Wenham Museum: 17th Century Saturdays

Wenham Museum for families in Wenham MA

Tour the Wenham Museum’s 17th century Claflin-Gerrish-Richards House and discover how families lived during three centuries—from the First Period to the Victorian era.

The Claflin-Richards House was constructed circa 1690 with ogee braces, an architectural hallmark of 16th and 17th century English dwellings. Today it contains three centuries of architecture, furnishings, and artifacts, representing a First Period dwelling room, a late 17th century minister's parlor, a circa 1750 bed chamber, and a Victorian-era chamber. Furnishings include a woolen bed-rug made in 1724, said to be the second oldest such rug in the United States, and an oak dresser built in 1752.

The Wenham Museum is a family-friendly museum of childhood and New England family life located on Boston’s North Shore since 1922. The museum’s collections include model trains, a world-renowned doll collection, vintage dollhouses, a costume and textile collection, antique toys, historic photographs and the National Historic Register Claflin-Richards House. Sixteen annual rotating exhibits and related family programming help to interpret the museum's mission to protect, preserve and interpret the artifacts of childhood, domestic life, and the history and culture of Boston’s North Shore.

The permanent collection includes over 5,000 dolls and doll accessories, and toy soldiers from the American Revolution through World War II. The Model Train room is a maze of whirring, whistling antique trains and railroad artifacts, and kids are welcome to play conductor. The Family Discovery Room offers a variety of hands-on activities for kids of all ages.

Classes, Events & Camps

The Wenham Museum offers many enrichment experiences for children, from preschool up. Click on these links to check out frequent preschool programs, youth and family events, and summer programs like History Alive! Summer Camps.

When: 
Saturday, October 5, 2013 at 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm
Location: 
Phone: 
978-468-2377
Landmark Skills+ Summer Course at Landmark School in Beverly Massachusetts

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Wednesday, February 25

Boston Bruins Annual Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore of Massachusetts as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
The Boston Bruins will be hosting their 19th annual PJ Drive with the goal of collecting 10,000 pairs of pajamas from February 1st - March 15th, 2026. The drive will benefit Cradles to Crayons and Wonderfund MA, two non-profits that ensure positive living conditions for children. Local businesses...
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Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
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Kids are invited to read to a dog at Amesbury Massachusetts Public Library. Image generated with AI.
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Thursday, February 26

Boston Bruins Annual Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore of Massachusetts as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
The Boston Bruins will be hosting their 19th annual PJ Drive with the goal of collecting 10,000 pairs of pajamas from February 1st - March 15th, 2026. The drive will benefit Cradles to Crayons and Wonderfund MA, two non-profits that ensure positive living conditions for children. Local businesses...
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Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
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Afterschool Chess Club at Abbot Library

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Boston Bruins Annual Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore of Massachusetts as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
The Boston Bruins will be hosting their 19th annual PJ Drive with the goal of collecting 10,000 pairs of pajamas from February 1st - March 15th, 2026. The drive will benefit Cradles to Crayons and Wonderfund MA, two non-profits that ensure positive living conditions for children. Local businesses...
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