The recently reopened West End Museum is launching an exciting schedule of spring and summer programs, which will be offered both in-person and online.
Beginning April 29, Wentworth University Professor Emeritus Lois Ascher will lead a free, three-part webinar on the importance of urban public space, exploring four of Boston’s most treasured spots.
“Public space is democracy’s front porch,” Ascher said. “It promotes the interaction of diverse people who might not otherwise encounter each other. When you interact in public space and with other people, a comfort level begins to emerge. Suddenly, you’re all part of the same community.”
The webinar includes “Public Space/Common Good,” which examines the role of public space in our daily lives and its importance as a foundation of democratic principles, on April 29 at 6:30 p.m.; “Palaces for the People,” which looks at Boston’s Public Library and Public Garden, on May 13 at 6:30 p.m.; and “The Color of Water: A Civil Discourse,” which explores Boston’s role in providing public access to clean water and includes a look at Chestnut Hill’s Waterworks Museum, as well as its original role as a pumping station, on May 27, at 6:30 p.m.
Register for the Public Spaces webinars at https://thewestendmuseum.org/events/talk/democracys-front-porch-webinar-series/.
Additionally, other offerings include a series of in-person programs with West End Museum President Duane Lucia.
First up is Jane’s Walk. On the annual celebration of the urbanist Jane Jacobs, Lucia will lead a free walking tour exploring the remainders of the old West End, including the West Church, Massachusetts General Hospital, West End House, Winchell School, and Beacon Hill’s North Slope. Discussion will focus on Jacobs’ writing and work as an activist fighting urban renewal projects like the one that demolished the West End. The tour takes place on May 8 at 1 p.m. Register at https://thewestendmuseum.org/events/walking-tour-events/janes-walk-2021.
Next is “Tidal Power in Colonial Boston,” when Lucia will explore Boston’s first industrialized power source, the Tidal Mills, in a talk that also examines early efforts to dam parts of the Charles River on May 21 at 6:30 p.m., with a walking tour on June 5 at 11 a.m. Register for the May 21 Tidal Power talk at /https://thewestendmuseum.org/events/talk/tidal-power-in-colonial-boston-talk-wem-630pm-may-21/, and the June 5 walking tour at https://thewestendmuseum.org/events/walking-tour-events/tidal-power-in-colonial-boston-walking-tour-wem-11am-june-5/.