Ipswich Museum

Bag Lunch Series: Into Each Life: A Musical Masterpiece
2024-06-03 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
David Grimes, composer, will talk about the creation of this important piece of work which chronicles the first 21 years of his life and the impact it had on his creative and personal development. David earned his Masters of Music at the University of Toronto and co-founded the Canadian Electronic Ensemble. His composition Increscents won the CBC National Radio Competition for young composers.
Members: Free | Non-members: $5

Summer Exhibition Opening Reception - George Sherwood: UnderWater
2024-05-31 18:00 - 20:00
George Sherwood, Ipswich based sculptor, will reveal his new pieces to be displayed at the Ipswich Museum’s summer exhibit. Come be one of the first to see these works during our opening reception!
The exhibit will be open Thursday-Saturday from 10-4 and Sunday from 1-4 through October.

Evening Lecture Series: The American Dream
2024-05-22 19:30 - 21:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Speaker: David Scudder
The American Dream, in the words of historian James Truslow Adams, is a dream “of a better, richer and happier life for all citizens of every rank.” He regarded it as “the greatest contribution we have as yet made to the thought and welfare of the world.” While the American Dream has been with us since the earliest white European settlers arrived here in the 17th century, what does the term mean? What have been its components and how have they affected America over the succeeding 300 or more years? David Scudder will describe the tensions between differing versions and visions of the American Dream, examine its successes and more recent attempts to reverse the progress.
Members: Free | Non-members: $10

Bag Lunch Series: Objects from the Museum Collection
2024-05-06 12:00 - 13:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Join curator, Katherine Chaison, in this show and tell lecture where she shares with the audience special items from the museum’s collection that are not generally on view. This is a popular talk with members.
Members: Free | Non-members: $5

Pop-Up Exhibit of Dow Cyanotypes
2024-05-05 13:00 - 16:00, 2024-05-04 13:00 - 16:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Come view the collection of Arthur Wesley Dow cyanotypes at the Ipswich Museum during this weekend-long pop-up.

Out of the Blue Exhibition Opening Reception
2024-05-03 17:00 - 19:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Join us at the Ipswich Museum for the opening reception of our weekend pop-up, featuring Arthur Wesley Dow cyanotypes. Wine and finger foods to be provided! The exhibit will run Saturday and Sunday from 1-4.

Evening Lecture Series: Step into the Arctic
2024-04-17 19:30 - 21:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Speaker: John Wigglesworth
Join John Wigglesworth to hear the story of his recent trip to the North Pole. He joined the team from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) on a 2 month research cruise aboard the USCG Cutter Healy. Through pictures, John will share his experience with the science, the ship operations, the ice and the awe of standing on top of the world.
Members: Free | Non-members: $10

Bag Lunch Series: Through All Her Wealth of Woods and Waters: The Ipswich Wednesday Walkers
2024-04-01 12:00 - 13:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
A panel of Wednesday Walkers, Kay Evans and friends, with many years together and separately of exploring the rich trail resources in the Ipswich landscape, will share some of their experiences and welcome stories and questions from the audience. Kay is an 18 yr. Ipswich resident and “A Historical Townie” through her mother’s Gilbert line.
Members: Free | Non-members: $5

Evening Lecture Series: Walking Castle Neck (Crane Beach) in the Footsteps of Ipswich Naturalist Charles Wendell Townsend MD
2024-03-20 19:30 - 21:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Speaker: Joseph Carlin
Throughout 2023 Joe Carlin, food historian and nutritionist, walked the beach photographing and documenting observations Townsend made about his beloved Ipswich in his book, “Sand Dunes and Salt Marshes.” Dr. Townsend, Harvard Class of 1881, was a noted Boston obstetrician and child nutrition authority.
Members: Free | Non-members: $10

Bag Lunch Series: Saving the Rooster
2024-03-04 12:00 - 13:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Gordon Harris, Ipswich Town Historian
The gilded weathercock at the First Church in Ipswich has graced the steeple of every church at that location since the middle of the 18th century and was likely created by Deacon Shem Drowne (1683-1744), America’s first documented weathervane maker. In 1915, when the steeple was set afire by lightning, the Fire Department’s new steamer was able to extinguish the blaze but the damaged rooster was removed. Photographer George Dexter created and sold “Save the Rooster” postcards to pay for the cost of returning the rooster to the church steeple.
Members: Free | Non-members: $5

Evening Lecture Series: Schlitz on Mt. Washington and Ski America First
2024-02-21 19:30 - 21:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Speaker: Tom Blake
Blake presents Christopher Young’s classic 1937 movie about the misadventures of the eccentric Dr. Wolfgang Schlitz on holiday at Mt. Washington, considered to be the first American comedy-classic ski movie (Sydney Shurcliffe’s 1942 comedy of Dr. Quackenbusch was inspired by this film) Ski America First is a documentary filmed by Sydney Shurcliffe in the 1940s. Come enjoy a fun evening.
Members: Free | Non-members: $10

Bag Lunch Series: Letters Home from the Ipswich Female Seminary 1830-1837
2024-02-05 12:00 - 13:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Ann Brown, historian, has found some very interesting letters in Mount Holyoke’s archives, written by three seminary students: Harriet Johnson, Maria Cowles and Austa Winchell. Together they provide some interesting insights into what it was like to be a student at the Ipswich Female Seminary, (boarding, rhythm of the day, curriculum, discipline and their success in teaching opportunities). Her talk will focus on the anecdotal stories provided by these young women in their letters to their families back home.
Members: Free | Non-members: $5

Evening Lecture Series: Contention in the Commons
2024-01-17 19:30 - 21:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Speaker: Gordon Harris, Ipswich Town Historian
In the commons, the early Massachusetts town adopted English institutions of land management that often predated their own experience in the mother country, reproducing medieval systems whose roots dated back several centuries, but the communal system quickly failed. Disagreements over the division and usage of the common lands resulted in a switch to individual ownership by the end of the 17th century.
Members: free | Non-members: $10.00

Evening Lecture Series- Ipswich in the American Revolution
2023-11-15 19:30 - 21:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Join Scott Jewell, middle school technology engineering teacher, lover of history and board of trustee member who will do an enthusiastic talk and presentation on the role that Ipswich played during the American Revolution. Scott’s love of history will come alive in this lecture.

Bag Lunch Series- From Plant to Fiber
2023-11-06 12:00 - 13:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Speakers: Katherine Chaison, curator, and Susan Landry, textile specialist, will conduct a museum experiment of growing and processing flax. This will be fascinating.
Ipswich Seniors and Members: free
Non-Members: $5

Haunted House
2023-10-28 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-10-21 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-10-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Enter if you dare! Our Haunted House is open Saturdays in October from 7-9pm. Entry is free but donations are gladly accepted.

Evening Lecture Series- The Fed, love it or hate it?
2023-10-18 19:30 - 21:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Managing a modern economy is still full of mysteries. Is the Fed playing a constructive role? Why is it so controversial? Carroll Perry will discuss important questions related to the Fed and to our lives. Carroll taught economics at Philips Andover for the last 12 years of his career. Prior to that he spent 25 years as an international banker with BankBoston. He has lived extensively in Latin America and Asia and after college, he and his wife served in Brazil as Peace Corps volunteers. This will be a fascinating lecture.
Free for Members
Non-Members: $10

Haunted House
2023-10-14 19:00 - 21:00

Bag Lunch Series- Find the Influence of Ancient Civilization in Ipswich
2023-10-02 12:00 - 13:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Speaker: Sam Hamlin, retired third grade teacher from Shore Country Day school will take you on a tour in search of remnants of ancient civilization here in Ipswich. You will see Ipswich in a new light.
Ipswich Seniors and Members: free
Non-Members: $5

Evening Lecture Series- The Story of Argilla Farm
2023-09-20 19:30 - 21:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Pege and John Verani have owned and occupied Argilla Farm since 1974. They will share their research and stories about the property. Join them on this fascinating journey and come to share their enthusiasm and belief that when one owns an old house, you are just a caretaker for future generations.
Free for Members
Non-Members: $10

The Port of Ipswich: Free Walking Tour
2023-09-17 14:00 - 15:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
As part of the Trails & Sails event put together by Essex Heritage we are offering a 1 hour walking tour of Ipswich on the fascinating history of its former port. Scott Jewell will lead the walk beginning at the parking lot of the Ipswich Museum at 2pm. The event is free. Follow the link for more information and for a list of all events on the North Shore during this wonderful program
The Port of Ipswich: A Historical Walking Tour

Bag Lunch Series: North Shore in the Stone Age
2023-09-11 12:00 - 13:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Ipswich is known for its discovery of early artifacts at Great Neck, along the riverbanks and the Bull Brook area. Erin Rice, our museum educator, will talk about the Bull Brook artifacts and other tools in our Traveling Museum Collection. This show and tell series is always fun.
Ipswich Seniors and Members: free
Non-Members: $5

Ipswich Museum Yard Sale
2023-07-29 09:00 - 13:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Visit the annual Ipswich Museum Yard Sale during Olde Ipswich Days from 9-1! Shop for fantastic treasures and support the museum in the process.
In the afternoon, stick around for an Ipswich Summer Band 2023 concert, directed by Nalani Fujiwara, playing on the museum grounds.

Evening Lecture Series- The History of Clamming in Ipswich
2023-06-28 19:30 - 21:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Ipswich has always been known for its clams. The salt marshes, mud flats and tidal estuaries contribute to its wonderful taste. Stephanie Gaskins, Dow Curator will do a lecture on the summer exhibit about the history of clamming in Ipswich.
Free for Members
Non-Members: $10

Bag Lunch Series- The Future of Agriculture
2023-06-05 12:00 - 13:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Paul Wegzin, teacher and local farmer will talk about farming and how it has changed over the years. The tulip and sunflower fields were his brainstorm. Paul comes from a long family of traditional farmers in Ipswich. Come learn how farming and its produce benefit each of us.
Ipswich Seniors and Members: free
Non-Members: $5

Sunday Strolls: Ipswich in the Civil War
2023-06-04 14:00 - 15:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
From hardline abolitionists to well-known slaveholders, Ipswich’s residents were long divided over the issue of slavery. By the time the Civil War broke out, many answered the call to fight for the Union or support the troops from home. Learn about the fate of these soldiers and the role the town played in this pivotal moment in our nation’s history with local expert and author of “Ipswich in the Civil War,” Scott Jewell.
Tickets: $10 Members / $15 Non-members

*Please note, this date has been changed from April 30 to June 4*

Sunday Stroll: Ipswich 101
2023-05-21 14:00 - 15:00 | Ipswich Museum, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Are you new to Ipswich or in the dark about this town’s long and rich history? This tour is designed as a crash course through Ipswich’s past. Join Stephanie Gaskins on a walk through some of the highlights and lowlights that have shaped this great town over thousands of years.
Tickets: $10 Members | $15 Non-members
