Manchester by the Sea Museum

Manchester by the Sea Museum The Museum also functions as a cultural center, hosting lectures, art shows, and family events centered on Cape Ann history.

The Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum is located at the 1823 Abigail Hooper Trask House, formerly the residence of the only unmarried woman in Massachusetts to build her own business and her own home! The on-site History Center includes our archives and collections, which help us interpret the town's past as well as Manchester-By-The-Sea's place in Massachusetts history. You can view our 2023 event sch

edule under Events, where you can meet local experts and fellow enthusiasts in fields like historic preservation and nautical, colonial, and Indigenous history! We're currently closed due to renovations, and will reopen in September. Our regular hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays 10 - 3, and Sundays 1 - 4. We're located at 10 Union Street in Manchester-By-The-Sea, with nearby on-street parking and a public parking lot behind the 1809 Meetinghouse. For those reaching us by train, the Manchester Commuter Rail Station on the Newburyport/Rockport Line is located 2 1/2 blocks away. Our building is handicap-accessible from our main courtyard entrance on the right side of the building. Please call 978-526-7230 or email [email protected] with any questions regarding visits, event rentals, and group rates.

Happening tomorrow! 🖊️✒️✏🔏
06/02/2026

Happening tomorrow! 🖊️✒️✏🔏

05/30/2026

From maritime archives to stunning local art, there's always something new to discover at the Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum. Explore our latest exhibits and hidden gems.

05/30/2026

History of the Nelson Block/Cargo Building Site, 22 Union Street

As Manchester says goodbye to the Cargo Unlimited building at 22 Union Street, historically known as the Nelson Block an...
05/30/2026

As Manchester says goodbye to the Cargo Unlimited building at 22 Union Street, historically known as the Nelson Block and built in 1929, we look back at the history of the site.

Around 1732, fisherman Samuel Carter built a gambrel-roofed house here that persisted until around 1883, when it was moved. This house still exists today at 30 Norwood Ave.

Following the moving of the old house, in the mid-1880s retired cabinetmaker Alfred Annable had an ornate eclectically-designed structure built, set back from the street on the site's hill. In 1911, under subsequent ownership by Alfred C. Needham, the house was redesigned in colonial revival style.

In 1928, the installation of a prominent Boston real estate agency’s sign in front of the house swirled rumors as to the house's future. By the next year, ultimately, it was torn down to be replaced by retail storefronts known as the Nelson Block.

For 97 years, the Nelson Block housed a variety of businesses, starting with Mrs. Ida B. Sweeney's gift shop, and including grocers A&P, DeVoe’s barbershop, Allen’s Pharmacy, and many more, ending in the occupancy of Cargo Unlimited.

The Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum maintains an archival repository of the town's history, offers archival & research services, and welcomes more photos and accounts of the site. Do you have memories of the Nelson Block/Cargo Building? Share in the comments below!

Tomorrow! Spring Speaker Series: Myth and Memory — Stories of the American Revolution
05/27/2026

Tomorrow! Spring Speaker Series: Myth and Memory — Stories of the American Revolution

Tomorrow! Spring Speaker Series: Myth and Memory — Stories of the American Revolution, Thursday, May 28, Dr. Erica Lome, Curator of Collections at Historic New England, will talk about objects and archival materials from the American Revolution embedded with memories and mythologies, based on her ...

Today we are honoring Manchester's fallen warriors, and extending our call for revolutionary art
05/25/2026

Today we are honoring Manchester's fallen warriors, and extending our call for revolutionary art

Ann Guyer, "A Flag Call to Sea," acrylic on canvas, 24x24

Speaker Series, Sunday Hours, and Summer Soirée at Sharksmouth - coming soon to your local museum
05/21/2026

Speaker Series, Sunday Hours, and Summer Soirée at Sharksmouth - coming soon to your local museum

Next Week! Spring Speaker Series: Myth and Memory — Stories of the American Revolution, Thursday, May 28, Dr. Erica Lome, Curator of Collections at Historic New England, will talk about objects and archival materials from the American Revolution embedded with memories and mythologies, based on her...

Saturday! Wear Your Straw Hat to the (Free!) Historic Town Tour
05/14/2026

Saturday! Wear Your Straw Hat to the (Free!) Historic Town Tour

Cover Image is from "The Lookout" column, Gloucester Daily Times, May 14, 1931, Page 4. Community History Archives, Sawyer Free Library. Link.

05/14/2026

Address

10 Union Street
Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA
01944

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 3pm
Thursday 10am - 3pm
Friday 10am - 3pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm

Telephone

(978) 526-7230

Website

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