Nichols House Museum offering summer programming
The Nichols House Museum at 55 Mt. Vernon St. will offer Brahmins & Bohemians Beacon Hill walking tours on July 16 and Aug.13 at 6 p.m.
Summer evenings are perfect for exploring the neighborhood. Join the Nichols House Museum for a relaxed ramble around the Hill. Enjoy the charming details of our beautiful neighborhood as we chat about some of the artists and writers who lived on the Hill when the Nichols family was in residence at 55 Mount Vernon St.
Also, the Nichols House is open for guided tours Tuesday through Sunday, with expanded hours on the weekends. The museum is fully air conditioned.
For more information and tickets, visit: nicholshousemuseum.org
West End Museum’s July programming continues
The West End Museum, located at 50 Staniford St., Suite 7 (on Lomasney Way), presents ‘Boston and the Declaration of Independence: 1776 Musical & Lecture’ on July 10 at 6 p.m.,
Want to celebrate our nation’s 250th without the crazy Fourth of July crowds? Come to the museum for a screening of the musical, ‘1776,’ which will be preceded by a mini-lecture on the Bostonians who signed the Declaration of Independence.
Learn about the lives of Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry, and John Hancock while discussing the impact of their actions and signatures throughout the past two and a half centuries. See what it took to declare independence and how the ideals shaping our democracy have lingered, not quite fulfilled, since its inception in Boston’s West End and beyond.
On July 19 at 1 p.m., the museum presents ‘Displaced and Descendant West Enders Reunion.’ Remember and celebrate “The greatest neighborhood this side of heaven” with friends, family, and neighbors.
Beginning in 1958 the diverse working-class neighborhood of The West End was destroyed through urban renewal projects. Once a year, WEM hosts a gathering for those displaced or otherwise impacted by this tragedy and their descendants.
On July 23 at 6 p.m., and on July 26 at 11 a.m., the museum will offer its Queer History West End Walking Tour.
Get outside and learn about the queer history of our neighborhood through a walking tour offered at two separate times as part of WEM’s current special exhibition Queer History West End.
Attendees will explore the history of the LGBTQ+ community in the West End, primarily around the North Slope neighborhood, old Scollay Square, and Charles Street.
Beginning in the late 19th century, this neighborhood was a hub for Queer Bostonians. Encounter the sites of historic speakeasies, raids, Boston marriages, the early publication of queer literature, activism, famous gay bars, and AIDS epidemic protests. This tour will focus on queer faces and places in the West End while exploring how one small neighborhood made queer history.
The museum extends its gratitude to exclusive sponsors: MA250 and the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce. This exhibition was made in partnership with Queer History Boston.
More information and links to purchase tickets can be found online at: www.westendmuseum.org/programs
Nichols House Museum offering tours
The 1804 Nichols House Museum at 55 Mount Vernon St. was home to an early 20th-century family of artists and activists, along with their domestic staff. The house was preserved as a museum by Rose Standish Nichols, a pioneering woman landscape architect. It is furnished with an original collection, including works by the sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, as well as furniture and textiles handcrafted by Rose and her sister Margaret. Tours are offered on Thursday through Saturday at 10 and 11 a.m., and noon; on Sundays at 11 a.m., noon, and 1 p.m.
For more information, tickets, and to register, visit: nicholshousemuseum.org
Come play Mah Jongg at the West End Community Center
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, you are invited to join the friendly Mah Jongg group. Instructors will be available to help new players, and everyone is welcome. Come meet new people, socialize, and play the game.
The group meets on the first and third Wednesdays of each month from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the West End Community (within the West End Neighborhood Center), 75 Blossom Court (entrance on Thoreau Path).
To sign up or for more information, email Audrey Tedeman([email protected]) or Sandy Connor([email protected]).