West End Museum facts for kids
The West End Museum is a special place in Boston. It collects and shares the history and culture of the West End neighborhood. It helps people learn about the past of this important area.
How the Museum Started
The idea for the West End Museum began in 1989. People from the West Ender Newsletter and the West End Historical Association started planning it.
In 1991, a group called The Old West End Housing Corporation (OWEHC) was formed. Their main goal was to build affordable homes. These homes were for people who had to leave the West End in the 1950s. This happened because of something called Urban Renewal. During this time, the government took their homes. This was done using a process called eminent domain.
After helping to build homes at West End Place, OWEHC received a space in 2002. This space was for their offices. They also had to create a visitor center for the West End.
In 2003, The Bostonian Society moved an exhibit to this new space. It was called “The Last Tenement.” This exhibit had been shown before, from 1992 to 1994. It told the story of the West End neighborhood and its challenges. This exhibit became the start of a permanent museum.
By 2010, members of OWEHC and local residents formed a committee. Their goal was to create a permanent non-profit organization. This organization became The West End Museum, Inc. It is a 501(c) 3 non-profit group.
Exploring the Museum's Exhibits
The West End Museum has three main areas for exhibits. It also has a special place for old records and collections. The museum often hosts different events and programs too.
The main exhibit is called "The Last Tenement." The Bostonian Society first designed it in 1992. It moved to the West End Museum in 2003. This exhibit has its own dedicated space. It is about 1,100 square feet in size.
The museum also has a large exhibition area. It is about 1,400 square feet. This space changes its shows three times a year. Past shows have included "The Middlesex Canal: Boston's First Big Dig." Another show was "Leaving the River.”
Next to the museum offices is the Members Gallery. This smaller space changes its exhibits six times a year. Some past shows here have featured old West End photographs. These photos came from the Bostonian Society's collections. Other shows included "The Boston Canal." This was an extension of the Middlesex Canal. It went through Causeway Street to Haymarket Square. Another exhibit celebrated "Twenty Five Years of the West Ender Newsletter."
