A room filled with a mess of file cabinets, tables, boxes, etc. The walls show marks where exhibits used to be

Rebuilt WEM to Feature Immersive Spaces: ‘Plan to rebuild is coming together’

By Yasmeen Freightman
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The team at The West End Museum is laying the groundwork for a major rebuild following January’s flood that devastated Boston’s only neighborhood museum. It’s been a productive year so far, especially for fundraising, but construction delays mean that the Museum remains closed indefinitely.

A bare room, unpainted, with boxes along the wall
The Rear left corner of what became The West End Museum just after move-in, 2004. The boxes shown contain the Last Tenement exhibit that was destroyed in a flood earlier this year. (The West End Museum Archives)
A museum wall with historic peices, including two tricycles, a pinball machine, and wall-mounted displays
The rear left corner of the WEM in March of 2021 with the Last Tenement exhibit in the walls (Bimal Nepal, The West End Museum)

WEM Executive Director Sebastian Belfanti says the rebuild is progressing as well as can be expected, although events over the past few months have prompted modifications to the renovation plans.

“The most emotionally challenging thing with the flood was seeing little things that were repaired over the last two years get destroyed,” Belfanti remarked. “But a plan to rebuild is coming together, despite some bumps in the road. In the meantime, we will begin to explore options for more in-person events in one or more temporary sites and collaborative spaces.”

Belfanti adds that visitors can look forward to state-of-the-art installations and immersive spaces in the new WEM. Presently though, the focus is on logistical issues, timetables and strategy, while continuing to engage with the community.

“It’s going as well as could be expected considering everything that’s happened,” Belfanti explained. “We’re also still doing our walking tours and we’re still involved in community meetings. Just staying present and active.”

The museum is also on track to reach its fundraising goals thanks to new grants and the generosity of supporters and the surrounding community. Those funds will enable the Museum to hire more staff, including a collections assistant to oversee the archives.

“We’ve raised approximately $300,000 – by far the best year on record for fundraising for the museum,” Belfanti said. “We’re still continuing those efforts and plan to apply for more grants this summer.”

For Belfanti, there’s a sense of optimism, as well as the anticipation that the reimagined museum will deliver the history of the West End in a more enriching and personal way.

A museum wall with historic peices, including two tricycles, a pinball machine, and wall-mounted displays
The rear left corner of the WEM in March of 2021 with the Last Tenement exhibit in the walls (Bimal Nepal, The West End Museum)
A room filled with a mess of file cabinets, tables, boxes, etc. The walls show marks where exhibits used to be
The rear left corner of the WEM in March of 2022 (The West End Museum)

“I really think the experience of moving through the museum will be better with this new vision. It will feel more exploratory and effective,” Belfanti said. “The space will have much more of a presence, and tell the stories of so many people and groups that have been limited to footnotes in the past. I believe we’ll have a bigger impact, work better and become more accessible for more people.”