Revere History Museum still the gem of Beach City

By Brendan O’Brien, on behalf of the Revere Society for Cultural & Historical Preservation Board

  Yes, the Revere History Museum, located at 108 Beach Street, is a real thing!

  Some people may be surprised to hear that our city actually has a museum; and some may be aware of the museum but are not sure about its mission. Others may know of the museum yet wonder what it has been up to and why they have not heard much about it recently or found it closed when trying to visit.

  As the new president of the Revere Society for Cultural & Historical Preservation (RSCHP), the volunteer group that staffs and operates the museum, I want to give the people of Revere an update on their museum. In 2019, the museum was thriving. We had well over 100 members, and we put on several successful events, not the least of which was the first Revere History Trolley Tour. However, the pandemic put an end to any activity in the museum for more than a year.

  As the shutdown abated, the interior renovations began. Students from Northeast Metro Tech have been engaged in an extensive project, rewiring the building completely and installing a new HVAC system along with plumbing and carpentry work. Exhibits have been moved into storage, and much of the building is literally an active construction site. This work will continue into the next school year, and as such we will not be offering tours for the foreseeable future. This work is both a disruption and an opportunity, but like the pandemic shutdown, it has meant we have been unable to open our doors for tours, so interest in the museum has declined.

  Over the last year, we have been able to start on the comeback trail. Our membership, while not yet at pre-COVID levels, has been increasing steadily. We hosted a paranormal tour as part of Revere’s “All Hallow’s Eve” last October, and we did a brisk business selling our fourth annual ornament at our Holiday Event in December. In January and February, we hosted a weekly Revere History class from the high school, and the Welcome Blanket Program is using our meeting room to knit blankets and make quilts for families new to Revere.

  We are excited to be scheduling a series of presentations at the museum throughout the summer. This series will kick off on June 25 when guests can learn about Revere’s history in conversation with the city’s Official Historian, Jeff Pearlman. Additional programs are being scheduled for July and August.

  We look forward to opening the museum to you again and will announce that loud and clear as soon as we are able. We also need your help. RSCHP is a volunteer organization from top to bottom, and the more engaged volunteers we have the more accessible the museum can be. Anyone who is interested in becoming an RSCHP member can find us at www.facebook.com/reverehistory, call us at 781-286-2226 or email rschpmuseum@comcast.net.