The Amherst History Museum opened in 1916 and is governed by the Amherst Historical Society, which was founded in 1899. Housed in the 1750-era Strong House, the Amherst History Museum takes visitors on a journey from the town's colonial past, through its industrial age and into the computer-driven present. The Museum is filled with decorative arts, paintings, household implements, agricultural tools and other pieces of history from the nearly three hundred years since Amherst was settled. The collections range from the ordinary to the unique, and capture a sense of every day life often missing from history books.
The period rooms of the Amherst History Museum are a blend of the old and the new, of 19 th century Victorian taste combined with the hallmarks of the 20 th century. Floral motifs curl around imported Delftware, pewter plates, blue and white Staffordshire china mingles with an 18 th century grandfather clock, and a Victorian calling card holder sits company with stately Georgian paneling.
In addition to the period rooms, rotating exhibits and special programming, the Museum provides educational tours for school children and students throughout the year.
