About Us
The Museum
Housed in the 1823 Abigail Hooper Trask House*, the Museum invites you to experience Manchester-by-the Sea's (MBTS) fascinating past through restored period rooms, paintings and sculptures by master artists, an impressive collection of MBTS-made furniture, and an outdoor Salt Cod Fish Yard.
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This is the first house in Massachusetts to be built for a self-made, single woman. Abigail Hooper (1788-1885) was 35 years old and the town’s leading retailer when she had the house built in 1823. In the 1830s, after marriage to a shipmaster (Captain Richard Trask), she doubled the size of the house and added a columned side porch and a handsome frontispiece (since removed). She lived here for 62 years.
We welcome you to explore the rich history and the captivating stories of Manchester-by-the-Sea's people and events.
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* Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Our Mission
To celebrate and serve the community by:
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Fostering an appreciation of the quality and diversity of life — past and present — in Manchester-by-the-Sea.
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Collecting and preserving archival materials, art, and artifacts of significance to the Town.
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Engaging community interest and involvement through the collections and programming.
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In every aspect, the Museum aspires to the highest standards, and seeks to engage the broadest audience.
Staff
Administrative & General Info: Nancy Klebart ∙ info@manchesterhistoricalmuseum.org ∙ 978-526-7230
Archivist: Matthew Swindell ∙ archives@manchesterhistoricalmuseum.org ∙ 978-526-7230
Curatorial Team
Rebecca Campbell, Chair
Carol Bundy
Matt Genta
Susana Thompson
Chris Virden, Archives Advisor
John Huss, Advisor
Matthew Swindell, Archivist
Museum Officers
President: Philio Wigglesworth Cushing
Vice President: Rebecca Campbell
Co-Clerks: Susana Thompson, Mary Minott
Treasurer: Amy Snodgrass
Board of Trustees
Alison Anholt-White
Leslie Beatty
Rus Brown
Marianne Coons
Tom Durkin
Matt Genta
Constance Leahy
David Lumsden
John Round
Alison Anholt-White