The West End Museum reopens after two-year closure because of flooding

On Jan. 15, 2022, it started raining inside The West End Museum.

At least that’s how Sebastian Belfanti, executive director, described the moment that shut down the compact museum on Staniford Street for more than two years, when a pipe burst and flooded the space, ruining the building’s infrastructure and main exhibit, “The Last Tenement.”

Now, after two years of reconfiguring the entire museum, the grand reopening is slated for May 23.

First opened in 2004, The West End Museum focuses on the rich and diverse history of the Boston neighborhood, telling the stories of immigration, industry, and urban redevelopment that have defined the area in the past and still resonate today.