Longyear by The Mother Church in 2018—was set up for the first time in decades. The occasion? A visit from the curator of Harvard University’s Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments and a colleague who is one of the leading experts on this type of telescope. It was pronounced in excellent condition, and the experts marveled that its eye pieces, owner’s manual, and other accompanying equipment were all intact—a rarity in their work. Click the link below to learn more.
https://ow.ly/Kzu050PxJ01

08/15/2023

Calling all kids! If you’re looking for some good summer reading, here’s a story for you. Did you know Mary Baker Eddy loved animals? As a little girl on her family’s farm in New Hampshire, she would hug frail chicks and nurse them back to health. As a grown-up, she had a fountain stocked with goldfish and enjoyed feeding them right from her hand. Animals responded to Mrs. Eddy’s deep love, and healings resulted. Have fun with this Longyear for Kids article from our archive, and click the link below to learn more.
https://ow.ly/JV0I50PlNlH

08/10/2023

In August 1908, Mary Baker Eddy sent a strongly worded letter to the Trustees of the Christian Science Publishing Society: “It is my request,” she wrote, “that you start a daily newspaper at once and call it The Christian Science Monitor. Let there be no delay.” Soon, a date was set for the first issue—only three months hence—and a small staff was developing a prototype. Click the link below to watch a video describing the newspaper's beginnings that aims “to bless all mankind.”
https://ow.ly/bSLP50PlN3W

08/08/2023

Our 2023 Historic House Appeal is in progress. Won’t you join us in caring for Mary Baker Eddy’s homes? All gifts up to $100,000 will be matched dollar for dollar, doubling your donation. Beyond supporting the educational programs at the Mary Baker Eddy Historic Houses, gifts help to cover both preventative maintenance and unexpected costs, as well as security, snow removal, insurance, and much more. If you appreciate all that these houses enable us to share about the Discoverer, Founder, and Leader of Christian Science, please click the link below for more information and to make a gift.
https://ow.ly/Q4EG50PjVqV

08/03/2023

Close attention to detail has been a hallmark of Longyear Museum’s historic preservation work dating back to the early 1920s, when Mary Beecher Longyear purchased and oversaw the careful restoration of four homes where Mary Baker Eddy had lived and worked. As we continue our celebration of the Museum’s 100th anniversary in 2023, we offer you a look at one of Longyear’s most recent restoration projects—that of the gazebo that once stood in Mrs. Eddy’s front yard at Pleasant View in Concord, New Hampshire. Click the link below to enjoy these pictures recording the work over the last few years.
https://ow.ly/5R9T50PjV6E

08/01/2023

In the 1880s and ’90s, Mary Baker Eddy and numerous Christian Scientists visited the White Mountains of New Hampshire for respite. A popular summer spot was White Mountain House at the base of Mount Washington. Operated by Christian Scientists, the hotel saw many guests who were church members. When the public services they were holding in the hotel parlors overflowed, a little church was built nearby in 1898. Young Emma Shipman (right)—who eventually became a Christian Science teacher—was instrumental in launching the church and served as reader. Click the link below to learn more.
https://ow.ly/z8k550PjUUg

07/27/2023

Earlier this week, the Longyear staff traveled to Canterbury Shaker Village in New Hampshire for its annual field trip. At its height in the 1850s, the village housed 300 people living and working in more than 100 buildings. The remaining structures—including a 1790s meeting house and workshops and dwelling houses from later eras—are now a museum. It was an opportunity for the staff to learn about Shaker history, see how the museum operates, and explore the historic preservation work going on at the village.

07/25/2023

In July of 1910, George Washington Glover III and Andrew Jackson Glover made the long train journey from their home in Lead, South Dakota, to Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, to visit their grandmother, Mary Baker Eddy. A news photographer snapped a picture of the young men after they had received signed copies of “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” from her—one of two photos of their trip in Longyear’s collection. Click the link below to read an article about these photos and the Glover grandsons.

https://ow.ly/Eam050PhhpA

07/20/2023

Find the perfect summer tote at the Longyear Museum store! Our Mary Baker Eddy Historic House tote is made with a sturdy cream canvas. It features hand-sketched designs of the eight historic houses in Longyear Museum’s collection. If you’re in the area, seven of our eight historic houses are open for the season, you can find more information about tours on our website. Click the link below to purchase the Longyear tote—and enjoy browsing our unique selection of gifts on the store website.
https://ow.ly/TsLu50Pf3Uo

07/19/2023

Longyear Museum is looking to hire two full-time Historic House Site Managers in November 2023 for the care and maintenance of the Mary Baker Eddy Historic Houses—one in Massachusetts (Lynn and Swampscott) and one in New Hampshire (Rumney and North Groton). The Historic House Site Manager in Massachusetts lives in the Swampscott house, and in New Hampshire in the Rumney house, while caring for a second home nearby. Responsibilities include giving tours, cleaning, gardening, and light maintenance. The Site Manager is also the main point of contact for Longyear in these two communities. Click the link below for more information and to apply. We look forward to hearing from you!
https://ow.ly/u2FQ50Pf3Tg

07/18/2023

The restoration of 400 Beacon Street in Chestnut Hill is moving ahead nicely, and the fully furnished house will open to visitors again in the spring of 2024. A master craftsman has hung wallpaper—reproductions based on original scraps found throughout the house—in areas from the dining room (shown here) to the workers’ rooms on the third floor. How did Longyear recreate these wall coverings? Click the link below to enjoy a video with design consultant Patty Ford about the restoration sleuthing involved.
https://ow.ly/aO7F50OX9iw

07/13/2023

“If the human life of Mary Baker Eddy is not recorded and guarded for posterity, in the years—yes, centuries—to come, legends will grow up regarding her, with no statements of Truth to refute them,” Mary Beecher Longyear wrote in 1926. As part of our centennial celebration of the Museum that Mrs. Longyear founded, click the link below for an article from our Research Archives by former Longyear director/curator Stephen Howard, who looks at why the durable evidence that the Museum has preserved is crucially important.
https://ow.ly/Qqep50OX911

07/12/2023

Do you enjoy interacting with the public? Is working in retail your thing? Longyear Museum is seeking a full-time Visitor Services Representative and Museum Store Coordinator. This position oversees all store operations, including handling inventory controls, product development, restocking, in-store and website sales, and shipping and tracking orders. This Visitor Services Representative is also a first point of contact for visitors and callers and oversees the front desk operations. Click the link below for more information and to apply. We look forward to hearing from you!
https://ow.ly/1GoF50OX8pO

07/11/2023

The new exhibit in the Museum lobby is for the birds! William Rathvon—one of Mary Baker Eddy’s secretaries at 400 Beacon Street in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts—was a keen bird watcher. In 1910, he purchased birdhouses for the property, one of which was still in the backyard when Longyear bought the house nearly a century later. The Museum recently had this large martin house conserved. It is now on display, along with Mr. Rathvon’s bird book and a list of species he observed. Click the link below to learn more, or come visit to see it!
https://ow.ly/NNwS50OX83r

07/06/2023

On July 4, 1897, Mary Baker Eddy sent out an invitation that was read at the Sunday Communion Service of The Mother Church in Boston: “I invite you, one and all, to Pleasant View, Concord, N.H., on July 5th, at 12:30 P.M.” Among the 2,500 people who attended was 9-year-old Will Cooper. He saw Mrs. Eddy (who threw him a kiss), heard her speak, and witnessed a healing his 7-year-old sister, Helen, experienced while there. Click on the link below to tag along on the visit with Will, thanks to this Longyear for Kids article!
https://ow.ly/wmZ650OX7Np

07/03/2023

July 4, 1876, marked the centennial year of American Independence, and the nation was abuzz with patriotism. But that day also marked a pivotal juncture in the growth of Christian Science: Mary Baker Eddy took her first step in launching what would become a world-wide religious movement. “The first Christian Scientist Association was organized by myself and six of my students in 1876, on the Centennial Day of our nation’s freedom,” she wrote. Another critical first had happened on the same holiday eight years earlier. Click the link below to learn more!
https://ow.ly/XL5R50OX76J

06/29/2023

As Americans prepare to celebrate Independence Day, we hope you (and the children in your life!) will enjoy this Longyear for Kids story for young readers about Fourth of July celebrations during Mrs. Eddy’s era—from parades with brass bands, marching butchers, and rolling printing presses, to cakes for soldiers returning from the Civil War, to a very special gathering at Pleasant View, Mrs. Eddy’s home in Concord, N.H. This article also includes an activity sheet for children. Click the link below to learn more.
https://ow.ly/OZQf50OX61F

06/28/2023

Are you skilled at carpentry, drywall, plumbing, painting, and general maintenance? Interested in being part of a close-knit team supporting Longyear’s mission—to advance “the understanding of the life and work of Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer, Founder, and Leader of Christian Science”? We are seeking a full-time Facilities Specialist. This position is based in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, but will also work at the Mary Baker Eddy Historic Houses across New England. Click the link below for more information and to apply. We look forward to hearing from you!
https://ow.ly/hVCc50OX5bc

06/27/2023

We’ve had a spring full of baby animals here at Longyear! First, there was a robin’s nest on a ledge in one of the upstairs office windows at the Museum. Shortly after the robins took off from their nest, we discovered another one—this time full of baby bunnies!—right outside the staff entrance to the Museum. We promptly installed a BunnyCam in a window, and staff has enjoyed watching Mommy Bunny feed and care for her young ones. Protecting the nest with orange cones when lawn crews were here was a top priority. Enjoy watching this short video of the little ones out and about.

06/22/2023

Longyear Museum has welcomed three different groups of teens and young adults this spring: the junior class from the Principia School in St. Louis; interns from The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston; and young Christian Scientists from Compass, a DiscoveryBound program. The Principia students enjoyed a scavenger hunt through the Museum galleries and outdoor exhibits using their phones to learn more about Mary Baker Eddy and the Compass teens had a guided tour of the galleries with a special presentation on Mrs. Eddy’s first edition of “Science and Health.” The Mother Church interns toured the Mary Baker Eddy Historic Houses in Lynn and Swampscott, Massachusetts—as did the Principia group, who also stopped at the historic house in Concord, New Hampshire. We loved sharing Mrs. Eddy’s story with these enthusiastic groups of teens!

06/21/2023

Have you got a head for business? Looking for a new career opportunity? Longyear has a job opening that may interest you. Based in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, the Finance and Business Assistant plays an integral role in supporting a range of activities within the Finance Department and the Museum store. The position is responsible for recording income, store revenue, and donations; maintaining reconciliations across several financial databases; assisting with controls for store inventory; and much more. Click the link below for more information and to apply. We look forward to hearing from you!
https://bit.ly/42SPXA4

06/20/2023

He was honest, trustworthy, plain-speaking, and loyal. Describing himself as Mrs. Eddy’s “useful man,” Calvin Frye served at her side for 28 years. But he also was a man of wit. A friend observed, “His eyes twinkle, and a few minutes talk show his tendency to fun and jokes.” Click the link below to learn more about what he kept on his desk—revealing his lighter side.
http://ow.ly/2YLH50OEiX6

06/15/2023

In honor of Father’s Day, take a look at Mark Baker’s ledger. The 80-page account book belonging to Mary Baker Eddy’s father lists goods sold and services rendered between 1829 and 1855. This article from our Research Archive gives us hints about daily life on the farm where Mrs. Eddy grew up in Bow, New Hampshire, and about her father’s important role in their extended family and the community. Click the link below to learn more.

https://ow.ly/4nVP50ONlJX

06/13/2023

This just in! Photos are here from our spring tour of Mary Baker Eddy’s New England last week. The rain (mostly) held off, and participants enjoyed following the arc of Mrs. Eddy’s life from her birthplace in Bow, New Hampshire, to her final home in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Besides the visits to Longyear’s historic houses with staff guides, the group stopped at Red Rock, a place of respite on the ocean for Mrs. Eddy, and toured The Mother Church in Boston. Longyear’s fall tour is currently fully booked, but please click the link below for more information about upcoming trips in 2024. Or contact us if you have any questions.

https://ow.ly/Htt650ONj9A

Address

1125 Boylston Street
Chestnut Hill, MA
02467

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 4pm
Thursday	10am - 4pm
Friday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm
Sunday	1pm - 4pm

Telephone

+16172789000

Website

http://www.longyear.org

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Videos

Winding through the outdoor exhibits at Longyear Museum is a walkway of engraved bricks—“Living Stones” that bear the names of individuals whose lives have been enriched by the practice of Christian Science. Some are Christian Science practitioners, teachers, or nurses. There are also Sunday school teachers, fellow church members, and beloved family members. If you’d like to help further Longyear’s mission and at the same time honor a special friend or loved one, the Museum is accepting orders for the spring 2022 installation through April 15. Click the link below to design your Living Stone today! https://store.longyear.org/product/DON-100-102/livingstones.php

As January 1908 began, Mary Baker Eddy was preparing for a major move. She was leaving Pleasant View, her beloved New Hampshire home, to return to Massachusetts. She had been contemplating this move for some time, waiting on God, and now the way was clear. Please enjoy a video clip from the Longyear documentary “‘Follow and Rejoice’—Mary Baker Eddy: The Chestnut Hill Years” to learn about what may have motivated this important step.

Enjoy this video about the newly restored Mary Baker Eddy Historic House in Amesbury, Mass. (The furniture has just been moved back in.) And thank you for considering a year-end gift to Longyear’s Annual Appeal. Click the link below to give through our website. https://store.longyear.org/product/DON-100-101/annual-appeal

On this #ThrowbackThursday, let’s travel to Bow, New Hampshire, to learn more about Mary Baker Eddy’s childhood years. Enjoy this 2020 video titled "Homestead."

Who Is Mary Baker Eddy? On Monday, Longyear's Mary Baker Eddy Historic House in Lynn, Massachusetts, made an appearance on Jeopardy!. Contestants were asked who "laid the foundations for Christian Science" in this "national landmark."