Framingham’s Top 10
October 2019 – December 2023
Among the rows of storage shelves and tucked away in archival boxes lie the most important artifacts housed at the Framingham History Center (FHC). Ten of these precious objects have been chosen by the curator and the community designed to reinforce the local, national, and international significance of the FHC’s collection. Spanning three hundred years, with objects as small as a pin to as large as a billboard, this exhibit will underscore the variety of the FHC’s holdings. Set in a modern gallery style, each artifact stands alone in reverence to its importance. Framingham’s Top 10 has something for everyone – paintings, sculpture, documents, clothing, Americana, music, and neon.
An American Town in WWI
April 2018 – May 2019
Why do many of us know so little about WWI? Perhaps because America entered the war during its last year? Or is it because few understood shell shock and how to process the horrors of the trenches? While WWII is known for the “greatest generation,” WWI produced the “lost generation.” But WWI is not lost to Framingham. This exhibit featured seven local men and women whose stories speak to the larger forces at play in the first war that engulfed the world. Innovations around flight and technology, the impact of the influenza pandemic, pacifism and suffrage are just some of the threads tying Framingham to WWI.
History in the Stitches: Framingham Fashion through the Centuries
October 2016 – September 2017
Set against a backdrop of Framingham images and artifacts, this exhibit featured fashions that both pleased the eye and illuminated the lives of some very special Framingham women. We chose pieces that reflected the social mores, economic status, and the personalities behind the ever-present decision we all face daily – what to wear?
The Dennison Manufacturing Company: 1844-1990
November 2014 – June 2016
The story of “the Dennison” is very much the story of Framingham for nearly 100 years. From 1897 when it came to town until 1990 when it merged with Avery Corporation and operations were moved to California, Dennison was at the forefront of manufacturing, progressive management, technological innovation and marketing ingenuity. From creating the first American-made boxes to producing the ubiquitous tags and labels that organized the country, the Dennison name meant quality.
This exhibition features a timeline tracing nearly 150 years of manufacturing, product development, retail and industrial systems, marketing initiatives, and progressive management practices that ensured the welfare of Dennison employees.
Shoppers’ World…1951-1994
February 2013 – December 2013
Inspired by the overwhelming enthusiasm of our members and visitors who loved our Shoppers World roundtable, this exhibition featured images, merchandise, and memorabilia that took visitors back to this “kinder, gentler shopping center.”
The country’s first mall east of the Rockies included the iconic Jordan Marsh dome anchoring 44 original stores with an interior courtyard that served as a cultural stage and community gathering spot for more than 40 years.
Promoters of this new mall were right out of “Mad Men” coming up with ingenious ways to bring shoppers from all over New England to this cutting edge retail mecca – or as one planner called it “an opportunity for a re-creation of community spirit.”
Framingham Remembers the Civil War
June 2011 – June 2012
Featuring newly discovered stories and objects including a war trophy taken by Framingham’s own hero, General George H. Gordon, from the Confederate executive mansion within 36 hours of the fall of Richmond. The home front and battlefield are represented with a just-restored Citizen’s Flag hanging alongside the battle worn 13th regimental flag that was carried at Antietam and Gettysburg, among other renowned battle sites.
Musterfield
On the eve of new developments at the former State Musterfield, an exhibit was designed to commemorate this historic site. Two panels, a diorama and brochures for visitors illustrated the history of the training and assembly area for the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, in use since the first encampment in 1873.
The Musterfield exhibit was added to the permanent Framingham Time Line in the Old Academy building.
An Exhibition of Floyd Walser’s Art
April 2008
The Framingham History Center presented an exhibition of Floyd Walser’s art at the Edgell Memorial Library, 3 Oak Street, in Framingham.
The watercolor paintings depicting Framingham scenes, portraits, and photographs are a gift of Hazel and the late Carlo Belloli, and Richard Rotelli. They illustrate the life of a remarkable man who overcame severe disabilities due to polio and painted with only the use of his right arm.
If you enjoyed these paintings, you may want to purchase one of the limited edition prints the Framinghman History Center is making available in the online Museum shop by going directly to the prints by clicking here.
Toward Victory: Winning WWII from Home
April 2005 – September 2005
Were they heroes – or ordinary Framingham citizens called upon to do extraordinary things? Toward Victory: Winning World War II From Home raised this question through an exhibition and a series of programs organized by the Framingham Historical Society and Museum and sponsored by Banknorth.
Abbondanza
March 2004 – August 2004
The Museum celebrated the lives and the contributions of Framingham Italian-Americans in an exhibition and program highlighting the theme of “Abbondanza! The Richness of Italian-American Life in Framingham.”
The exhibition featured personal histories, from the immigrants’ departure from Italy through their lives in Framingham, and the lives of their descendants, captured in personal belongings including passports, naturalization papers, photographs, needlework, dolls, tools and cooking implements.
Structure and Design
April 2003 – August 2003
This exhibition celebrated three centuries of architectural riches in Framingham.