The West End Museum

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The West End Museum We preserve and celebrate the history of Boston's West End, through exhibits, events, and more.

The West End Museum is a neighborhood museum located at 150 Staniford Street, in Boston, Massachusetts in a 4000 square foot space on the ground floor of West End Place (and Lomasney Way). The primary purpose of the West End Museum is to operate and maintain a neighborhood museum dedicated to the collection, preservation and interpretation of the history and culture of the West End of Boston. The Museum acknowledges its role as an educational institution and a trustee of significant material culture. Exhibitions:

"The Last Tenement" (permanent exhibit)

http://thewestendmuseum.org/exhibitions/the-last-tenement/

Fall 2015 Exhibitions:

Dewey Defeats Truman/The Housing Act of 1949

http://thewestendmuseum.org/mc-events/exhibition-dewey-defeats-trumanthe-housing-act-of-1949/


Indelebile Italia by Giselle Valdes

http://thewestendmuseum.org/exhibitions/exhibition-indelebile-italia-by-giselle-valdes/

Sott Kerman is coming to WEM as part of his Last Honest Politician Tour! Join us for an unforgettable evening of laughte...
10/21/2026

Sott Kerman is coming to WEM as part of his Last Honest Politician Tour! Join us for an unforgettable evening of laughter, storytelling, history, and the remarkable friendship that inspired one of Massachusetts' most talked-about books.

Get tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2002566118167?aff=oddtdtcreator

For four years, comedian, columnist, and author Scott Kerman visited former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis every Wednesday, recording hundreds of hours of candid conversations that became The Duke: Weekly Conversations with the Last Honest Politician.

Now, those unforgettable stories come to life in The Last Honest Politician Tour—a funny, fascinating, and surprisingly moving live event that has captivated audiences across the state,

Scott's presentations have included sold-out appearances at the Brattle Theatre hosted by Harvard Book Store and at Brookline Booksmith, as well as a presentation at the Massachusetts State House Library.

You'll hear behind-the-scenes stories never told publicly, discover the humor, character, leadership, and humanity of one of the Commonwealth's most respected public servants, and laugh along with the unexpected moments that developed during an extraordinary friendship.

It's a live storytelling event filled with laughter, audience interaction, and remarkable stories that make you feel like you're sitting at the kitchen table with Scott and Governor Dukakis.

Following the presentation, Scott will answer audience questions and sign copies of The Duke: Weekly Conversations with the Last Honest Politician.

An evening of laughter, storytelling, history, and the remarkable friendship that inspired one of Massachusetts' most talked-about books.

We're less than a month away from our 2026 Honoree Night. We hope you'll join us for a night celebrating the accomplishm...
10/20/2026

We're less than a month away from our 2026 Honoree Night. We hope you'll join us for a night celebrating the accomplishments of Ted Landsmark, Senda Berenson Abbott, and Jane Forrestall while supporting WEM's newly expanded mission and function.

Hear from community leaders, enjoy complimentary refreshments + drinks, and support WEM through an exciting raffle + auction.

Get tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-honoree-night-tickets-1996650016949?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

Here's another spooky story for you 💀🎃"Jolly" Jane Toppan studied nursing at MGH right down the street from WEM. Despite...
10/19/2026

Here's another spooky story for you 💀🎃

"Jolly" Jane Toppan studied nursing at MGH right down the street from WEM. Despite being dismissed without a degree in 1890 and never obtaining further accreditation, she went on to have a successful career as a nurse and mass-murderer.

Toppan was know to poison her victims and crawl into bed with them as they died. It was reported that she enjoyed fooling the doctors who were unable to determine what killed her patients. She killed as many as 31 people, although, we may never know her true number of victims.

1852 illustration of of MGH

Announcing FREE TO ALL: WEST END BRANCH LIBRARY a special exhibtion opening in one month.Explore how local libraries bot...
10/18/2026

Announcing FREE TO ALL: WEST END BRANCH LIBRARY a special exhibtion opening in one month.

Explore how local libraries both mirror and shape their surrounding communities, encounter historic figures such as George Washington Forbes and F***y Goldstein, and celebrate all libraries do for the people they serve.

Reserve your FREE spot to the opening and book swap here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-to-all-west-end-branch-library-exhibit-opening-and-book-swap-tickets-2002570407998?aff=oddtdtcreator

Research done in partnership with the West End Branch and the Special Collections and Archives of the BPL.

Experience the streets of Boston’s West End after dark at one of two spooky walking tour sessions exploring the many mur...
10/15/2026

Experience the streets of Boston’s West End after dark at one of two spooky walking tour sessions exploring the many murders and mysteries that haunt our historic neighborhood.

Click here to learn more: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1999050190934?aff=oddtdtcreator IF YOUR DARE!

Learn the West End's sordid history from pirates to penicillin. If you DARE!

Portrait Project is open to the public through November 16th. Come see the work of AFH's talented young artists and the ...
10/14/2026

Portrait Project is open to the public through November 16th. Come see the work of AFH's talented young artists and the figures throughout U.S. history who they find inspirational.

We're in the final weekend of Q***r History West End. Come by anytime before Sunday at 4:30pm to experience it for yours...
10/09/2026

We're in the final weekend of Q***r History West End. Come by anytime before Sunday at 4:30pm to experience it for yourself. Thank you to our sponsors and collaborators who made this possible.

***rHistory

Last month was Star Trek's 60th anniversary. Did you know that Leonard Nimoy (the original Spock) was a Westender? He's ...
10/07/2026

Last month was Star Trek's 60th anniversary. Did you know that Leonard Nimoy (the original Spock) was a Westender? He's circled in the top right corner of this 1940s photograph from our archives on the Charlesbank.

As a child, her grew up frequenting The West End House and Elizabeth Peabody House. It was here that he fell in love with acting and decided to move to California at 18 to become a star of the silver screen.

"Qapla" to sixty years!

Address

150 Staniford St
Boston, MA
02114

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