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Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project, MassQuilts

Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project (MassQuilts) initiated in 1994, has documented over 8,000 pre-2000 quilts originating or currently owned in this state. By encouraging the study and preservation of quilts, MassQuilts seeks to demonstrate that these textiles convey important insights about their historical context as well as the lives of the individual women who made them. Monthly documentation days held at the New England Quilt Museum continue to offer the public an opportunity to learn more about their antique quilts.
 
In 2009, MassQuilts published Massachusetts Quilts: Our Common Wealth, a 336-page hardbound book edited by Lynne Z. Bassett. It presents the most beautiful and historically significant quilts studied in the previous fifteen years of the MassQuilts Documentation Project and includes more than 200 color photos: overall views, detail shots, and photographs of the makers. To see some of the photos and read related stories included in the book visit Sample Essays.

The records of the Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project-MassQuilts are housed in the New England Quilt Museum. 

View documentation form:
Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project form

--Martha Supnik, 11/6/2023.

Sixty-four Massachusetts museum collections are included in MassQuilts. Click on the name below to see their collections.
New England Quilt Museum
Abigail Adams Historical Society, Inc.
American Textile History Museum
Amherst Historical Society and Museum
Athol Historical Society
Belchertown Historical Association at Stone House Museum
Berkshire Historical Society at Arrowhead
Berkshire Museum
Bidwell House Museum
Boston Museum of Fine Arts
Boylston Historical Society
Braintree Historical Society
Brookline Historical Society
Cape Ann Museum
Centerville Historical Museum
Chatham Historical Society, Inc.
Chester Historical Museum
Clara Barton Birthplace Museum
Cohasset Historical Society
Colrain Historical Society
Concord Museum
Dennis Historical Society
Duxbury Rural Historical Society
Falmouth Historical Society
Granby Historical Association
Hatfield Historical Society
Hingham Historical Society
Historic Deerfield-Memorial Hall Museum
Historic New England
Historic Newton
Historic Northampton
Historical Society of the Town of Hampden, Inc.
Ipswich Museum
Keep Homestead Museum
Lexington Historical Society
Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House
Lynn Museum and Historical Society
Martha's Vineyard Historical Society
Mattapoisett Historic Society 
Monson Historical Society
Nantucket Historical Association
National Heritage Museum
North Andover Historical Society
Nye Family of America Association, Inc.
Old Sturbridge Village
Osterville Historical Museum
Peabody Essex Museum
Pelham Historical Society
Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association at Deerfield
Porter Phelps Huntington Foundation
Ramapoque Historical Society at Josiah Day House
Rehoboth Antiquarium Society, Carpenter Museum
Rowe Historical Society
Rowley Historical Society
Royall House Association
Shelburne Historical Society
Sudbury Historical Society, Inc.
Swift River Valley Historical Society
Townsend Historical Society, Reed House
Wenham Museum
Western Hampden Historical
Westfield Athenaeum
Wing Fort House and Museum Collection
Worcester Historical Museum

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