Dive into the tangled history of Cambridge politics and social activism by visiting seven local archives as part of Cambridge Historical Commission’s 11th Annual Cambridge Open Archives June 24-28.
Archivists at each site will share treasures from their collections - things like photographs, art, posters, and letters - that tell complex and unique stories about dynamic politicians and dedicated activists; fights over highways and development schemes; a strong mayor vs. Plan E.
See what an archive is, find out what archivists do all day, and see how you can use these resources to learn more about your family and community.
Please note that you must register for each archive separately using their individual instructions below. Some archives have general open hours in which visitors may pop by without registration. Other archives have attendance caps and may offer two "tours" at specific times; these require prior registration.
Monday June 24:
MIT Museum, 1-3 p.m. Registration: Email raro4641@mit.edu to register for one of two tours: 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. Each tour will run about 45 minutes.
Tuesday, June 25:
Cambridge Public Library, 2-4 p.m. Registration: Select a time slot below:
2-3 p.m.: https://cambridgepl.libcal.com/event/5468325
3-4 p.m.: https://cambridgepl.libcal.com/event/5468333
Harvard Semitic Museum, 5-7 p.m. Registration: Email the Semitic Museum at semiticm@fas.harvard.edu to register.
Wednesday, June 26:
Harvard Art Museums, 12-2 p.m. Registration: No registration is necessary during open hours 12-2 p.m. For more information and directions, click here.
Cambridge Historical Commission, 5-7 p.m. Registration: Email chcarchives@cambridgema.gov or call 617-349-4070 to register.
Thursday, June 27:
Cambridge Historical Society, 3-5 p.m. Registration: Click here to register on Eventbrite page.
Mount Auburn Cemetery, 5-7 p.m. Registration: Click here to register on Eventbrite page.
Friday, June 28:
Cambridge Community Center, Time TBD!
See our Frequently Asked Questions section and learn more at CambridgeMA.gov/openarchives.