Cambridge Open Archives June 15-18

Cambridge Open Archives will mark its seventh year during the week of June 15.  Visitors are invited to explore “New Acquisitions & Old Treasures” at eight local archives. Several new repositories will be open this year, including the MIT Museum’s Hart Nautical Collection and the archives of three Harvard museums, as well as old favorites.

Each afternoon or early evening, registered participants will be welcomed at two neighboring archives for special behind-the-scenes tours. The paired sites are within easy walking distance of each other.

Monday, June 15, 4-6 p.m. -- Opening the week will be archives at the Longfellow House-Washington’s HQ National Historic Site and the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe.

Tuesday, June 16, 3-5 p.m. -- Registered participants can visit two new sites just across Divinity Avenue from each other —Harvard’s Peabody Museum and its Semitic Museum.

Wednesday, June 17, 6-8 p.m. -- Tours will be offered at Cambridge Public Library’s Cambridge Room and at an exciting new venue— Harvard Art Museums, in the new facility which opened this past November.

Thursday, June 18, 3-5 p.m. Two venues at MIT—the Institute Archives & Special Collections and the Museum’s Hart Nautical Collection.

Open Archives is a free event, but visitors must register in advance, as space is extremely limited. To register, please email archives@cambridgema.gov and specify the day(s) you plan to attend.  Registrants will be contracted with tour details.  For more information, contact the archives email above, or call Cambridge Historical Commission at 617-349-4683.