Museum, school groups, bike, and walking tours. Please note that information on seasonal, guided walking tours may be found under the Events tab.

Tours at The Dedham Museum & Archive

Get a glimpse into Dedham history with a tour of The Dedham Museum & Archive. Your visit will provide a look back at some of the people and places that have contributed to the town’s long, rich history and that have made Dedham distinctive.

• A staff member will greet your group and give an introduction to Dedham history and the Historical Society, as well as a summary of our collection.
• You will view Dedham Pottery, historic furniture, paintings, and the Pratt silver collection.
• Visitors will have a chance to peruse our Gift Shop, filled with books, ornaments, reproductions of Dedham Pottery, and more!
• We accept cash, checks, and credit cards.
• The museum is available for tours Tuesday through Friday from 10:00-4:00 p.m.
• Free parking is available in the public lot at the corner of High St. and Eastern Ave., just two blocks away. Limited on-street parking is available at area parking meters.
• The fee for the visit is $5 per person.

For questions, please contact the DHSM at 781-326-1385

info@dedhamhistorical.org

P.O. Box 215
Dedham, MA 02027

We regret that the Dedham Museum & Archive is not handicapped accessible. Due to limited parking, buses should drop off visitors at the Society and return later for pick-up.

Dedham Museum & Archive
612 High St.
Dedham, MA 02026

DM&A School Field Trips

Get a glimpse into Dedham history with a field trip to The Dedham Museum & Archive. This free, hour-long program, designed for Grades 3 and up, gives students an unusual opportunity to gain a hands-on museum experience while learning about local history.

• We offer an engaging, interactive museum experience for school children.  We give students an opportunity to take a close-up look at original documents and historic objects.
• The program provides students with an opportunity to wear museum gloves and handle historic artifacts while comparing and contrasting historic objects with their contemporary replacements.
• As part of the program, students will visit the museu, library/archives and examine historical documents and photographs that provide a fascinating look back at Dedham history.
• The Massachusetts Frameworks are the basis for this program, and museum staff work with teachers to incorporate local history into the visit.

* Field trips dates can be scheduled to meet your school’s needs.

* Groups are limited to approximately 30 students and must include 1-2 adults for every 10 children.

*Contact the Fairbanks House at 781-326-1170 about visiting their site on the same day.

For reservations please contact us at 781-326-1385

info@dedhamhistorical.org

P.O. Box 215
Dedham MA 02027

We regret the Dedham Museum & Archive building is not handicapped accessible.

Due to limited parking, buses should drop-off students at the Society and return one hour later for pick-up.

This program is sponsored in part by the Dedham Women’s Club.

Dedham Museum & Archive
612 High St.
Dedham, MA 02026

SELF-GUIDED TOURS

Please note that information on seasonal guided Walking Tours may be found under the Events tab. 

Bike Tour of Historic Dedham Sights

Do you enjoy bike riding and are curious about the history of Dedham? Take a ride and experience the landscape and infrastructure of the town from different periods as you move through several neighborhoods; it’s a good way to think about the decisions people made in the past that shaped the town, and decisions we are currently making every day about what we want for the town’s future. This bike tour is a collaboration of the Dedham Historical Society & Museum, the Dedham Cycle Club, and the Dedham Public Library. Research about the historic stops was conducted by Dedham Historical Society & Museum.  The tour was developed for a group ride held on September 18, 2021.

Click here for a link to the written tour and images.  To access the downloadable tcx file for use with a bike app, click here; the file can be used on apps such as Ridewithgps, Strava, and Komoot. 

Some of the tour’s highlights:

• Courthouse and Jail
• Tavern sites
• Fairbanks House
• Mother Brook & Mills in the area
• Stagecoach Routes and Bike Races!

Tour Facts:

• Total biking time is about 2 hours and follows 9.1 miles. You can do as much or as little as you like.
• This ride is suitable for a wide range of biking levels. Please remember to wear your helmet, be aware of your surroundings, and take precautions. Dedham Historical Society & Museum, Dedham Cycle Club, or the Dedham Public Library are not responsible for your safety when following this bike tour.

Walking Tour of Historic Dedham Village

The tour takes about an hour to complete (though there are a few shortcuts if you’re pressed for time). The tour route is accessible for strollers and wheelchairs.

1. 612 High St., Dedham Museum & Archive

One of the oldest historical societies in the United States, the Dedham Museum & Archive houses a library, archives, and museum. It also owns one of the foremost collections of Dedham Pottery. This was the original site of Jeremiah Shuttleworth’s home, Dedham’s first Postmaster in the late 1700s. The home served as the town’s Post Office and a dry goods store. Jeremiah’s daughter, Hannah Shuttleworth, bequeathed the house and funds to the Dedham Historical Society for the construction of the current Romanesque building in 1888.

2. 619 High St., Nathaniel Ames House and former Christian Science Church

Nathaniel Ames Jr. (1708-1764) was a physician, but was most famous for writing New England’s leading almanac. He was the father of Fisher Ames, who was elected to the first U.S. Congress in 1789, beating Founding Father Samuel Adams. He was also the father of Nathaniel Ames III, also a physician, (1741-1822) who built this house in 1772 and carried on the tradition of the “Ames Almanack” until 1775. The federal style house is now overwhelmed by the mass of the former Christian Science Church, constructed in 1946 and recently converted to a gallery and event space.

Click here to read the full itinerary

Tour of Veteran’s Monuments and Memorials

1. Start at the Town Hall. Inside, up the stairs in the lobby, on the left are the Civil War Tablets. Originally placed in the old Memorial Hall, these tablets now reside in the Town Hall. They list the names of the Dedham residents who fought in the Civil War. Outside the Town Hall, there are two granite monuments. One is dedicated to all those who served in the Armed Forces from Dedham. The other places a special emphasis on 9/11 and Jeffrey Coombs.

2. Walk towards Washington Street and turn left onto Washington Street. Turn right on Marsh Street. On the corner of Marsh Street and Court Street on the left is the Rochambeau Marker. This is a marker to commemorate the French Troops who stayed in Dedham on their way from Newport to Boston under Rochambeau. Although this does not honor American veterans, it is a reminder of an important ally in the Revolutionary War.

3. Turn right onto Court Street. Turn left onto Village Ave. The Cemetery is on the left. The Village Cemetery was set aside by settlers in 1636 and was given multiple additions in the years to come. Walking towards the back corner of the Cemetery, away from the St. Paul’s Church and Village Ave, you will find the Civil War memorial. This particular memorial honors the soldiers from Readville, then a part of Dedham, who died in the Civil War. Located next to it is a memorial for the Ship Maritana, and its captain and crew.
Click here to read the full itinerary

Click here for an interactive walking tour created by Dedham Middle School’s Technology Instructor Kevin Kaufman in honor of Veteran’s Day (November 2022).

Sacco and Vanzetti in Dedham: A Walking Tour

Sacco and Vanzetti were accused of killing a guard and paymaster at a shoe company in Braintree on April 15, 1920. The trial drew international attention. Convicted and eventually executed, people locally and around the world claimed the two were innocent and decried the decision over concerns of bigotry because the two were immigrants and anarchists. The trial was held in Dedham, the seat of Norfolk County, over June and July of 1921. The two were executed in 1927.

This walking tour takes people to the locations and along the route where Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti would have walked to and from the jail and courthouse, and to other notable locations where others associated with the trial would have walked.

Click here to download the tour, which was created by a Dedham Boy Scout, Max Malamut, Troop 1, for his Eagle Scout project.

Disclaimer: Dedham Museum & Archive is not responsible for your safety while you are following any of the tours, or sections thereof, noted above. Always use caution and take safety precautions. Following any of the routes in this section is an acknowledgement of your taking full responsibility for your safety and well being.