MILTON, MA – January 13, 2023 – The New England Museum Association (NEMA) awarded the Forbes House Museum, at 215 Adams Street, its 2022 Excellence Award for the museum’s current exhibition, “Opium: The Business of Addiction.”
At its annual meeting, NEMA recognized Executive Director Heidi Vaughan and Special Projects Director Barbara Silberman for their work in planning and managing the exhibition, which was two years in development and opened in April 2022. Reviewers from the National Endowment for the Humanities called the exhibition “ground-breaking” for its coverage of the Forbes family’s involvement in the 19th century opium trade, the trade’s links to the current opioid epidemic, and its lasting impact on US-Sino relations.
“We’re so grateful to NEMA, as well as all our supporters who made this exhibition possible. Community response has been terrific and we’re looking forward to welcoming more visitors through March,” says Vaughan, who led efforts to secure support from museum trustees and community partners, including The Milton Coalition, Milton Public Library, Courageous Conversations Toward Racial Justice and Primary Source.
Silberman engaged a variety of scholars and other experts to help develop the exhibition’s content, created an extensive guide training program, and initiated complementary author talks and related programming. To present an objective narrative, she interviewed local Chinese Americans, scholars of Chinese history, and staff of local Asian community organizations to ensure the exhibition reflected Chinese perspectives.
Attendee response has been very positive. “This was absolutely amazing and interesting!! I cannot wait to incorporate this into my classroom,” remarked one teacher in written feedback. Visitors have included many school groups from Milton, Dorchester and Boston, as well as representatives from Boston Athenaeum, Harvard University Museums and Historic New England.
The exhibition has tripled the museum’s normal attendance, attracting many first-time visitors. Guided tours for the exhibition, open through March 26, 2023, are available Fridays-Sundays; tickets are available at www.forbeshousemuseum.org/opium-exhibition.
For information about museum exhibits, tours and programming, call 617-696-1815 or visit forbeshousemuseum.org.
This exhibition was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services or the National Endowment for the Humanities. Other funders include the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Mass Humanities, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital – Milton, Courageous Conversations Toward Racial Justice, Peter and Kathy Markell, and the Milton Coalition.
About the Forbes House Museum:
Inspired by the Forbes family legacy of entrepreneurship, social action and philanthropy, the Forbes House Museum fosters discourse around civic engagement and cultural awareness. Built in 1833, the Greek Revival home at 215 Adams Street in Milton has been a house museum since 1964 and listed on the National Register of Historic since 1966.
About NEMA:
The New England Museum Association connects a community engaged in learning, collaboration, and action, to cultivate a better museum world. www.nemanet.org.
###