Programs
Campus Tours at the Museums (May-Oct)
May 24th – October 18th, 2024
Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday
We also host historical walking tours year round. Click here for the current schedule of historical walking tours.
For special events, see below.
An Evening with Sergei Khrushchev–Simon Center for the Arts, Falmouth Academy
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesOn Wednesday, July 19 at 7 pm, the Museums on the Green welcomes Sergei Khrushchev to Falmouth. The son of former Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, Sergei resides in the United States where he is a Senior Fellow at the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University. This appearance will be a part of the […]
Joseph Starita, “A Warrior of the People: How Susan La Flesche Overcame Racial and Gender Inequality to Become America’s First Indian Doctor”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesOn March 14, 1889, Susan La Flesche Picotte received her medical degree―becoming the first Native American doctor in U.S. history. She earned her degree thirty-one years before women could vote and thirty-five years before Indians could become citizens in their own country. By age twenty-six, this fragile but indomitable Indian woman became the doctor to […]
Thursday, August 3, 6 pm: Special Movie Screening: “Patriots Day” with author Casey Sherman
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesRECOVERING CHAMPIONS TO HOST SPECIAL SCREENING OF PATRIOTS DAY WITH NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR CASEY SHERMAN SPECIAL SCREENING PLANNED FOR FALMOUTH MUSEUMS ON THE GREEN Recovering Champions, a substance abuse treatment center with locations in Falmouth and Sandwich, announces today it will host a special screening and discussion of the acclaimed film “Patriots […]
Martha Hall Kelly, “Lilac Girls”. 4 pm: TO BE HELD AT ST. BARNABAS CHURCH
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesNew York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France. An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her […]
Melinda Ponder, “Katharine Lee Bates: From Sea to Shining Sea”
On August 12, the birthday of Katharine Lee Bates (1859-1929), poet of “America the Beautiful,” biographer Melinda M. Ponder will talk about her new book, Katharine Lee Bates: From Sea to Shining Sea. It tells the story of this brilliant trail-blazing woman—poet, teacher, community builder, and patriot—who challenged Americans to make their country the best […]
Rose Kennedy play August 12 SOLD OUT!
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesRose Kennedy during "Rose Parade" Benefiting Special Olympics at State House in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage) The Woods Hole Theater Company and the Museums on the Green are pleased to present the one-woman play "Rose" by Laurence Leamer. The play features Linda Monchik as Rose Kennedy and is directed by Joan […]
Rose Kennedy play August 13
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesRose Kennedy during "Rose Parade" Benefiting Special Olympics at State House in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage) The Woods Hole Theater Company and the Museums on the Green are pleased to present the one-woman play "Rose" by Laurence Leamer. The play features Linda Monchik as Rose Kennedy and is directed by Joan […]
Leigh Montville, “Sting Like a Bee: Muhammad Ali vs. the United States of America, 1966-1971
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesWith the death of Muhammad Ali in June, 2016, the media and America in general have remembered a hero, a heavyweight champion, an Olympic gold medalist, an icon, and a man who represents the sheer greatness of America. New York Times bestselling author Leigh Montville goes deeper, with a fascinating chronicle of a story that has been […]
William M. Fowler, Jr, “Steam Titans”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesSteam Titans tells the story of a transatlantic fight between 1815 and the American Civil War to wrest control of the globe's most lucrative trade route. Two shipping magnates—Samuel Cunard and Edward Knight Collins—and two nations wielded the tools of technology, finance, and politics to compete for control of a commercial lifeline that spanned the […]
Michael McNaught: “Britain’s Calvary: The Battle of the Somme, 1916”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme Offensive, was one of the largest battles of the First World War. Fought between July 1 and November 1, 1916 near the Somme River in France, it was also one of the bloodiest military battles in history. On the first day alone, the British suffered […]
Dava Sobel, “The Glass Universe”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesPART OF THE 'WHY DIDN'T I KNOW ABOUT THIS?' SERIES OF LECTURES ON WOMEN'S HISTORY, SPONSORED BY MASSHUMANITIES In the mid-nineteenth century, the Harvard College Observatory began employing women as calculators, or “human computers,” to interpret the observations their male counterparts made via telescope each night. At the outset this group included the wives, sisters, and […]
Glenn Frankel, “High Noon: The Hollywood Blacklist and the Making of An American Classic” (THIS PROGRAM CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER)
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesIt's one of the most revered movies of Hollywood's golden era. Starring screen legend Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly in her first significant film role, High Noon was shot on a lean budget over just thirty-two days but achieved instant box-office and critical success. It won four Academy Awards in 1953, including a best actor […]
Bus Trip to Peabody Essex Museum
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe Peabody Essex Museum in Salem was created to celebrate outstanding artistic and cultural creativity by collecting, stewarding and interpreting objects of art and culture in ways that increase knowledge, enrich the spirit, engage the mind and stimulate the senses. It is one of the 25 largest art museums in the nation and one of […]
Debra Levy: The Process of Writing a Memoir (free lecture)
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesNate Dondis and memoirist Debra Levy discuss Nate’s memoir A Very Rich Man and the process of writing a memoir. Longtime Falmouth resident Nate Dondis and his memoirist Debra Levy discuss the process of writing Nate’s life story, which resulted in a 150-page book for his family. In his book A Very Rich Man, Nate […]
Kevin Doyle, “Tales of the Old Stone Dock”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesAs Falmouth's Old Stone Dock--the early center of commerce in the town--commemorates its Bicentennial, Old Stone Dock Association President Kevin Doyle will be at the Historical Society to discuss past exploits from the region and how the dock was involved.
Fred Morin & John Galluzzo, “A History of Massachusetts Aviation”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesExplore the Bay State’s Aviation History Shortly after the Wright brothers took to the air, aviation fever gripped Massachusetts. The biggest names in the industry, including Wilbur Wright, Glenn Curtiss, and Claude Graham-White, among others, flew in for the first major air shows, further exciting the people of the Bay State about the potential of […]
Casey Sherman, “The Ice Bucket Challenge” (to be held at First Congregational Church, 68 Main Street, Falmouth)
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesWhile everyone knows of the Ice Bucket Challenge, the viral craze that swept the nation in summer 2014, too few know the truly inspirational story behind it. Pete Frates was a man at war with his own body. A man whose love for others was unshakable. A man who refused to fight alone, and in […]
William J. Mann, “The War of the Roosevelts: The Ruthless Rise of America’s Greatest Political Family”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe award-winning author presents a provocative, thoroughly modern revisionist biographical history of one of America’s greatest and most influential families—the Roosevelts—exposing heretofore unknown family secrets and detailing complex family rivalries with his signature cinematic flair. Drawing on previously hidden historical documents and interviews with the long-silent "illegitimate" branch of the family, William J. Mann paints […]
Noah Isenberg, “We’ll Always Have Casablanca: The Life, Legend and Afterlife of America’s Most Beloved Movie”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesCasablanca was first released in 1942, just two weeks after the city of Casablanca itself surrendered to American troops led by General Patton. Featuring a pitch-perfect screenplay, a classic soundtrack, and unforgettable performances by Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and a deep supporting cast, Casablanca was hailed in the New York Times as “a picture that makes the spine […]
Tom Schachtman, “How the French Saved America”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesAmericans today have a love/hate relationship with France, but in How the French Saved America Tom Shachtman shows that without France, there might not be a United States of America. To the rebelling colonies, French assistance made the difference between looming defeat and eventual triumph. Even before the Declaration of Independence was issued, King Louis […]
Lucky 13 Beer-BQ
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesJoin us as we usher in Autumn in Falmouth Village with a festive evening under the tent with libations and good vibrations! This 21 and over event will feature Cape Cod Beer, Cape Cod Winery, Sagamore Beach Barbecue, Inflatable Pubs of Cape Cod, and live music from Falmouth's own Crooked Coast! Tickets are $25 and […]
William Taubman, “Gorbachev: His Life and Times” (To be held at Falmouth Academy)
The definitive biography of the transformational world leader by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Khrushchev. When Mikhail Gorbachev became the leader of the Soviet Union in 1985, the USSR. was one of the world’s two superpowers. By 1989, his liberal policies of perestroika and glasnost had permanently transformed Soviet Communism, and had made enemies of […]
Sean McMeekin, “The Russian Revolution: A New History”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesAcclaimed historian Sean McMeekin traces the events which ended Romanov rule, ushered the Bolsheviks into power, and introduced Communism to the world. Between 1917 and 1922, Russia underwent a complete and irreversible transformation. Taking advantage of the collapse of the Tsarist regime in the middle of World War I, the Bolsheviks staged a hostile takeover […]
James McGrath Morris, “The Ambulance Drivers: Hemingway, Dos Passos, and a Friendship Made & Lost in War”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesAfter meeting for the first time on the front lines of World War I, two aspiring writers forge an intense twenty-year friendship and write some of America's greatest novels, giving voice to a "lost generation" shaken by war. Eager to find his way in life and words, John Dos Passos first witnessed the horror of […]
Leonid Kondratiuk, “Massachusetts Goes to War: The 26th Yankee Division in World War One”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe 26th “Yankee” Division, composed of units from the National Guards of the New England states, was the first full US Army division to arrive in France in 1917. Approximately, 15,000 Massachusetts men served in the 26th making it the largest unit the state sent to the war. Virtually, every town had men serving in […]
Joseph Williams, “The Sunken Gold: A Story of World War One, Espionage, and the Greatest Treasure Salvage in History”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United States"The Sunken Gold" is the story of how a British ship, HMS Laurentic, laden with forty-four tons of Allied gold bound for the United States, was sunk off the coast of Ireland by Germany and the epic struggle by divers from the British Navy to recover the treasure. The book also describes the underwater spywork […]
Christmas Traditions Celebration Dec. 2-3, Dec. 8-10
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesCome celebrate the holidays as the 1790 Dr. Francis Wicks House is decorated for Christmas
Bus Trip: Christmas at the Newport Mansions: SOLD OUT!!
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesJoin us as we take a trip on December 7th to the Newport Mansions to see the Elms, Marble House and the Breakers decorated for Christmastime! The glitter of gold and the sparkle of silver will dazzle you as you tour three magnificent mansions decked out in Yuletide finery. Music, tours, and spectacular decorations highlight […]
Special Performance: Anne Barrett as Victoria Yule
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesTravel back in time to Christmas 1895 with Victoria Yule as your hostess. Victoria Yule will welcome you into her parlor, complete with an antique chair, table and props, and share her plans for the upcoming Christmas festivities. Learn the history of many Christmas traditions from stories passed down to her from “Grandmama and Grandpapa”. […]
Christmas Traditions with Victoria Yule
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United States"Victoria Yule" welcomes you into her parlor and shares her plans for the 1895 Christmas season. Learn the history of many Christmas traditions, passed down to her from "Grandmama and Grandpapa." She'll read Dickens, display toys and handmade gifts that her family will be exchanging around the Christmas tree, and in her clear soprano, sing songs of […]
Exhibit: “Rhythms of a Faithful Journey” Collection by Robin J. Miller
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe African American Journey has been a long and arduous one. Clearly it continues to have its deep challenges. There is beauty, pain and most importantly faith throughout this collection. Robin Miller is the resident artist for the Zion Union Heritage Museum in Hyannis, MA. . In 1992 she created a print ad for Pepsi honoring […]
Richard Thomas, “Why Bob Dylan Matters”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesWhen the Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to Bob Dylan in 2016, a debate raged. Some celebrated, while many others questioned the choice. How could the world’s most prestigious book prize be awarded to a famously cantankerous singer-songwriter who wouldn’t even deign to attend the medal ceremony? In Why Bob Dylan Matters, Harvard Professor […]
Robertson Dinsmore, “Lightships of Cape Cod”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesIllustrated talk on lightships which were floating lighthouses positioned where land based lighthouses could not be built. They marked the entrance to harbor channels and the navigational routes around reefs and shoals. The first American lightship was in 1820 and the number grew to a maximum of 55 lightships by 1900 compared to 1,460 lighthouses. […]
Dan Kennedy, “The Return of the Moguls”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesHow Jeff Bezos and John Henry are Remaking Newspapers for the 21st Century Over the course of a generation, the story of the daily newspaper has been an unchecked slide from record profitability and readership to plummeting profits, increasing irrelevance, and inevitable obsolescence. The forces killing major dailies, alternative weeklies, and small-town shoppers are well […]
Stormy Mayo, “North Atlantic Right Whales: On the Path to Extinction”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesDr. Charles “Stormy” Mayo senior scientist and director of the Right Whale Ecology Program at the Center for Coastal Studies will discuss the status of the species and its recent decline, the impending seasonal arrival of the right whales, and the critical role that the waters off Cape Cod and the islands play in the species now-uncertain […]
Maureen Boyle, “Shallow Graves: The Hunt for the New Bedford Highway Serial Killer”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesEleven women went missing over the spring and summer of 1988 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, an old fishing port known as the Whaling City, where Moby Dick, Frederick Douglass, textile mills, and heroin-dealing represent just a few of the many threads in the community’s diverse fabric. Investigative reporter Maureen Boyle tells the story of a […]
Liza Mundy, “Code Girls”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesRecruited from small Southern towns and posh New England colleges, ten thousand American women served the U.S. Army and Navy as code breakers during World War II. Under strict vows of secrecy, the women moved to Washington and learned the meticulous work of cryptanalysis. Their code-breaking triumphs shortened the war, saved countless lives, and gave […]
Miguel Moniz, “The Portuguese Migration: How they Shaped Falmouth’s History”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesA history of Falmouth as told through a century of Portuguese migration: Strawberries and Portuguese civic, religious and economic associations. A special and FREE event, open to all! This talk provides a history of Falmouth from the point of view of the Portuguese settlers who began coming to the town in the decades before 1900. […]
Emily Sweeney, “Gangland Boston”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesA Tour Through the Deadly Streets of Organized Crime Organized criminals have played a major role in Greater Boston's history, lurking just around the corner or inside the inconspicuous building. "Gangland Boston" reveals the hidden history of these places, showing how the Italian Mafia and Irish gangs rose to power, how the Winter Hill Gang […]
Jill Farinelli, “The Palatine Wreck: The Legend of the New England Ghost Ship”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesTwo days after Christmas in 1738, a British merchant ship traveling from Rotterdam to Philadelphia grounded in a blizzard on the northern tip of Block Island, twelve miles off the Rhode Island coast. The ship carried emigrants from the Palatinate and its neighboring territories in what is now southwest Germany. The 105 passengers and crew […]
2018 Heritage Award Dinner
Coonamessett Inn, Falmouth MA 311 Gifford Street, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe Falmouth Historical Society created the Heritage Award to recognize individuals or organizations who have provided outstanding leadership over time to help preserve the character, culture, stories, vistas or other aspects of Falmouth’s rich history, or have inspired others to do so, resulting in a lasting legacy. First presented in 2000 to commemorate the 100th […]
Cape Cod Museum Trail’s “Festival of Museums”
Hyannis Youth Center 141 Basset Lane, Hyannis, MA, United StatesThe Museums on the Green is proud to be a participant in the Cape Cod Museum Trail’s Festival of Museums on April 28th 2018! This event will be held at the Hyannis Youth Center, 141 Basset Lane, Hyannis, MA, from 10 am to 4 pm The Festival of Museums is just that – a FREE one-day celebration […]
Walking Tours and historic house tours
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe Museums on the Green will be open from 10 am to 3 pm Monday through Friday, and 10 am to 1 pm Saturday, from June 4 to October 13, 2018. Guided docent tours of the 1790 Dr. Francis Wicks House are available when guests arrive at our Hallett Barn Visitors Center. Tours take about […]
Casey Sherman, “Above and Beyond”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesFrom the authors of the bestselling The Finest Hours, the riveting, deeply human story of President John F. Kennedy and two U-2 pilots, Rudy Anderson and Chuck Maultsby, who risked their lives to save America during the Cuban Missile Crisis. During an infamous thirteen-day stretch of October 1962, America faced the prospect of imminent nuclear […]
Tori Telfer, “Lady Killers: Deadly Women Throughout History”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesWhen you think of serial killers throughout history, the names that come to mind are ones like Jack the Ripper, John Wayne Gacy, and Ted Bundy. But what about Tillie Klimek, Moulay Hassan, Kate Bender? The narrative we’re comfortable with is the one where women are the victims of violent crime, not the perpetrators. In […]
George Daughan, “Lexington and Concord”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe Battle of Lexington and Concord challenges the prevailing narrative of the American War of Independence. It was, author George Daughan argues, based as much in economic concerns as political ones. When Massachusetts militiamen turned out in overwhelming numbers to fight the British, they believed they were fighting for their farms and livelihoods, as well […]
Glenn Stout, “The Selling of the Babe” (TO BE HELD AT FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, FALMOUTH)
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe sale of Babe Ruth by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees in 1919 is one of the pivotal moments in baseball history, changing the fortunes of two of baseball's most storied franchises, changing the game forever and helping to create the legend of the greatest player the game has ever known. […]
Will Englund, “March 1917”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United States“We are provincials no longer,” declared Woodrow Wilson on March 5, 1917, at his second inauguration. He spoke on the eve of America’s entrance into World War I, just as Russia teetered between autocracy and democracy. In the face of chaos and turmoil in Europe, Wilson was determined to move America away from the isolationism […]
David Powers, “Puritans and Gun Control”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesPURITANS AND GUN CONTROL Done in conjunction with the Falmouth No Place For Hate alliance and the Falmouth Gun Buyback Program How did guns fit into the culture which the earliest European settlers brought with them to New England, when Massachusetts was the “wild west” frontier on the continent of North America? Is there anything […]
Richard Aldous, “Schlesinger: The Imperial Historian”: THIS EVENT CANCELLED DUE TO AUTHOR ILLNESS
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesArthur M. Schlesinger Jr. (1917–2007), known today as the architect of John F. Kennedy’s presidential legacy, blazed an extraordinary path from Harvard University to wartime London to the West Wing. The son of a pioneering historian―and a two-time Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner in his own right―Schlesinger redefined the art of presidential biography. […]
Larry Loftis, “Into the Lion’s Mouth”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United States“Into the Lion’s Mouth: the True Story of Dusko Popov: World War II Spy, Patriot and the Real Life Inspiration for James Bond” James Bond has nothing on British double agent Dusko Popov. As an operative for the Abwehr, SD, MI5, MI6, and FBI during World War II, Popov seduced countless women―including agents on both […]
Elaine Weiss, “The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe nail-biting climax of one of the greatest political battles in American history: the ratification of the constitutional amendment that granted women the right to vote. Nashville, August 1920. Thirty-five states have ratified the Nineteenth Amendment, twelve have rejected or refused to vote, and one last state is needed. It all comes down to Tennessee, […]
Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler, “The Monsters: The Creation of Frankenstein”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesAs 2018 is the 200th anniversary of the publishing of Frankenstein, we commemorate it in a special way. Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler are prolific authors of books for adults, teenagers, and children. Their many awards include an Edgar from the Mystery Writers of America for their young-adult novel, In Darkness, Death. After encountering the story of […]
“Inspired by Nature” collaborative children’s camp and activity
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesInspired by Nature is a fun, hands- on adventure with some of the Cape's most fascinating organizations! Guided by teachers and local experts, students will spend a day with each of the collaborating host organizations: Museums on the Green, Cape Conservatory, Falmouth Art Center, Bourne Farms, NOAA Fisheries--exploring the important concept of PROGRESSION and how […]
Jessica Shattuck, “The Women in the Castle” (To be held at John Wesley Methodist Church, Falmouth)
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesAmid the ashes of Nazi Germany’s defeat, Marianne von Lingenfels returns to the once-grand castle of her husband’s ancestors, an imposing stone fortress now fallen into ruin following years of war. The widow of a resister murdered in the failed July 20, 1944, plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Marianne plans to uphold the promise she […]
Free Fun Friday July 6
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe Museums on the Green is a proud participant again this year in the Highland Street Foundation's "Free Fun Friday" program. From 10 am to 3 pm on Friday, July 6, all admissions and entertainment at the Museums will be FREE to all! Among the things you will find that day: […]
Howard Blum, “In the Enemy’s House”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe New York Times bestselling author of Dark Invasion and The Last Goodnight once again illuminates the lives of little-known individuals who played a significant role in America’s history as he chronicles the incredible true story of a critical, recently declassified counterintelligence mission and two remarkable agents whose story has been called "the greatest secret […]
Peter Eisner, “MacArthur’s Spies”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe Soldier, the singer and the spymaster who defied the Japanese during World War II On January 2, 1942, Japanese troops marched into Manila unopposed by U.S. forces. Manila was a strategic port, a romantic American outpost and a jewel of a city. Tokyo saw its conquest of the Philippines as the key in its […]
Anamika Twyman-Ghoshal, “Contemporary Maritime Piracy and the Ocean Environment”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesDr. Twyman-Ghoshal will discuss some of her research on maritime piracy in our globalized world. The talk will explore what maritime piracy is, the nature and trends of contemporary maritime piracy around the world, and an exploration of some of the root causes of Somali piracy. The conversation will delve into the relationship between the […]
Eileen McNamara: “Eunice: The Kennedy Who Changed the World”
Falmouth Academy 7 Highfield Drive, Falmouth, MAA Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist examines the life and times of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, arguing she left behind the Kennedy family’s most profound political legacy. This lecture will be held at Falmouth Academy While Joe Kennedy was grooming his sons for the White House and the Senate, his Stanford-educated daughter Eunice was tapping her father’s fortune […]
Curtis Martin, American Whaling in the Age of Sail
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThis talk is designed to introduce the audience to the subject of the US whale fishery from the 17th to the early 20th century through a survey of the different facets of the industry. Mr. Martin discusses historical development, the purpose of the fishery and its economic importance, risks associated with whaling, the most important […]
Angela Dodson, “Remember the Ladies”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesFrom the birth of our nation to the recent crushing defeat of the first female presidential candidate, this book highlights women's impact on United States politics and government. It documents the fight for women's right to vote, drawing on historic research, biographies of leaders, and such original sources as photos, line art, charts, graphs, documents, […]
Jamie Cat Callan, “Parisian Charm School”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesWe all know that French women don't get fat. But their famous je ne sais quoi comes from more than just body type--something anyone can master: the old-fashioned art cultivating our inner beauty, confidence, and unique personal style, at any age. From savoring the everyday beauty around you to engaging in captivating conversations, playing dress-up, […]
David Kertzer, “The Pope Who Would Be King”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe exile of Pope Pius IX and the birth of modern Europe by Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Kertzer Days after the assassination of his prime minister in the middle of Rome in November 1848, Pope Pius IX found himself a virtual prisoner in his own palace. The wave of revolution that had swept through Europe […]
Peter Zheutlin, “Rescue Dogs”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesIn the follow-up to his New York Times bestseller Rescue Road, acclaimed journalist Peter Zheutlin offers a heartwarming and often humorous new look into the world of rescue dogs. Sharing lessons from his own experiences adopting Labs with large personalities as well as stories and advice from dozens of families and rescue advocates, Zheutlin reveals the surprising and […]
Special Night Out: Cape Cod Winery tasting and lecture with Lewis White
The Museums on the Green offers a different kind of night out--an evening of wine tasting at the Cape Cod Winery, plus a special lecture on the history of East Falmouth and the impact of the Portuguese and Azorean communities on Falmouth by local historian Lewis White. Come and enjoy a relaxing evening outside, tasting […]
William Martin, “Bound for Gold” (To be held at First Congregational Church, Falmouth)
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesBound for Gold continues New York Times bestselling author William Martin’s epic of American history with the further adventures of Boston rare-book dealer Peter Fallon and his girlfriend, Evangeline Carrington. They are headed to California, where their search for a lost journal takes them into the history of Gold Rush. The journal follows young James […]
Jamie Sayen, “You Had a Job For Life”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesAbsentee owners. Single-minded concern for the bottom line. Friction between workers and management. Hostile takeovers at the hands of avaricious and unaccountable multinational interests. The story of America’s industrial decline is all too familiar—and yet, somehow, still hard to fathom. Jamie Sayen spent years interviewing residents of Groveton, New Hampshire, about the century-long saga of […]
Keith O’Brien, “Fly Girls”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesHow Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History Between the world wars, no sport was more popular, or more dangerous, than airplane racing. Thousands of fans flocked to multi‑day events, and cities vied with one another to host them. The pilots themselves were hailed as dashing heroes who cheerfully stared death in […]
One Time Only Collectibles Clearance Sale
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesJoin us on September 22nd from 10 am to 3 pm as we offer a one-time only selection of collectibles and antiques for purchase. Admission is free! Tag Sale poster
Special Event: Christina Laurie, “C is for Cape Cod” book signing
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThis beautiful alphabet book combines playful verse, informative text, and stunning photographs to introduce children to the wonders of Cape Cod. For each letter, a short four-line verse gives younger readers a fun introduction to the subject, and the main text provides information that will appeal to both older children and adults alike. The stunning […]
Jessa Piaia: “Meet Amelia Earhart: First Lady of the Air”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesHISTORIC RE-ENACTOR portrays AMELIA EARHART Historic re-enactor, Jessa Piaia, will present a one-person interpretation of pioneer aviatrix Amelia Earhart entitled “Meet Amelia Earhart (1897-1937): First Lady of the Air”. The program is set in 1936, when Earhart was a popular speaker on the national circuit and preparing for take-off for the around-the-world flight in 1937. […]
Nancy Koehn, “Forged in Crisis”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesAn enthralling historical narrative filled with critical leadership insights that will be of interest to a wide range of readers—including those in government, business, education, and the arts—Forged in Crisis, by celebrated Harvard Business School historian Nancy Koehn, spotlights five masters of crisis: polar explorer Ernest Shackleton; President Abraham Lincoln; legendary abolitionist Frederick Douglass; Nazi-resisting […]
Pirate Night: Eric Jay Dolin, “The Epic History of America’s Most Notorious Pirates” and Marie Kesten Zahn, The Whydah Pirate Museum (to be held at First Congregational Church, Falmouth)
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesTHIS PROGRAM WILL BE HELD AT THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF FALMOUTH Join us for a Buccaneer Duo--Eric Jay Dolin and Marie Kesten Zahn! Eric Jay Dolin, author of "Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic History of America's Most Notorious Pirates" Set against the backdrop of the Age of Exploration, Black Flags, Blue Waters reveals […]
Beer B-Q 2: October 5, 6-9 pm
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesJoin us as we usher in Autumn in Falmouth Village with a festive evening under the tent with libations and good vibrations! This 21 and over event will feature Cape Cod Beer, Cape Cod Winery, Sagamore Beach Barbecue, Inflatable Pubs of Cape Cod, and live music from Funktapuss! Tickets are $25 and include your first […]
Elizabeth Cobbs, “The Hello Girls”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThis is the story of how America’s first women soldiers helped win World War I, earned the vote, and fought the U.S. Army. In 1918, the U.S. Army Signal Corps sent 223 women to France. They were masters of the latest technology: the telephone switchboard. General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, demanded […]
Dave Bushy, “The World Looked Away: Vietnam after the War”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe Vietnam War ended on April 30, 1975. Millions of Vietnamese on both sides of the conflict were killed. Nearly 60,000 Americans were among those who died. You have all seen or heard about the war in the recent Ken Burns series: "The Vietnam War." But what happened after the country of South Vietnam no […]
Jerry Thornton, “Five Rings: The Super Bowl History of the New England Patriots (So Far)”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesSince 2001 the Patriots have played in eight Super Bowl championships and won five, a run of excellence unparalleled in all of professional sports. In a league designed to ensure that no one franchise can dominate over time, New England won for over a decade and a half. A dynasty that began with an improbable […]
Empowered to Buy: Home Buying Tips with Slade Mortgage
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThere is a lot of opportunity out there for buyers to take advantage of the current housing market. Come relax, enjoy some refreshments and learn the tools and tips of home buying in today's real estate market from Scott at Slade Mortgage, Engel & Volkers Realtor, Kara Foley, and Attorney Kevin Klauer. There will be a dynamic presentation by […]
Anne Barrett as Mary Chipman Lawrence: “Life Aboard a Whaling Ship”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe morning of November 25th, 1856, Mary Chipman Lawrence set sail aboard the whaling ship Addison bound for the Pacific on a voyage that would last three and a half years. In this performance, Mary will bring forth from her meticulously kept journal, the joys and tribulations of life at sea with her husband, Captain […]
Christian Di Spigna, “Founding Martyr: The Life and Death of Dr. Joseph Warren
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesLittle has been known of one of the most important figures in early American history, Dr. Joseph Warren, an architect of the colonial rebellion, and a man who might have led the country as Washington or Jefferson did had he not been martyred at Bunker Hill in 1775. Warren was involved in almost every major […]
Mary Stockwell, “Unlikely General: Mad Anthony Wayne and the Battle for America”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesWhy did the once‑ardent hero of the American Revolution become its most scandalous general? In the spring of 1792, President George Washington chose “Mad” Anthony Wayne to defend America from a potentially devastating threat. Native forces had decimated the standing army and Washington needed a champion to open the country stretching from the Ohio River […]
Pamela Parmal, “Quilts and the American Experience”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesPamela Parmal, the curator of Textile and Fashion Arts at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston will be here to discuss quilts and coverlets from colonial times to the present day.
Special Screening: “RFK in the Land of Apartheid: A Ripple of Hope”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesA collaboration between The Museum on the Green and JFK Hyannis Museum A special screening and discussion with the film’s producer and director, Larry Shore. Wednesday November 14, 11:00 - 12:30 am Using previously unseen archival materials, and interviews in South Africa and the US, this fascinating documentary tells the unknown story of Senator […]
Christmas Traditions at the Museums
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesWicks House Tours: Happy Days are Here Again See Schedule Below This season’s Christmas Traditions tour picks up one year later at the Wicks House. It’s December 1918 now. The war has finally ended. Rationing is over. Our boys are finally coming home. Happy days are here […]
Glenn Stout and Richard Johnson, “The Pats: A History of the New England Patriots”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe definitive narrative history of the New England Patriots. The definitive, lively, and robust history of the New England Patriots, from Billy Sullivan to Bill Belichick and everything in between The New England Patriots have become a dynasty, though it didn’t begin that way. Love ’em, hate ’em, the Pats have captured this country’s attention […]
Casey Sherman and David Wedge, “12: The Inside Story of Tom Brady’s Fight for Redemption”
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesThe thrilling behind-the-scenes account of how the most sensational scandal in NFL history culminated in the greatest comeback in sports history, featuring dozens of exclusive interviews with Patriots players--including Tom Brady himself. In January 2015, rumors circulated that the New England Patriots--a team long suspected of abiding by the "if you ain't cheating you ain't […]
ANNUAL MEETING
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesLooking back. Looking forward. Having fun. Join us as we review 2018 and preview the upcoming season! Members will also vote on proposed changes to the bylaws and the Falmouth Historical Society's Board of Directors. The annual meeting is also open to prospective members. It's a great time to learn more about the organization and […]
“Hockey: A Global History” with Andrew Holman
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesHockey: the coolest game ever. Lace ‘em up tight because we’re going back to the beginning, and we have centuries to go. This fast-paced sport shot out of the shinny ponds of Saskatchewan, sped south to the United States and raced through Europe and Asia to become the worldwide phenomenon it is today. Meet hockey’s […]
Wednesday History Walk
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesGrab your scarf and mittens and lace up your walking boots. Here’s a new opportunity to get some exercise--and a lesson in Falmouth's history. Tom Mountford has created a shorter version of his summer history walks around town. The one-hour tour will be held on Wednesdays, February 13, March 20 and April 10, weather permitting. […]
Whodunnit? The Lizzie Borden Myster Continues with Christopher Daley
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesLizzie Borden took an axe And gave her mother forty whacks. And when she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one. We all know the ditty, but few know the facts behind the infamous, unsolved double-murders that rocked the Fall River community in August 1892. Historian Christopher Daley takes us back to […]
“Making Music American: 1917 and the Transformation of Culture” with Douglas Bomberger
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United States1917. It was unlike any other year in American history. Or American music. As the United States entered World War I, a new musical genre that suited the world’s frantic mood burst onto the national scene. JAZZ. German musicians who had dominated classical music were forced from the stage and New Orleans natives Nick LaRocca […]
“Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919” with Stephen Puleo
First Congregational Church 68 Main Street, Falmouth, MA, United StatesCommemorate the 100th anniversary of an historic Boston tragedy. Molasses flood. If those two-words don’t have you consumed with curiosity already, read on! Shortly after noon on January 15, 1919, a 50-foot-tall steel tank collapsed, disgorging its contents—2.3 million gallons of molasses--on Boston’s waterfront. Incredibly, this 15-foot-high wave of dark syrupy substance, travelling 35 miles […]
“Adrift: A True Story of Tragedy on the Icy Atlantic and the One Who Lived To Tell About It” with Brian Murphy
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesIt’s 1856. One hundred passengers—mostly Irish immigrants--have boarded a small ship sailing from Liverpool to New York. Only one will survive: Crewman Thomas W. Nye of Fairhaven. This is his story. It’s also the story of the thirteen other souls who made it into the lifeboat with him when an iceberg tore the ship asunder […]
Wednesday History Walk
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesGrab your scarf and mittens and lace up your walking boots. Here’s a new opportunity to get some exercise–and a lesson in Falmouth’s history. Tom Mountford has created a shorter version of his summer history walks around town. The one-hour tour will be held weather permitting. The route is over mostly flat, paved ground. Please […]
“When the Irish Invaded Canada: The Incredible True Story of the Civil War Veterans Who Fought for Ireland’s Freedom” with Christopher Klein
Cultural Center 55 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, United StatesWe’re reaching deep into the “History Vault” for this one. About one year after the American Civil War ended, a group of veterans dusted off their guns to fight for their homeland: Ireland, the Emerald Isle. A one-armed war hero, an English spy who had infiltrated rebel forces, and a radical who had staged his […]