North of Boston

Hammers on Stone: The Granite Industry on Cape Ann
2026-02-01 10:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Cape Ann Museum Green, 13 Poplar Street, Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
For over a century, the granite industry played a vital role in Cape Ann’s economy, providing work for men from across New England and around the world, generating profits for those fortunate enough to share in ownership of the region’s many quarries, and contributing to the unique and authentic sense of place that characterizes Cape Ann today. On a broader scale, the industry contributed significantly to building and transportation projects across our nation during a sustained period of growth and expansion.
Drawing on the Cape Ann Museum’s extensive holdings of objects and archival materials related to the industry, most of which were gifted to the Cape Ann Museum by historian Barbara Erkkila (1918-2013), Hammers on Stone will explore the history of the granite trade and its impact on the community. The exhibition will examine methods of harvesting, cutting, and finishing stone, as well as how granite was transported from quarry to wharf and further afield. The exhibit will also explore the lives of those involved in quarrying and consider how the industry helped shape Cape Ann’s artistic landscape, inspiring generations of artists to the present day.
Image: Samuel Lewis Pullman (1900-1961), Quarryman Joe Boston, 1930, oil on canvas. Collection of the Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, MA. Gift of Abner and Miriam (Pullman) Diamond, 1994. (1994.036.001).

The American Revolution: A story of the War in 28 Paintings
2026-02-05 12:00 - 20:00, 2026-02-12 12:00 - 20:00, 2026-02-19 12:00 - 20:00, 2026-02-26 12:00 - 20:00, 2026-03-05 12:00 - 20:00, 2026-03-12 12:00 - 20:00, 2026-03-19 12:00 - 20:00, 2026-03-26 12:00 - 20:00 and 11 more dates | Cabot House, 117 Cabot Street, Beverly, MA, 01915, United States
1776 was more than a turning point; it marked the birth of a new world order. A bold line was drawn as ordinary people made extraordinary decisions, declaring independence from the most powerful empire on earth. Driven by youthful fire, they believed in the promise of liberty more than they feared the cost of pursuing it.
Historic Beverly proudly presents The American Revolution: A story of the War in 28 Paintings, a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition of artworks commissioned to illustrate Senator Henry Cabot Lodge Sr.’s landmark book.
These paintings are featured in Ken Burns’ upcoming documentary The American Revolution. The exhibit will be on display at the Cabot House from September 6, 2025 to July 4, 2026. Tickets are free and open to the public

Kids Free Week at Hammond Castle Museum
2026-04-20 09:00 - 15:30, 2026-04-21 09:00 - 15:30, 2026-04-22 09:00 - 15:30, 2026-04-23 09:00 - 15:30, 2026-04-24 09:00 - 15:30 | Hammond Castle Museum, 80 Hesperus Avenue, Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
Hammond Castle Museum is happy to welcome school age children for free during April school vacation week. From April 20-24, all children ages from 0-12 are invited to take a self-guided tour for free with the purchase of an additional adult or senior ticket.
In addition to a self-guided tour, guests will also be able to view our fourth annual Eric Pape fine art exhibition, featuring a significant collection of pen and ink illustrations by Eric Pape (1870 to 1938). Many of these works were recovered from Pape’s locked studio decades after his death and have not been publicly exhibited for over a century. Included are illustrations originally created for The Arabian Nights, Tales of Wonder and Magnificence, Fairy Tales and Stories by Hans Christian Andersen, Victor Hugo’s Notre Dame de Paris, Rip Van Winkle, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Shakespeare and The Heart of a Child by Gertrude Slaughter.
Advance Reservations strongly encouraged. Museum Member savings apply.
Experience Hammond Castle Museum at your own pace with our flexible arrival times for Self Guided Tours! Your tickets grant you entry anytime within the Morning or Afternoon times, based on your selection, ensuring you can arrive stress-free and enjoy your visit to the fullest.
Morning Session: 9:00 am – 11:45 am
Afternoon Session: 11:45 am – 2:30 pm
Please note: last entrance to the Museum is at 2:45 pm sharp. The Museum & Grounds close promptly at 3:30 pm. We recommend planning at least 60 minutes to explore the grounds and interior galleries of the Museum. The Museum is not handicapped accessible as it features numerous stairs.

CAM Talk: To Live like an Artist, Cape Ann of the 1920s, by Martha Oaks
2026-04-22 14:00 - 15:00 | Cape Ann Museum Green, 13 Poplar Street, Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Janet & William Ellery James Center, CAM Green
13 Poplar Street, Gloucester, MA 01930
CAM Members $5, Non-Members $10.
Registration Required. Parking is first come, first served and carpooling is encouraged.
This talk by Martha Oaks, the Museum’s Chief Curator and contributing author to the upcoming Avery, Gottlieb, & Rothko: By the Sea exhibition, will explore Milton Avery and Sally Michel’s earliest visits to Gloucester, setting the stage for future stays with artist friends. What was it that drew the couple here and inspired them to keep coming back? Who did they rub shoulders with on Cape Ann and who was taking note of their work? Learn what has changed in the local art colony over the past century and what has stayed the same.
This lecture is presented in conjunction with the museum’s upcoming exhibition, Avery, Gottlieb, & Rothko: By the Sea, offering context and insight into the artists and themes in the exhibit. For more information about upcoming lectures for the exhibition, please visit the Events Calendar.
Martha Oaks is the Henrietta Gates and Heaton Robertson Chief Curator of the Cape Ann Museum. She has written extensively on the art, artists, history, and culture of Gloucester, Massachusetts, and Cape Ann, contributing catalog entries, articles, and essays. Oaks has curated numerous exhibitions exploring the history and the artists of Cape Ann and has contributed to Fitz Henry Lane Online, a digital resource and catalog to the American marine artist. She holds an MA in American and New England Studies from Boston University and a BA from Colby College.
Image Credit: Gloucester Chamber of Commerce booster car, 1925. Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, Massachusetts

Cedar Bark Mat Weaving Demonstration at PEM
2026-04-23 11:00 - 15:00 | Peabody Essex Museum, East India Square, 161 Essex Street, Salem, MA, 01970, United States
Join artist Elizabeth James-Perry (Aquinnah Wampanoag) for a demonstration of the Native American art practice of weaving a mat from the inner bark of a cedar tree. After the session, see her nature-based artworks featured in the Knowing Nature exhibition. James-Perry, a restoration ecologist, will also discuss how she sustainably harvests and prepares natural materials from the forest, including plant dyes, for her artworks.
About our collaborator
Elizabeth James-Perry
Elizabeth James-Perry (Aquinnah Wampanoag) engages with Northeastern Woodlands Native cultural expressions, primarily in sculptural forms of wampum shell carving, twined basketry and bead making, with connections to identity and sovereignty, maritime traditions and restorative Native gardening.

Curators' Insights & Exhibit Previews: Inside the Faraday Cage & A Tale of Two Pianos
2026-05-01 17:30 - 19:30 | Hammond Castle Museum, 80 Hesperus Avenue, Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
Join us for a special Presentation and Exhibition Preview celebrating the opening of our two new Spring and Summer temporary exhibitions: Inside the Faraday Cage: The Science of Things That Aren’t So and a mini-exhibit A Tale of Two Pianos.
This exclusive preview offers guests early access to both exhibitions, along with curator-led presentations that provide insight into the ideas, individuals, and historical context behind the work.
Evening program:
5:30 pm–6:00 pm Networking
6:00 pm–6:45 pm Presentations
6:50 pm–7:30 pm Tours of the Exhibit
Light refreshments will be served.
Curatorial Director John Leysath will present an in-depth exploration of Hammond’s 1951 Faraday cage experiments, conducted in collaboration with physician and parapsychologist Andrija Puharich and renowned psychic medium Eileen Garrett. His talk examines the broader landscape of mid-20th-century psychic research, the tension between belief and skepticism, and the importance of scientific rigor in the study of paranormal phenomena. The presentation also considers the wider influence of this research, including its connections to government-funded investigations.
The exhibition Inside the Faraday Cage features a life-size, non-working replica of the experimental apparatus, offering visitors a rare opportunity to step inside and engage with the physical environment of Hammond’s investigations.
Assistant Curator Donovan Lafontaine will introduce A Tale of Two Pianos, a focused installation exploring the history behind Hammond’s three major musical inventions. The ‘Pirafon’ piano, a combination radio, phonograph, and piano instrument, and the ‘Tonal Pedal’ piano, a system of organ swell-like, movable shutters for piano instruments. The mini-exhibit will also feature an interactive model of the ‘Tonal Pedal’ system, for viewers to better understand its features.
Advance reservations are required. Space is limited for this preview experience.
Museum members and VIP guests enjoy complimentary admission.
A $15 fee applies to the general public.

North Shore Children's Museum: Marblehead Free Days!
2026-05-16 09:00 - 2026-05-17 16:00 | North Shore Children’s Museum, 10 Main Street, Peabody, M, 01960, United States
Marblehead residents can enjoy free admission to the North Shore Children’s Museum on Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17!
With the generous support of Marblehead Cultural Council, we are excited to offer free admission days for Marblehead Residents. Tickets may be reserved online in advance or in person. Get your tickets now at www.nschildrensmuseum.org/visit/buy-tickets/
Guests must be prepared to show proof of Marblehead residency at the door.
**Tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis while supplies last

Saugus Free Days at the North Shore Children's Museum!
2026-05-30 09:00 - 2026-05-31 16:00 | North Shore Children’s Museum, 10 Main Street, Peabody, M, 01960, United States
Saugus residents can enjoy free admission to the North Shore Children’s Museum on Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31!
With the generous support of Saugus Cultural Council, we are excited to offer free admission days for Saugus Residents. Tickets may be reserved online in advance or in person. Get your tickets now!
Guests must be prepared to show proof of Saugus residency at the door.
**Tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis while supplies last
