In March 2023, the Concord Museum will unveil a new temporary exhibition, created in close partnership with the Concord Free Public Library (CFPL), called A Perpetual Invitation: Collecting Art at the Concord Free Public Library.

This exhibition will include 40 objects, most of which are works of art that were donated to the CPFL in the late 19th and early 20th centuries following a massive campaign by William Munroe, a Concordian who made his fortune in New York and London but who resettled in Concord, Massachusetts with a grand vision: to build a free, public library that went beyond just books and included important works of art as well.

Spring 2023 will mark the 150th anniversary of the library, which was founded in 1873. The words, “perpetual invitation” that occur in the exhibition’s title were quoted from Munroe’s expressed vision that the Library would extend a “perpetual invitation to possessors of art treasures to consider the wisdom of bestowing them on the public.”

To accompany the exhibit, of which Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area is a supporter through its partnership grant program, an itinerary of special collections throughout the region has been created.

The relevance of this exhibition and accompanying itinerary for Freedom’s Way’s priorities is that it will provide a highly memorable and emotionally rewarding learning experience while educating visitors about the important history of both civic institutions and art collecting in the region west of Boston.

Click here to view the itinerary on our interactive map!