Step into the evolving history of the American wedding through a special lecture, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition, presented by Marie Schlag, Textile Conservator and Manager of the Society’s Textile and Costume Collection.

This engaging presentation explores the wedding gown as a powerful lens for viewing American history. Tracing its evolution over time, the lecture examines how wedding attire reflects broader social, cultural, and political shifts, as well as changing ideas about identity, independence, and tradition. Topics include the structure of the marriage institution, past and present; cultural wedding customs; the influence of royal and celebrity weddings; and the evolving ways individuals have met their partners across generations. The lecture also highlights the emergence of American fashion designers between 1940 and 1970, whose work helped redefine bridal style by adapting contemporary fashion trends into wedding attire.

Following the lecture, guests are invited to view the Society’s current exhibition, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition, curated by Marie Schlag with assistance from Cathie McGowan, as an added opportunity to explore these themes through objects from the collection.

Part of the 2026 Summer Maritime Lecture Series!

Join us for an engaging presentation by attorney and novelist Jessie Manchester Lubitz as she shares her research on rumrunning along Cohasset's coast. Conducted while writing her debut novel, tentatively titled The Bootlegger's Apprentice (to be published April 6), her research uncovers the fascinating history of Prohibition-era smuggling on the South Shore. Discover Cohasset's favorite bootlegger drop sites and hear stories of the late-night exploits that unfolded along our coastline during the Prohibition era.

Jessie Manchester Lubitz holds a degree in History from Brown University and a law degree from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Although she grew up on a dirt road in Vermont, she now calls Cohasset home.

Free and open to all!

Secure your spot on a private tour of the Society’s newest exhibition, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition! This guided experience, led by Marie Schlag, Textile Conservator and Exhibition Curator, offers an in-depth look at the stories behind the gowns, bringing to life the women who wore them and the historical moments they represent.

During the tour, guests will gain unique insights into the craftsmanship, style, and social context of each piece, as well as how wedding traditions have evolved over time. The exhibition features selections from Cohasset’s extensive Textile Collection alongside gowns on loan from several South Shore historical societies, including those in Hingham, Marshfield, Norwell, and Scituate, as well as the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society and the Plymouth Antiquarian Society.

This collaborative presentation highlights the richness of regional history and offers a deeper understanding of how wedding customs have reflected changing identities and traditions across generations.

Space is very limited; advance registration is required.

Secure your spot on a private tour of the Society’s newest exhibition, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition! This guided experience, led by Marie Schlag, Textile Conservator and Exhibition Curator, offers an in-depth look at the stories behind the gowns, bringing to life the women who wore them and the historical moments they represent.

During the tour, guests will gain unique insights into the craftsmanship, style, and social context of each piece, as well as how wedding traditions have evolved over time. The exhibition features selections from Cohasset’s extensive Textile Collection alongside gowns on loan from several South Shore historical societies, including those in Hingham, Marshfield, Norwell, and Scituate, as well as the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society and the Plymouth Antiquarian Society.

This collaborative presentation highlights the richness of regional history and offers a deeper understanding of how wedding customs have reflected changing identities and traditions across generations.

Space is very limited; advance registration is required.

As America approaches its 250th birthday, we’re turning back to the people who helped shape it, right here in Cohasset.

This free, special lecture series, honoring the semi-quincentennial of the American Revolution, features five talks that explore Cohasset and its residents during this pivotal moment in history.

Secure your spot on a private tour of the Society’s newest exhibition, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition! This guided experience, led by Marie Schlag, Textile Conservator and Exhibition Curator, offers an in-depth look at the stories behind the gowns, bringing to life the women who wore them and the historical moments they represent.

During the tour, guests will gain unique insights into the craftsmanship, style, and social context of each piece, as well as how wedding traditions have evolved over time. The exhibition features selections from Cohasset’s extensive Textile Collection alongside gowns on loan from several South Shore historical societies, including those in Hingham, Marshfield, Norwell, and Scituate, as well as the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society and the Plymouth Antiquarian Society.

This collaborative presentation highlights the richness of regional history and offers a deeper understanding of how wedding customs have reflected changing identities and traditions across generations.

Space is very limited; advance registration is required.

Step into the evolving history of the American wedding through a special lecture, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition, presented by Marie Schlag, Textile Conservator and Manager of the Society’s Textile and Costume Collection.

This engaging presentation explores the wedding gown as a powerful lens for viewing American history. Tracing its evolution over time, the lecture examines how wedding attire reflects broader social, cultural, and political shifts, as well as changing ideas about identity, independence, and tradition. Topics include the structure of the marriage institution, past and present; cultural wedding customs; the influence of royal and celebrity weddings; and the evolving ways individuals have met their partners across generations. The lecture also highlights the emergence of American fashion designers between 1940 and 1970, whose work helped redefine bridal style by adapting contemporary fashion trends into wedding attire.

Following the lecture, guests are invited to view the Society’s current exhibition, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition, curated by Marie Schlag with assistance from Cathie McGowan, as an added opportunity to explore these themes through objects from the collection.

Our Summer 2026 Maritime Speaker Series kicks off with a free lecture by local historians Mick Dick and Aidan Long!

In 1849, 176 years ago, desperate emigrants sailed from Galway to Boston, only to be shipwrecked on America’s doorstep. Today, we remember the overwhelming human tragedy and Cohasset’s compassion for the strangers on our shore.

Learn of the tragic wreck of the brig St. John, how Cohasset helped the survivors, and of the hardships back home from which these immigrants escaped.

Secure your spot on a private tour of the Society’s newest exhibition, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition! This guided experience, led by Marie Schlag, Textile Conservator and Exhibition Curator, offers an in-depth look at the stories behind the gowns, bringing to life the women who wore them and the historical moments they represent.

During the tour, guests will gain unique insights into the craftsmanship, style, and social context of each piece, as well as how wedding traditions have evolved over time. The exhibition features selections from Cohasset’s extensive Textile Collection alongside gowns on loan from several South Shore historical societies, including those in Hingham, Marshfield, Norwell, and Scituate, as well as the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society and the Plymouth Antiquarian Society.

This collaborative presentation highlights the richness of regional history and offers a deeper understanding of how wedding customs have reflected changing identities and traditions across generations.

Space is very limited; advance registration is required.

Secure your spot on a private tour of the Society’s newest exhibition, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition! This guided experience, led by Marie Schlag, Textile Conservator and Exhibition Curator, offers an in-depth look at the stories behind the gowns, bringing to life the women who wore them and the historical moments they represent.

During the tour, guests will gain unique insights into the craftsmanship, style, and social context of each piece, as well as how wedding traditions have evolved over time. The exhibition features selections from Cohasset’s extensive Textile Collection alongside gowns on loan from several South Shore historical societies, including those in Hingham, Marshfield, Norwell, and Scituate, as well as the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society and the Plymouth Antiquarian Society.

This collaborative presentation highlights the richness of regional history and offers a deeper understanding of how wedding customs have reflected changing identities and traditions across generations.

Space is very limited; advance registration is required.

Step into the evolving history of the American wedding through a special lecture, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition, presented by Marie Schlag, Textile Conservator and Manager of the Society’s Textile and Costume Collection.

This engaging presentation explores the wedding gown as a powerful lens for viewing American history. Tracing its evolution over time, the lecture examines how wedding attire reflects broader social, cultural, and political shifts, as well as changing ideas about identity, independence, and tradition. Topics include the structure of the marriage institution, past and present; cultural wedding customs; the influence of royal and celebrity weddings; and the evolving ways individuals have met their partners across generations. The lecture also highlights the emergence of American fashion designers between 1940 and 1970, whose work helped redefine bridal style by adapting contemporary fashion trends into wedding attire.

Following the lecture, guests are invited to view the Society’s current exhibition, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition, curated by Marie Schlag with assistance from Cathie McGowan, as an added opportunity to explore these themes through objects from the collection.

SOLD OUT!

Secure your spot on a private tour of the Society’s newest exhibition, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition! This guided experience, led by Marie Schlag, Textile Conservator and Exhibition Curator, offers an in-depth look at the stories behind the gowns, bringing to life the women who wore them and the historical moments they represent.

During the tour, guests will gain unique insights into the craftsmanship, style, and social context of each piece, as well as how wedding traditions have evolved over time. The exhibition features selections from Cohasset’s extensive Textile Collection alongside gowns on loan from several South Shore historical societies, including those in Hingham, Marshfield, Norwell, and Scituate, as well as the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society and the Plymouth Antiquarian Society.

This collaborative presentation highlights the richness of regional history and offers a deeper understanding of how wedding customs have reflected changing identities and traditions across generations.

Space is very limited; advance registration is required.

Step into the evolving history of the American wedding through a special lecture, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition, presented by Marie Schlag, Textile Conservator and Manager of the Society’s Textile and Costume Collection.

This engaging presentation explores the wedding gown as a powerful lens for viewing American history. Tracing its evolution over time, the lecture examines how wedding attire reflects broader social, cultural, and political shifts, as well as changing ideas about identity, independence, and tradition. Topics include the structure of the marriage institution, past and present; cultural wedding customs; the influence of royal and celebrity weddings; and the evolving ways individuals have met their partners across generations. The lecture also highlights the emergence of American fashion designers between 1940 and 1970, whose work helped redefine bridal style by adapting contemporary fashion trends into wedding attire.

Following the lecture, guests are invited to view the Society’s current exhibition, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition, curated by Marie Schlag with assistance from Cathie McGowan, as an added opportunity to explore these themes through objects from the collection.

Step into the evolving history of the American wedding through a special lecture, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition, presented by Marie Schlag, Textile Conservator and Manager of the Society’s Textile and Costume Collection.

This engaging presentation explores the wedding gown as a powerful lens for viewing American history. Tracing its evolution over time, the lecture examines how wedding attire reflects broader social, cultural, and political shifts, as well as changing ideas about identity, independence, and tradition. Topics include the structure of the marriage institution, past and present; cultural wedding customs; the influence of royal and celebrity weddings; and the evolving ways individuals have met their partners across generations. The lecture also highlights the emergence of American fashion designers between 1940 and 1970, whose work helped redefine bridal style by adapting contemporary fashion trends into wedding attire.

Following the lecture, guests are invited to view the Society’s current exhibition, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition, curated by Marie Schlag with assistance from Cathie McGowan, as an added opportunity to explore these themes through objects from the collection.

Secure your spot on a private tour of the Society’s newest exhibition, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition! This guided experience, led by Marie Schlag, Textile Conservator and Exhibition Curator, offers an in-depth look at the stories behind the gowns, bringing to life the women who wore them and the historical moments they represent.

During the tour, guests will gain unique insights into the craftsmanship, style, and social context of each piece, as well as how wedding traditions have evolved over time. The exhibition features selections from Cohasset’s extensive Textile Collection alongside gowns on loan from several South Shore historical societies, including those in Hingham, Marshfield, Norwell, and Scituate, as well as the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society and the Plymouth Antiquarian Society.

This collaborative presentation highlights the richness of regional history and offers a deeper understanding of how wedding customs have reflected changing identities and traditions across generations.

Space is very limited; advance registration is required.

Secure your spot on a private tour of the Society’s newest exhibition, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition! This guided experience, led by Marie Schlag, Textile Conservator and Exhibition Curator, offers an in-depth look at the stories behind the gowns, bringing to life the women who wore them and the historical moments they represent.

During the tour, guests will gain unique insights into the craftsmanship, style, and social context of each piece, as well as how wedding traditions have evolved over time. The exhibition features selections from Cohasset’s extensive Textile Collection alongside gowns on loan from several South Shore historical societies, including those in Hingham, Marshfield, Norwell, and Scituate, as well as the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society and the Plymouth Antiquarian Society.

This collaborative presentation highlights the richness of regional history and offers a deeper understanding of how wedding customs have reflected changing identities and traditions across generations.

Space is very limited; advance registration is required.

Join us for the opening night of our newest exhibition, The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition. And what better way to celebrate than with the best parts of a wedding reception: champagne and cake!

Get a peek at the exhibition before it opens to the public on May 4.

Hors d’oeuvres and non-alcoholic beverages will also be served.

As America approaches its 250th birthday, we’re turning back to the people who helped shape it, right here in Cohasset.

This free, special lecture series, honoring the semi-quincentennial of the American Revolution, features five talks that explore Cohasset and its residents during this pivotal moment in history.

📜 The Lincolns of Cohasset and Scituate
📆 Thursday, April 16, 5:00 PM
📍 Cohasset Lightkeepers, 15 Lighthouse Lane
🎤 Jim Glinsky, local historian and author

As America approaches its 250th birthday, we’re turning back to the people who helped shape it, right here in Cohasset.

This free, special lecture series, honoring the semi-quincentennial of the American Revolution, features five talks that explore Cohasset and its residents during this pivotal moment in history.

📜 Deborah Sampson: An Immersive Living History Experience
📆 Sunday, March 29, 1:00 PM
📍 Willcutt Commons, 91 Sohier Street
🎤 Judith Kaolora, Historical Re-enactor

In Partnership with the Paul Pratt Memorial Library

As America approaches its 250th birthday, we’re turning back to the people who helped shape it, right here in Cohasset.

This free, special lecture series, honoring the semi-quincentennial of the American Revolution, features five talks that explore Cohasset and its residents during this pivotal moment in history.

📜 Revolutionary War Patriots of Hingham and Cohasset
📆 Sunday, March 8, 1:00 PM
📍 Beechwood Meetinghouse and Museum
🎤 Ellen Stine Miller, local historian & author

Hingham historian Walter Bouvé estimated that Hingham contributed 600 to 750 soldiers to the Revolutionary War effort. Ellen Miller and Susan Wetzel took on the task of identifying those individuals, resulting in a book with over 850 names and sketches. Since Cohasset was part of Hingham until 1770, many of those listed came from Hingham's “second precinct.” This talk summarizes their work, including its challenges, evolving goals, sources, efforts at inclusion, and data analysis. It will also include an update based on new records and research that expanded our list considerably and challenged assumptions about town Loyalists.

Ellen is the volunteer manager of The Old Ordinary, a historic house museum owned by the Hingham Historical Society. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, teaches genealogy at the Weymouth Senior Center, and conducts historical research for the Hingham Historical Society. She co-authored the book, "Revolutionary War Patriots of Hingham," with Susan Wetzel and has recently published an addendum to that work.

As America approaches its 250th birthday, we’re turning back to the people who helped shape it, right here in Cohasset.

This free, special lecture series, honoring the semi-quincentennial of the American Revolution, features five talks that explore Cohasset and its residents during this pivotal moment in history.

📜 Cohasset in Revolutionary Times: Boston Tea Party, Dorchester Heights, and Saratoga
📆 Sunday, March 1, 1:00 PM
📍 Willcutt Commons, 91 Sohier Street
🎤 George Quintal, local historian & author

An open street fair on Elm Street, right outside of our Maritime Museum. Fun for the whole family!

Food trucks, beer, ice cream, live music by The Armstrong Brothers, and a performance by renowned sea shanty performer David Coffin!

Free event!

The fourth and final installment of our 2025 Summer Maritime Speaker Series, featuring a talk on scuba diving off the coast of the South Shore by Tom Mulloy, a master scuba diver. Tom has completed over 6,000 dives on historic shipwrecks along the eastern seaboard, from Canada to the Caribbean. A frequent explorer of the area surrounding Minot’s Ledge Lighthouse, Tom will discuss his dives and showcase some artifacts from local underwater shipwrecks and the ocean floor near the lighthouse. 

In partnership with Cohasset Maritime Institute.

Free event!

The third installment of our 2025 Summer Speaker Series, featuring a talk on the construction of the Second Minot’s Ledge Lighthouse following the catastrophic 1851 destruction of the First Minot’s Ledge Lighthouse, by local historian Joe Lebhertz.

Joe Lebherz has dedicated the last twenty years to preserving and restoring lighthouses. He served as a curator at the Maine Lighthouse Museum and was a founding member of the American Lighthouse Foundation. His notable works include building a replica of the Second Minot’s Ledge Light Watch Room, complete with the beacon’s original rotating mechanism, Fresnel lens, and a 640-lb bronze fog bell, located on Government Island. Additionally, he crafted a 5-foot scale model of the first Minot’s Ledge Light using brass fittings to investigate its collapse 16 months after construction.

Free event!

The second installment of our 2025 Summer Speaker Series, featuring a talk on historic maritime disasters off the coast of Cohasset by local historians Mike Dick and Debbie Shadd.

In partnership with Cohasset Conservation Trust.

Free Event!

In this first installment of our Summer 2025 Speaker Series, David Robinson, Director & Chief Archeologist of the Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archeological Resources (BUAR), will discuss the challenging, yet essential work of the BUAR to discover and protect Massachusetts’ underwater cultural heritage. These historic sites include submerged wharves, aircraft, places of importance to local Native American tribes, and over 3,500 shipwrecks off the coast of Massachusetts, including the 1849 wreck of the Irish immigrant ship the brig St. John in Cohasset.

Event in partnership with the Cohasset Center for Student Coastal Research.

Free entry!

Celebrate the end of the summer with us at our Sea Shanty Shindig street fair! Enjoy live music by sea shanty singer David Coffin and local group the Armstrong Brothers and delicious food and drink by food trucks, Folkn’ Food, Launch, and Untold Brewing. Don’t miss Francis Collins’ fascinating demonstration on how to use a sextant, a low-tech yet essential tool for ship navigation. This free event is perfect for all ages, so bring the whole family for an evening of nautical fun!

📍Elm Street, right in front of the Maritime Museum

📆 Friday, September 6 at 5:00 PM

Celebrate the opening of our newest exhibition, Then and Now: Cohasset Postcards, with us!

Light refreshments will be provided.

Then and Now explores how Cohasset’s beautiful vistas and buildings have changed over time while examining the act of sending postcards, a nearly lost method of communication. Then (the postcards) and Now (the photographs), in their matchup of sites and locations, reveal how much Cohasset has changed and yet remains the same.