Sandwich Historical Society
Est. 1907
Our Mission
The Mission of the Sandwich Historical Society, incorporated in 1907, is to promote a broad understanding and appreciation of Sandwich town history, with particular emphasis on the unique contribution of the glass industry to the local community, the region, the nation, and the world.
Furthermore, the Sandwich Historical Society through its Glass Museum explores the contemporary use of glass as a medium for the creation of art and fine craft, relating contemporary work to historical techniques, and educates the public regarding this use through exhibitions, presentations and demonstrations.
We procure and preserve examples of Sandwich glass and materials in relation to the production, marketing and collecting of Sandwich glass and related Sandwich history.
We document and stimulate scholarship in glassmaking and design in Sandwich and convey, to a wide and diverse public, the story of Sandwich and its glass through to the present day.
We present an outstanding and memorable educational experience to the public through the Museum’s collections, exhibitions, educational programs, library, communications, products and publications.
And we interpret relevant aspects of life in Sandwich, both individual and institutional, with a focus on both historical and contemporary infrastructure of support for the manufacture of glass.
The Sandwich Historical Society is dedicated to making its collections and programs as accessible as possible to all diverse populations.
Timeline
In 1907 the Sandwich Historical Society was incorporated to support and foster the collection and preservation of historical material regarding the Town of Sandwich
In 1925, 37 years after the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company closed its doors, the Sandwich Historical Society had its first glass exhibit, commemorating a century of Sandwich glass
From 1935 to 1948, under President James W. Freeman, the society implemented a more systematic effort to acquire glass through gifts and purchases. It’s during this period that the museum became known as the “Glass Museum”
Fast forward to 2010
In 2010, under the direction of Edith Aucoin, the Museum expands its focus to include contemporary glass. And in 2019, under the direction of Katherine Campbell, the newly installed glass furnace "relit the fires of Sandwich" and launched the daily glassblowing demos that continue to delight museum visitors to this day