Smithsonian Museum on Main Street

Catalyzing conversations in rural Massachusetts.

About this program

We believe everyone deserves access to quality museum exhibitions. That’s why we partner with small towns to bring the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street (MoMs) to Massachusetts, with the goal of engaging small town audiences and revitalizing attention to rural communities.
Photo of men clapping.

Through this
program, you can...

ATTEND

free public events featuring exhibits curated by the Smithsonian and local historians.

REVITALIZE

civic discourse in rural communities.

Spark

local storytelling, history, and conversation with friends and neighbors.

CREATE

exhibits, programs, and events that put local history in conversation with national history.

PROGRAM DETAILS

Museum on Main Street brings world-class exhibits to six rural communities in Massachusetts through a partnership between the Smithsonian, Mass Humanities, and rural organizations. 

Communities are invited to be active co-creators and co-curators, supplementing and contextualizing the Smithsonian exhibition with local artifacts and programming. The exhibits then become a jumping off point for sparking and amplifying local storytelling, history, and conversation. 

Host organizations work closely with support staff to curate their exhibitions, plan and publicize events, and more. Recipients of MoMS grants also receive funding to extend their programming for an additional year. 

The 2025-2026 Museum on Main Street Tour will be “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America 

Applications to host “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” open on March 11. The deadline to complete a Letter of Inquiry is May 10. 

Hosts will receive a grant of $10,000 to host the exhibit and create programming rooted in their community. Hosts will also take part in workshops and training to plan their programming and build community. 

Hosts are eligible for a second year of funding to continue programs developed during their tour. 

Learn more about applying for a Museum on Main Street grant.

4/19/2025 – 5/31/202  

6/7/2025 – 7/19/2025  

7/26/2025 – 9/6/2025 

9/13/2025 – 10/25/2025 

11/1/2025 – 12/13/2025 

12/20/2025 – 2/1/2026 

Information about locations will be added once host sites are selected.

Where it
all began

In 2022-23, Mass Humanities partnered with the Smithsonian Institute to bring the exhibition, “Crossroads: Changes in Rural America,” to six host organizations.

Free public programs brought local voices to the exhibit’s themes of identity, land, community, persistence, and managing change. 

Crossroad Host Partners 

Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum, The Hull Lifesaving Museum, Rutland Free Public Library, Great Falls Discovery Center, Turners Falls, Bushnell-Sage Library, Sheffield, Athol Public Library 

Looking back at "crossroads"

Relive moments from our “Crossroads” exhibition in Turners Falls, Mass.

Publications

Read our 2022-2023 Impact Report for “Crossroads.”

THANK YOU TO
OUR SUPPORTERS

The 2022-2023 “Crossroads” Museum on Mainstreet exhibition was made possible by the generosity of the following sponsors.

Big Y
New England Biolabs foundation
BlueCross BlueShield
Essex County Community Foundation
Greenfield Savings Bank

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

Past Workshops

Please select listing to show.

Let’s do more good work together

The work we do wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of donors like you. Make a donation today and help build a better Massachusetts.

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