Wenham Museum

Wenham Museum A hands-on family-friendly history museum located on Boston's North Shore. Follow us on Twitter !

Wenham Museum is a Museum of childhood and New England family life celebrating childhood, connecting generations and honoring heritage on Boston's North Shore for three centuries. History comes to life for visitors of all ages in our interactive exhibits and family-friendly programs. Our Museum is a wonderful place to introduce your family to a museum in a fun and relaxed setting.

Thank You, Cherry Farm Creamery !Wenham Museum’s Free First Wednesday: Grandparents Day Festival is proudly supported an...
08/31/2026

Thank You, Cherry Farm Creamery !

Wenham Museum’s Free First Wednesday: Grandparents Day Festival is proudly supported and made possible by Cherry Farm Creamery!

Located in Danvers, MA, Cherry Farm Creamery has been a beloved part of the North Shore community for generations. This year, they are celebrating an incredible 50th Anniversary!

Join us on September 9th for an evening celebrating the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren, featuring free museum admission, hands-on crafts, and a special tea party at 4:30 PM! 🫖💐

Wenham Museum is currently CLOSED September 2–8 for maintenance!While our doors are closed, our team is busy working beh...
08/31/2026

Wenham Museum is currently CLOSED September 2–8 for maintenance!

While our doors are closed, our team is busy working behind the scenes to care for our historic buildings, galleries, and collections and make sure everything is ready for your next visit.

We’ll be back open on Wednesday, September 9. Thank you for your understanding while we take this time to keep the museum looking its best.

In Memory of Dolly Parton1946–2026 Now on display at Wenham Museum.Few American artists have been as instantly recogniza...
08/28/2026

In Memory of Dolly Parton
1946–2026

Now on display at Wenham Museum.

Few American artists have been as instantly recognizable or as widely beloved as Dolly Parton. A singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, and philanthropist, Parton built a career spanning more than six decades while remaining deeply connected to the Appalachian community in which she was raised.

Through songs including Jolene, Coat of Many Colors, 9 to 5, and I Will Always Love You, Parton became one of country music’s most influential voices and one of America’s great musical storytellers. Beyond the stage, her philanthropy, particularly Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, extended her legacy to generations of families.

The Best of Dolly Parton
RCA Records, 1970
Phonograph record

Wenham Museum, Patton Family Archive
Gift of Joanne Holbrook Patton
PFA.07.1149

This album survives in Wenham Museum’s Patton Family Archive as a small reminder of the ways popular music becomes woven into everyday life, and of an artist whose songs became part of the American soundtrack.

In honor of Dolly Parton, 1946–2026. 🤍

08/26/2026

Celebrate Grandparents’ Day at Wenham Museum! 🎉

Make memories together on Wednesday, September 9! Enjoy FREE museum admission and spend the day exploring the galleries, creating together, and celebrating the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren.

What’s happening:
🖼️ Explore the Museum’s galleries together
🎨 Get creative with hands-on crafts
🖼️ Decorate your own picture frame to take home
☕ Special Grandparents’ Day Tea Party at 4:30 PM!

Bring that special grandparent, grandchild, or both and make some wonderful memories together!

Wednesday, September 9
FREE Museum Admission
Tea Party at 4:30 PM
All Ages

Please note: This month’s Free First Wednesday will take place on the SECOND Wednesday of the month.

This event is generously sponsored by Early Childhood Partners CFCE and Cherry Farm Creamery. We are so grateful for your support and for helping us create meaningful experiences for families in our community!

Start your day with joy, discovery, and creativity at Mornings at the Museum! 🌟 Designed especially for little ones and ...
08/25/2026

Start your day with joy, discovery, and creativity at Mornings at the Museum! 🌟 Designed especially for little ones and their grown-ups, these playful, hands-on programs are a fun way to learn, explore, and create together.

Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays at 10:00 AM
Included with museum admission
No registration required—just drop in!

Here’s what’s happening this week:

Wednesday, August 26: Butterfly Feeders
What do butterflies like to eat? Nectar, sugar water, and even rotten fruit! Learn about these important pollinators and make a butterfly feeder inspired by the gardens around the Museum.

Thursday, August 27: Colonial Life: Wool Carding
How did people in colonial America make clothing? Try your hand at carding wool using two brushes to prepare the wool for spinning into yarn.

Friday, August 28: Button Making
Pins and buttons have long been a creative way to share messages that matter. Design and create your own button to take home featuring a message that’s important to you!

Come play, learn, and grow with us at Wenham Museum!

A huge thank you to Highland Street Foundation  for your generous support in bringing August Adventures to Wenham Museum...
08/24/2026

A huge thank you to Highland Street Foundation for your generous support in bringing August Adventures to Wenham Museum this past Saturday!

Thanks to their support, we were able to welcome 325 visitors with free admission throughout the day! We were especially excited to welcome many first-time visitors, including families from outside Essex County. It was a wonderful opportunity to introduce new audiences to Wenham Museum and share all that we have to offer.

And the fun isn’t over yet! August Adventures is still going strong through August 31! 🌞 Each day, participating museums across Massachusetts are offering free admission, making it the perfect time to explore somewhere new with your family.

Thank you again to the Highland Street Foundation for helping make these opportunities possible!

TOMORROW! Join us for August Adventures at Wenham Museum! The Wenham Museum is excited to participate in August Adventur...
08/21/2026

TOMORROW! Join us for August Adventures at Wenham Museum!

The Wenham Museum is excited to participate in August Adventures, a summer program sponsored by the Highland Street Foundation ! Thanks to their generous support, Museum admission is FREE for everyone tomorrow, Saturday, August 22! ☀️

Did you miss our Carnival Obstacle Course on Thursday? 🎪 Good news, it’s coming back for another day of inflatable fun! The obstacle course will be available all day tomorrow for just $10 per child.

🎪 Carnival Obstacle Course: Tomorrow, Saturday, August 22

Tickets: $10 per child
Recommended for ages 3+
Adults (18+) do not need an obstacle course ticket
No preregistration required — tickets will be available for purchase at the Museum’s front desk.

And remember, Museum admission is FREE for everyone tomorrow thanks to the generous support of the Highland Street Foundation!

All obstacle course ticket proceeds directly support Wenham Museum’s educational programs, helping us provide engaging, hands-on learning experiences for children and families throughout the year.

Mark your calendars and join us TOMORROW for a day of free Museum admission and inflatable fun! 🎉 We can’t wait to see you!

We had so much fun at the 10:00 AM performance of Good News Gus and the Loose Caboose! 🚂✨ Harry the Engineer, along with...
08/21/2026

We had so much fun at the 10:00 AM performance of Good News Gus and the Loose Caboose! 🚂✨ Harry the Engineer, along with his fuzzy friend Good News Gus (and many other special guests), sang songs, juggled, and played games in this fun, family-friendly interactive show set inside a caboose on the street!

There’s still time to join us for the 2:00 PM show—spaces are still available! Register https://www.wenhammuseum.org/event/last-fling-the-loose-caboose-with-good-news-gus/

08/20/2026

🚂 A Special Message from Our Fuzzy Friend, Good News Gus!

Good News Gus will be here tomorrow with his friend Harry the Engineer and some other special guests! Join us for a fun, family-friendly, interactive show featuring singing, juggling, games, and plenty of surprises! 🚂🎶

Tomorrow, August 21
10:00 AM & 2:00 PM
Wenham Museum

Bring the whole family and hop aboard for a day of music, laughter, and fun! Good News Gus

Register Now: https://www.wenhammuseum.org/event/last-fling-the-loose-caboose-with-good-news-gus/

Address

132 Main Street
Wenham, MA
01984

Opening Hours

Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

(978) 468-2377

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