10 Intriguing Facts about Worcester’s American Antiquarian Society

Email to a friend Permalink

Thursday, March 08, 2012

Jennifer Roy, GoLocalWorcester Lifestyle Contributor

According to Jim Moran, Director of Outreach at the American Antiquarian Society (AAS) located in Worcester, MA, people drive by the museum every day and have no idea about the historical significance of the works inside. The AAS is the third oldest historical organization in the country; it was founded in 1812 by Revolutionary War patriot and printer Isaiah Thomas, and its members have included 13 US Presidents. Because of its priceless books, manuscripts and other writings, only museum staff is allowed to handle some of the documents. Researchers from around the globe travel to the AAS to study its precious collection.

Despite its numerous and understandable regulations, the AAS works hard to make its priceless historic teachings accessible to the public. The AAS holds complimentary tours of the museum every Wednesday at 3pm and gives free public lectures. The Society also sponsors teacher training workshops and seminars and collaborates on education programs for K-12.

 

Moran explains the magic of the AAS: "We house American culture, including music and examples of the way people lived, before the 20th century. Being able to see this and handle historical material that is actually from the time period is a transformative experience for scholars and the general public. To look at something created 200 years ago, that’s what we’re about."

If you’re considering a visit, Go Local Worcester retrieved some of the most interesting facts about the American Antiquarian Society:

 

1. The Society’s mission is to collect, preserve and make available for study the printed record of America from the time of first European contact through the year 1876.
2. The American Antiquarian Society (AAS) holds the largest collection of American printed materials created before 1821 in the world.
3. The Society’s collection encompasses material from all fifty states, parts of Canada and the West Indies.
4. All of this material is housed in the Society’s main library building, Antiquarian Hall, at the corner of Park Avenue and Salisbury Street.
5. The Collection includes over four million items housed on 25 miles of shelving.
6. In addition to rare books, the Society also collects graphic arts materials, periodicals and newspapers, pamphlets and manuscripts. Everything from great works of literature to yesteryear’s junk mail is in this remarkable archive.
7. The Society was founded by Isaiah Thomas in 1812. At the time, we were at war with the British (War of 1812) and the Society was established in Worcester to keep the collection safe from British warships which were then harassing coastal ports.
8. The Society itself is composed of 984 individuals elected to membership. Famous current members include: Ken Burns, David McCullough, Nathaniel Philbrick, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jill Lepore, Gordon Wood, and Henry Louis Gates to name just a few.
9. Collectively, AAS members have won 78 Pulitzer Prizes.
10. While the Society is actively digitalizing its collections and making them available to scholars around the world, we always save the original items.

For more information you can log onto www.americanantiquarian.org.

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Email to a friend Permalink