Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation, Massachusetts, United States
4.5 (66 reviews) Tuesday: Spent Ranking #2 in Waltham Speciality Museums • History Museums
Historic site with a pleasant atmosphere.
Located in the Francis Cabot Lowell Mill, an icon of the American Industrial Revolution, the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation brings together intriguing artifacts, cultural insights, and inspiring stories to delight people of all ages, enabling them to see the past and envision the future. The Museum's Main Gallery, displaying artifacts from industries and technologies spanning over 200 years of American innovation, is housed in the final boiler house of the Boston Manufacturing Company, a textile mill founded in 1813 and America's first modern factory. This site would become the model for the mills that formed the City of Lowell and is one of the most important locations of the American Industrial Revolution.
Address
154 Moody St, Waltham, MA 02453-5302
Mobile
Website
http://charlesrivermuseum.org
Working hours
Monday :
Tuesday :
Wednesday : 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Thursday : 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Friday : 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Saturday : 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Sunday :
Current local date and time now
Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 7:00
User Ratings
4.5 based on (66 reviews)
Reviews
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5Taylor Guss 5:00 PM Mar 1, 2020
Super interesting local history
We spent a good couple hours here learning about all the industry that existed in Waltham during the 19th and 20th centuries. The museum staff gave a wonderful overview at the start of our visit which kicked off a lot of interesting exhibits. There is information about the Mill (the building the museum is in), the Watch Factory, Waltham Manufacturing Co., and more. Who knew there was so much history right in my backyard! Super fascinating visit that I enjoyed very much. If you're into local history / the Industrial Revolution, then this is the place for you!
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5Diane D 5:00 PM Sep 12, 2012
Hard to find, but worth the trip
I went to the museum for a private party. It was an absolutely fascinating collection of machinery, history and invention. The building is an old brick factory building. It had two Mergenthaler typesetting machines, a paperbag making machine and a caseful of Watham alarm clocks. Anything that was made in Waltham at one time or another, clothing, bicycles, watches is there. There was also a special exhibit of plasma machines- glass formed in various shapes filled with clear gases which when subjected to electricity light up like something in a mad scientists lab. This museum is great for everyone. I want to go back for one of the steam-punk events. Staff was also very good about answering questions, and they do operate some of the equipment if its a slow day. Please check their website for more info: www.crmi.org Several important notes: The museum is not open every day, Thurs-Sun 10-4. The building has no elevator and there is a steep flight of stairs to the second floor, this area may be primarily used as function space. They claim to be wheelchair accessible, but arrangements need to be made to use an alternate to the front door. Very important (I rode around for half an hour before I found the lot): Parking is in a municipal garage on Pine Street, (Set your GPS to the official address: 19 Pine Street.) a right off of Moody Street if you are coming from Newton. Go past the Embassy movie theatre, past a private parking lot and take a left into the municipal lot. There is a paved, lighted walkway from the back of the garage to the Museum. Lots of great restaurants up and down Moody Street, for a snack, lunch or dinner of all ethnicities for before or after your visit. More on that another time..
