Massachusetts is home to over 650 historical societies, preservation organizations, and heritage groups. From major institutions in Boston to small-town societies preserving local heritage, these organizations maintain vital connections to Massachusetts's rich past.
Featured Historical Societies
Massachusetts Historical Society
Location: Boston, MA
Founded: 1791
America's first historical society, founded by the Revolutionary generation. Houses invaluable collections including Paul Revere's accounts, Adams family papers, and extensive Massachusetts archives. Premier independent research library.
Website: masshist.org
Plimoth Patuxet Museums
Location: Plymouth, MA
Founded: 1947
Living history museum recreating 17th-century Plymouth Colony and Native Wampanoag homesite. Features costumed interpreters, replica Mayflower II, and explores the complex history of colonization and indigenous peoples.
Website: plimoth.org
Old Sturbridge Village
Location: Sturbridge, MA
Founded: 1946
Living history museum depicting rural New England life in the 1830s. Features 40+ restored buildings, costumed historians, working farms, and demonstrations of period crafts and trades.
Website: osv.org
Massachusetts Historical Society
Location: Boston, MA
Founded: 1791
America's oldest historical society with unparalleled manuscript collections. Holdings include Adams family papers, Paul Revere records, and materials documenting colonial and revolutionary eras.
Website: masshist.org
Plimoth Patuxet Museums
Location: Plymouth, MA
Founded: 1947
Living history museum recreating 1627 English settlement and Indigenous Wampanoag homesite. Costumed interpreters portray colonists and Native peoples sharing different perspectives on contact.
Website: plimoth.org
Old Sturbridge Village
Location: Sturbridge, MA
Founded: 1946
Largest living history museum in Northeast recreating 1830s rural New England community. 40 original buildings staffed by costumed historians demonstrating early American trades and daily life.
Website: osv.org
Lowell National Historical Park
Location: Lowell, MA
Founded: 1978
Preserves America's first planned industrial city and textile manufacturing complex. Interprets Industrial Revolution, mill girl labor, and immigrant workers who powered America's industry.
Website: nps.gov/lowe
Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Location: Salem, MA
Founded: 1938
First national historic site preserving port that made Salem a world trading center. Wharves, warehouses, and Custom House interpret China Trade and maritime commerce.
Website: nps.gov/sama
Submit a Society
Know of other Massachusetts historical societies? Help us expand this directory by submitting organizations you're familiar with.
Submit a Society →Additional Massachusetts History Resources
- Massachusetts Historical Society - Premier independent research library
- Massachusetts Historical Commission - State historic preservation office
- Massachusetts State Archives - State archives in Boston