ABOUT

The West End Museum tells the story of Boston’s West End neighborhood - collecting, preserving, and sharing the history and culture of the 'Greatest Neighborhood This Side of Heaven'.

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HISTORY

Explore the story of a dynamic urban neighborhood — the origin of abolition, a major transportation hub, Boston’s most diverse neighborhood, and the nation’s greatest tragedy of urban renewal.

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VISIT

Come by the WEM to say hello and dive into West End history! Open today 10.30am – 5pm. We open tomorrow at 10.30am.

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PROGRAMS

We offer a wide variety of programs from talks to musical performances. Check out what’s coming up at the museum.

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SUPPORT

Your support insures that the legacy of the West End neighborhood can be shared in Boston and beyond for many years to come.

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EXHIBITS

Our exhibits explore the wide range of history in the West End from its origins to the present day. Check out what’s live, or look through a past exhibit, here.

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23Jul

Queer History West End Walking Tour

26Jul

Queer History West End Walking Tour

08Aug

Title Town in the West End: Presented by Boston Sports Tours

Government Center Station

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On View at the Museum

A blue pin with a pink triangle in the middle with celebrate diversity around the edges.

Queer History West End

Uncover the little known stories of the queer residents of the West End of Boston. From artists and authors to activists and brothel owners, the West End has been home to a number of trendsetters, leaders, and artists who embraced a life outside the norm. Celebrate the lives and legacies of LGBTQ West Enders with pride.

Special Exhibit

October 2026

A map showing 2 overlapping shorelines of Boston to illustrate the massive landfill projects between 1800 and 1900

Rise, Fall, Rebirth: Stories of the West End

Rise, Fall, Rebirth: Stories of the West End The West End Museum’s permanent exhibit, Rise, Fall, Rebirth: Stories of the West End, explores 400 years of history and urban development in the City of Boston through the use of interactive digital media, film, artifacts, and archival material. We want you to feel the West End…

Permanent Exhibit

Always Up

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Explore a West End Story

Modern Urban Renewal World History

A colored photo of a railway bridge over a river with trees lining the river bank.

I-91, Springfield’s North End, and Urban Renewal

I-91, Springfield’s North End, and Urban Renewal Today the fourth most populous city in New England, in the mid-twentieth century Springfield underwent an ambitious and catastrophic urban renewal project. Highway construction along the Connecticut River and the isolation of a historically immigrant neighborhood led to long-lasting consequences. Four Commonwealth cities – Boston, Cambridge, Salem, and…