THE TOMORROW FUND

NEH CARES ECONOMIC STABILIZATION GRANT AWARDED TO WHM!

WHM is grateful for The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) CARES fund grant of $129,030 that will provide six-month support (July-December 2020) to ensure the Museum’s ongoing efforts to gather and share our history. The “Securing Worcester’s History: Making History Together” project has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor.

The NEH CARES allows Worcester Historical Museum to preserve five humanities positions and create one new short-term documentation position. NEH support will ensure WHM’s ongoing efforts to capture oral histories of communities in Worcester, document the effects of the coronavirus pandemic locally, plan for the development and implementation of school curricula, transition recent and planned exhibitions to digital formats, and develop expanded virtual programming.

WHM Trustees have issued a challenge: Help build this support to $250,000 to guarantee continued programming and partnerships through June 30, 2021, our fiscal year. Gail Ciborowski Ferreira, WHM Board President, stated, “This is a critical moment for the museum as we all adapt to be more digital, and with so much to record and share amongst the uncertainty of COVID-19 and the ever-evolving local landscape. The WHM Board proposes we challenge ourselves to raise a similar amount, an additional $120,000, to help secure Worcester’s history—OUR history—now and for the future. Community support is critical, and all gifts are appreciated.”

Please consider a donation to THE TOMORROW FUND of Worcester Historical Museum to ensure that your favorite museum experiences and programs will be ready for you. Your support continues to be critical as we move confidently toward the future of our museum, and the shared stories that make us Worcester.

Click here to read the entire NEH News Release.

Rest assured that during this time WHM is planning for the future. We are talking with our trustees, donors, members, and friends. We are holding committee meetings remotely on Zoom and other platforms. Our lean staff of nine is productively working from their homes and will be ready to rebound quickly when we return to the museum.

Current projects include:

• Working on the reinterpretation of Worcester’s storyline for the Fuller Industrial Gallery with contractors and architects to arrive at final plans to complement the work of our exhibit team and historians.

• Preparing for our major exhibit PRETTY POWERFUL: 100 Years of Voting & Style − the storyline has been drafted and we are filling the gaps in the Costume Collection with community loans and contributions. 

• Documenting COVID-19 in Worcester at https://www.worcesterhistory.org/covid. At WHM, we are collecting stories, in partnership with WPI, of how our community is understanding and experiencing the current “new normal.” This archive will become part of the permanent collection of WHM and will be available, like our recent LGBTQ+ findings, via DigitalWorcester.com link from of website. TODAY is TOMORROW’S HISTORY.

• Continuing to embrace technology and social media to interact with and grow our audiences, keep them engaged remotely, and provide leisure and social connection during this challenging time. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for daily historic and fun posts or take a tour of Revolutionary Worcester at https://www.worcesterhistory.org/revolutionaryworcester with special thanks to WPI digital historian Joe Cullon.

Thank you for your continued participation and support. 

Make an impact today! 

YOUR HISTORY MATTERS.