Another Renewal Project Moves Forward in West EndBanker and Tradesman A 2022 water leak that forced the shutdown of the West End Museum provided the impetus for a redesign adding interactive exhibits and more space for community events. “We really wanted to make the museum more dynamic and broadly accessible,” said Sebastian Belfanti, who was…
West End Museum Welcomes Author Frances McNamara Tonight, April 20. In 1919, a giant molasses tank erupted and spilled two million gallons of the sticky, gooey substance throughout the North End and parts of the West End, killing 21 people.
Michael Maler Begins New Chapter With Launch of His Crescendo ProductionsBeacon Hill Times For Michael Maler, the latest chapter started during the pandemic, specifically with the shuttering of Boston’s theaters, concert halls, and other performing arts venues. But as so often is the case when tragedy closes a door, he said a new window of…
The West End Museum Presents: Murder, Mystery and the Molasses FloodAn Evening with Boston Author Frances McNamara FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 14, 2023 Boston, MA – In 1919, a giant molasses tank erupted and spilled two million gallons of the sticky, gooey substance throughout the North End and parts of the West End, killing 21 people.…
West End Museum Gets Sustaining Grant from Mass General HospitalDigital Journal The West End Museum is Boston’s only neighborhood museum, dedicated to the collection, preservation and interpretation of the history and culture of the West End of Boston, a largely immigrant neighborhood displaced or destroyed by Urban Renewal that saw a third of Boston’s downtown…
Emily Sweeney Discusses Her Book ‘Gangland Boston’ at West End MuseumBeacon Hill Times Boston Globe reporter, Emily Sweeney, discussed her book, “Gangland Boston: A Tour Through the Deadly Streets of Organized Crime,” on March 23, at The HUB50 Community Room, Boston. The Dorchester resident shared fraudulent and violent stories of local mobsters that prevailed in…
Sebastian Belfanti went to school to study rocks, but ended up digging into something quite different: the urban renewal that destroyed the West End.
In This Issue: Message from Director Sebastian Belfanti, West End Heritage Nominees, Archives Spotlight: Old West End House Jackets’ The WEM/WECA Connection
This set of varsity jackets, worn by members of the recently demolished West End House, dates back to the 1950s, according to WEM Archivist and Curator Bob Potenza.
West End Museum Executive Director Sebastian Belfanti is now also the president of WECA, the West End Civic Association. We spoke to Belfanti about his newest role and how WECA and the Museum can work together.