The Concord Museum, founded in 1886 from the unique collections of Americana begun by Cummings Davis in the 1850s, serves as a virtual visual encyclopedia of Concord history. The nationally significant collection of historical artifacts, decorative arts galleries, and finely furnished period rooms are only part of the museum's broad appeal. A new orientation film called Exploring Concord, and engaging history galleries that answer the often-asked question, Why Concord? help visitors understand how the events in this small Massachusetts town had such an immense international impact.

Prominently featured in the galleries are important artifacts of two of nineteenth century Concord's brightest literary lights, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. The Thoreau gallery displays the desk on which Thoreau penned Civil Disobedience and Walden, the walking stick which accompanied him on his excursions, an original manuscript from his lyceum lecture notes, the bedstead from the Walden cabin, and pencils he improved at his family's home pencil factory. Adjacent to the Thoreau Gallery is the entire study of Ralph Waldo Emerson recreated with original furnishings after being moved from the nearby Emerson House.

Concord Museum
200 Lexington Road (Entrance on Cambridge Tpke.)
Concord, MA 01742
Phone: (978) 369-9763
Website: www.concordmuseum.org

Hours: January - March: Monday - Saturday, 11:00 - 4:00; Sunday, 1:00 - 4:00. April - December: Monday - Saturday, 9:00 - 5:00; Sunday, 12:00 - 5:00.

The Literary Trail guided tour stops here and admission fees are included in the guided tour price.