state

: MA

Graham McKay, Executive Director of Lowell's Boat Shop, speaking at the stern of our big project of 2025–2026, a 38' Bantry Bay Gig for Atlantic Challenge USA. We are a working museum, continuing to build new traditional plank-on-frame boats for clients. Anne Bryant, righthandanne.com

Established in 1793, Lowell’s Boat Shop is the oldest continuously operating boat shop in the United States and is cited as the birthplace of the legendary fishing dory. Lowell’s is the only remaining survivor of Amesbury’s world-renowned dory manufacturing industry that produced in excess of a quarter of a million dories over a period of two centuries. We are a National Historic Landmark.

In its third century of operation, Lowell’s Boat Shop is both a working boat shop and a museum, and the preservation of each part is essential to our mission. We continue to build dories and skiffs for clients in the time-honored tradition of seven generations of the Lowell family that owned and operated the Boat Shop. The rich history of the building, collections, and our role in the community are conveyed through woodworking classes, our Apprentice program, programming for local schools, lively social gatherings, partnerships with other local museums, our YouTube channel, and the fleet of watercraft available for members who row their river.

Amesbury,
MA
Craft School Museum Other
Wood
Ode to Dawn by Ann Brauer. credit the artist

The Art Complex Museum is pleased to present a two-person quilt exhibition featuring the work of Ann Brauer and Marge Tucker.

Though distinct in style, both artists push the boundaries of contemporary quilting—Brauer with her luminous, color-driven landscapes and Tucker with bold compositions that balance improvisation and structure. Together, their quilts celebrate innovation, craftsmanship, and the expressive power of fiber art.

Duxbury,
MA
Exhibitions + Shows
Fiber
Two Clouds Tower by Mo Kelman. Karen Philippi

Rooted in childhood memories of Cleveland’s industrial landscape and the burning Cuyahoga River of 1969, Mo Kelman’s sculptures merge water’s shifting forms with the stark geometry of steel and bridges.

Using simple, tactile materials, Kelman explores the tension between nature’s unstoppable force and human engineering.

These works celebrate craft, resilience, and transformation, revealing both the beauty of construction and the inevitability of nature’s power.

Duxbury,
MA
Exhibitions + Shows
Fiber Mixed Media Paper Wood
Shopping Cart by Lin Lisberger. credit Luc Demers

Lisberger has always been interested in combining abstraction and narrative in her work.

20 Walks references the physical memory of her own walks in places at home and around the world. Each piece captures a sense of place along with the memory of a particular personal moment or sight, evoking  a recollection, not telling all the details. This form of abstraction keeps the pieces simpler, more elegant, and hopefully visceral, while always keeping form essential.

Duxbury,
MA
Exhibitions + Shows
Mixed Media Wood
Artist in Salem, Massachusetts and India, wedding dress and shawl of Sarah Peirce-Nichols, about 1801. Cotton (dress), cashmere and wool (shawl). Gift of the estate of Charlotte Sanders Nichols, 1938. 123571.W, 123590.2. Peabody Essex Museum. Photographed at Peirce-Nichols House by Dennis Helmar. Courtesy Peabody Essex Museum.

Founded in 1799, the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) is the nation’s oldest continuously operating museum, dedicated to celebrating creativity across time, place, and culture.

PEM’s Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026 audio tour curated by Paula Richter, features nearly 30 objects from six galleries. Spanning 500 years, the tour explores how handcraft—from colonial furniture to contemporary textiles—embodies artistry, identity, and the timeless value of making by hand.

Salem,
MA
Other Talks + Conferences
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Paper Wood
Shaker Box Bench by Mark Del Guidice. John Polak

This exhibition brings together highlights from the museum’s Shaker furniture collection alongside a selection of contemporary craft objects, revealing the lasting influence of Shaker design and values on today’s makers. Many of the contemporary works on view entered the museum’s collection after first appearing in past exhibitions, testament to the vibrant collaborations between the museum and the artists we’ve had the privilege to present.

Duxbury,
MA
Exhibitions + Shows
Clay Metal Wood
Hot Night in the City. Troy Thompson Photography

Hot Night in the City at the Worcester Center for Crafts is a fiery summer celebration of art, community, and creativity. Enjoy live craft demonstrations, artisan vendors, music, food, drinks, and the opening of a new exhibit—all in one unforgettable night. Free and family-friendly!

Worcester,
MA
Celebrations + Gatherings Marketplaces + Festivals
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Paper Wood
Students in the course Materials In Human Experience build an iron smelting furnace inspired by traditional furnace construction techniques from Burkina Faso. Rhea Vedro

MIT’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering is home to the world’s premier program focused on materials science and engineering—the study of matter and how it is made.

Our faculty, staff, and students undertake interdisciplinary materials projects that draw on fundamental sciences in pursuit of beneficial engineering solutions. From novel manufacturing methods to high-capacity batteries, their work has resulted in powerful discoveries and innovations that positively influence virtually every corner of society.

Cambridge,
MA
University or College
Metal
Around the Marlborough Show. Paradise City Arts, LLC

Paradise City Arts brings the best in contemporary art and design to New England—curated, cutting-edge, and unforgettable. Our award-winning festivals attract thousands of collectors, creatives, and curious minds who come to discover 200+ visionary artists & makers from across the country. It’s more than an art show—it’s a full-on experience: think live music, killer local food, and a vibe that’s equal parts gallery, street fair, and creative playground.

Easthampton,
MA
Arts/Cultural Organization
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Other Paper Wood
2023 Boston MQG quilt exhibit at the Morse institute Library in Natick, MA. Susan McKinney

The Boston Modern Quilt Guild is dedicated to providing inspiration, fellowship, and support to quilters of all skill levels and types. We are a chapter of the national Modern Quilt Guild.

Boston,
MA
Arts/Cultural Organization
Fiber
Art Complex Museum. Lori LeDoux

The Art Complex Museum is located in the historic town of Duxbury, Massachusetts, 33 miles south of Boston. It houses the impressive art collection of the Carl A. Weyerhaeuser family.

The collection includes over 8,000 art objects, including American and European prints, rare books, American paintings, Shaker furniture, Asian art, and additional treasures.

The museum offers a year-round schedule of exhibitions, featuring thematic shows from the permanent collection and shows by contemporary artists. Additional programming includes lectures, concerts, education programs, demonstrations and Japanese tea ceremonies, fulfilling the founders’ vision that their family’s many interests be shared with the community.

This unique venue offers visitors an inviting place for viewing and learning about art in an intimate and comfortable setting.

Duxbury,
MA
Museum
Clay Fiber Metal Mixed Media Other Paper Wood
Worcester Craft Center is home to classes for all ages! Pictured students trying enameling for the first time!

Worcester Center for Crafts

Founded in 1856, the Worcester Center for Crafts (WCC) is the nation’s oldest nonprofit craft center, dedicated to cultivating creativity and community through the arts. Originally established to provide skills for immigrant women, WCC now offers classes and workshops in ceramics, glass, metals, fiber, printmaking, healing arts, painting, photography, and more for students of all ages and abilities.

Home to the Krikorian Gallery, the Mary and Van Aroian Community Gallery, and the Handcrafted Shop, WCC also supports artists in sharing their work. The craft center hosts signature events such as Hot Night in the City and the Holiday Festival of Crafts, connecting local and national artists with the community.

With its rich history and welcoming spirit, WCC continues to serve as a cultural destination, creative hub, and vital contributor to the New England community.

Worcester,
MA
Arts/Cultural Organization Craft School
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Other
Peabody Essex Museum. Salem, MA.

Founded in 1799, the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, Massachusetts, is the country’s oldest continuously operating museum. PEM provides thought-provoking experiences of the arts, humanities and sciences to celebrate the creative achievements and potential of people across time, place and culture. By connecting people through inquiry, empathy and dialogue, PEM encourages an understanding of our shared humanity and fosters a sense of belonging in a complex, ever-changing world. We build, steward and share our superlative collection, which includes African, American, Asian Export, Chinese, contemporary, Japanese, Korean, maritime, Native American, Oceanic and South Asian art, as well as architecture, fashion and textiles, photography, natural history and one of the nation’s most important museum-based collections of rare books and manuscripts. PEM offers a varied and unique visitor experience, with hands-on creativity zones, interactive opportunities and performance spaces. The museum’s campus, which offers numerous gardens and green spaces, is an accredited arboretum and features more than a dozen noted historic structures, including Yin Yu Tang, a 200-year-old Chinese home that is the only example of Chinese domestic architecture in the United States.

Salem,
MA
Museum
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Other Paper Wood
A gray clapboarded two-story 17th century home with an overhanging second floor situated next to a tall building on one side and a brick courtyard with garden beds and a pear tree on the other side. A second floor walkway provides access to the second floor and is hung with red, white, and blue bunting. The Paul Revere Memorial Association

Built around 1680, the Paul Revere House is a rare example of 17th-century urban architecture.  One room interprets the 1680s, while three other rooms contain artifacts from Revere’s era, including select Revere family furniture. Paul Revere purchased the home in 1770 and lived here with his family when he made his famous messenger ride on the night of April 18-19, 1775.

Today the site includes a Visitor Center with exhibits highlighting Revere’s skilled craftsmanship; silver made in Revere’s shop is always on display. Regular public events feature the talents of musicians, artisans, and craftspeople who are keeping alive the traditional trades of the 18th century.

Visit our self-guided site year-round!

Summer:

April 15 – October 31: 10:00 AM to 5:15 PM

Open daily

Winter:

November 1 – April 14: 10:00 AM to 4:15 PM

Closed on Mondays during January, February, and March

Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day

Boston,
MA
Museum
Clay Fiber Metal Other Paper Wood
The Fuller Craft Museum building. Photographed by Dave Houlton

Fuller Craft Museum offers expansive opportunities to discover the world of contemporary craft. By exploring the leading edge of craft through exhibitions, collections, education, and public programs, we challenge perceptions and build appreciation of the material world. Our purpose is to inspire, stimulate, and enrich an ever expanding community.

Brockton,
MA
Museum
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Other Paper Wood