The Gardner Museum

The Gardner Museum The Gardner Museum The Gardner Museum was established in 1978 in the Levi Heywood Memorial Library building.
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Designed by Fuller and Delano of Worcester, the building was completed in 1886 and is now one of the finest extant examples of Richardson Romanesque architecture. Notable museum architectural details include stained glass windows throughout and numerous decorative plaques. Since at the time of the building's construction Gardner was known as the “Chair City of the World," the shape of a chair was

incorporated into the center front façade of the building (see picture above). Some interior features include three ornate brick and stone fireplaces and beautifully preserved oak moldings. The Gardner Museum was individually placed on the National Register of Historic Places and is located in the Gardner Uptown National Register Historic District. Museum Coordinator: Marion Knoll

Museum President: Scott Huntoon

Acquisitions Chair: Bryant LeBlanc

Webmaster: Wendy Essery

page Administrators: Sheila Murphy, Sherrill Murphy, Marion Knoll

Congratulations again to the winners and ALL participants in this year’s Hervey Bowden Essay Contest! Students were chal...
05/09/2026

Congratulations again to the winners and ALL participants in this year’s Hervey Bowden Essay Contest! Students were challenged to explore the past and present of a local place, tradition, or way of life while examining how changes affected the community over time. The two winning essays focused on beloved Gardner landmarks: Greenwood Memorial Pool and the Goodnow-Pearson department store. Although it was understandably nerve-wracking for the students to read their essays aloud during the well-attended Awards Night, the supportive audience helped make it a memorable evening with laughter, shared memories, and discussion. Events like this remind us why local history matters and how community stories, landmarks, and institutions CONTINUE TO LIVE ON through memories, museum collections, and now student research & writing. Thank you to contest/scholarship supporter Steve Fredette, independent judges, participating students & families, and everyone who attended and encouraged these young historians!

Support of our non-profit museum comes from all sides of life: A big shout-out to Quality Cleans LLC (formerly known as ...
05/03/2026

Support of our non-profit museum comes from all sides of life: A big shout-out to Quality Cleans LLC (formerly known as Scott’s Cleaning Service)! We appreciate their commitment to maintaining continuity of service during a difficult transition, ensuring the museum remains clean and welcoming for our visitors and programs. They’ve been with us since 2022, and we’re glad their bi-weekly cleaning services resumed in March after our winter break.

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4-8)! As a special thank you for their dedication and hard work, educators receive f...
05/02/2026

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4-8)! As a special thank you for their dedication and hard work, educators receive free admission tomorrow, Sunday 5/3/2026, from 1-4 pm. It’s a great opportunity for teachers to check out our displays for themselves before sharing the experience with their students and perhaps planning the next field trip!

We would like to thank our volunteer team, the History Trash Busters, who were out in the community on Earth Day collect...
04/23/2026

We would like to thank our volunteer team, the History Trash Busters, who were out in the community on Earth Day collecting trash and nips and helping Keep Gardner Beautiful. Thank you for showing what community pride looks like! What a way to celebrate the beauty of our planet during April (Earth Month!)

04/22/2026

Earth Day cleanup 2026

Earth Day has grown from a small idea into a global movement. Today, more than 1 billion people in over 193 countries ta...
04/22/2026

Earth Day has grown from a small idea into a global movement. Today, more than 1 billion people in over 193 countries take part each year—making it the world’s largest civic observance. The story begins in 1969, when peace activist John McConnell proposed a day to honor the Earth and promote peace at a UNESCO conference in San Francisco. The first Earth Day was observed on March 21, 1970 (first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere). Soon after, US Senator Ga***rd Nelson launched a nationwide environmental teach-in for April 22, 1970, bringing the idea to communities across the country. With Denis Hayes as national coordinator, the event quickly expanded beyond a teach-in into a broad, grassroots movement. The name “Earth Day” was coined by advertising writer Julian Koenig. By 1990, Earth Day had gone global, with Denis Hayes organizing events in 141 nations. In 2020, more than 100 million people worldwide marked the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Each year, Earth Day brings people together to care for the places we call home. Even small actions like picking up litter can make a meaningful difference. Here in Gardner, the week-long community-wide cleanup effort (April 18–25) is a great opportunity to work side by side with neighbors, take pride in our surroundings, and help create a cleaner, more welcoming city. On 4/22/26, the Gardner Museum volunteer team HISTORY TRASH BUSTERS joins in.

Recently, we had a well-attended and impactful evening program about the 1901 Naramore tragedy. Appropriately held soon ...
04/18/2026

Recently, we had a well-attended and impactful evening program about the 1901 Naramore tragedy. Appropriately held soon after Women’s History Month, the story resonated strongly with the audience. As presenter Lucy Allen (Barre Massachusetts Historical Society) noted, “It could’ve happened in Gardner. Or anywhere.” While addressing the gruesome crime (murder of 6 young children) with great compassion, Lucy explored the deeper issues surrounding it: women’s lack of legal rights over their children, outdated welfare systems at the town level, and a community that failed to support a struggling family. She also highlighted how this tragedy became a catalyst for changes in MA law, connecting it to the work of reformers like Lucy Stone and her daughter Alice Stone Blackwell. Lucy Stone herself remains a well-known figure in Gardner as she and her daughter Alice lived for six months in 1864 in the house on Elm St, where Stone frequently visited her sister Sarah and brother-in-law, Deacon Henry Lawrence. Stop by the museum if you’d like to learn more, we are open Wed-Sun, 1-4 pm.

Join us on Thursday, April 16, for our next program "Barre’s Naramore Tragedy" (reception at 6:30 pm, presentation at 7 ...
04/13/2026

Join us on Thursday, April 16, for our next program "Barre’s Naramore Tragedy" (reception at 6:30 pm, presentation at 7 pm; admission $3) Historian Lucy Allen of the Barre Historical Society offers a compelling reexamination of the 1901 case, exploring how it reflects the limited rights of women within marriage and the legal realities of the time. This thought-provoking program also connects the tragedy to changes in MA law just one year later. To reserve your seat(s), please send an email to [email protected]

Many attendees shared positive feedback after our exceptionally well attended and engaging recent “Mysterious MA” progra...
04/12/2026

Many attendees shared positive feedback after our exceptionally well attended and engaging recent “Mysterious MA” program with Springfield City Librarian Sarah Hodge-Wetherbe. She brought a thoughtful and refreshing perspective, approaching each story with her “skeptical librarian hat” on: always searching for the history and reliable sources behind local legends. Her presentation was lively, informative, and often humorous, including memorable moments like the audience reciting the Lizzie Borden rhyme together (Who knew that an Ax murder makes for a good nursery rhyme?) and her remark that “as a librarian you have to own two cats” to be in the club. She explored fascinating regional lore, from the “Berkshire monster” (once known as the “Coca-Cola monster”) to reported hauntings at The Mount, the Lizzie Borden House, and Gardner’s own S.K. Pierce Mansion, sharing both researched accounts and her personal experiences. The evening concluded with the story of “Half-Hanged Mary” of Hadley, a legend that blends history and folklore and carries a simple but meaningful message: KINDNESS MATTERS. It was a fitting end to a thoroughly enjoyable program, and we may look forward to welcoming her back in the future. Read more here: https://www.panelsbygeekgal.com

The 20th annual Festival of Trees came to an end. 🎄 We are grateful for every single visitor who supported the museum! A...
12/06/2025

The 20th annual Festival of Trees came to an end. 🎄 We are grateful for every single visitor who supported the museum! And thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who pulled off this massive undertaking once again. All the winning tickets have been drawn (including this year’s special door prize), WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. Congratulations to everyone who will be able to pick up one of the 127 beautiful trees, baskets or other items! 🎄Pick up is tomorrow 10 am - 4 pm 🎄If you are not a winner, there's always next year! If you liked the donated trees, perhaps you would like to create one next year - let us know!

Address

28 Pearl Street
Gardner, MA
01440

Opening Hours

Wednesday 1pm - 4pm
Thursday 1pm - 4pm
Friday 1pm - 4pm
Saturday 1pm - 4pm
Sunday 1pm - 4pm

Telephone

+19786323277

Website

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