Open Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.
In 2026, as the nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Cohasset Historical Society presents The American Wedding: A Revolution in Style and Tradition, an exhibition exploring how wedding attire reflects and shapes American identity. Marking this historic milestone, the exhibition examines the wedding gown as a powerful visual signifier, expressing personal identity, cultural values, independence, and social change across generations.
The exhibition features 32 gowns from the Society’s extensive Textile Collection, each connected to Cohasset individuals and families from 1815 to 1995. Highlights include a multi-generation family grouping spanning 1883–1995, an 1883 purple silk gown, and an 1855 silk brocade dress worn by six brides over more than a century. Wedding photographs, shoes, gloves, fans, and ephemera deepen the personal narratives woven into every garment.
This exhibit also includes loans from neighboring South Shore institutions, among them the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society, Hingham Historical Society, and the Plymouth Antiquarian Society, underscoring a shared commitment to cultural preservation. Together, these collections illustrate the evolution of American wedding traditions—from the corseted silhouettes of the 19th century to the streamlined modernism and bold designer innovations of the 20th.
Complemented by lectures, private tours, and an opening night reception, The American Wedding connects past and present in a celebration of history, memory, and community, an exhibition as meaningful as the milestone it honors.