The Depot Transformation Project
The Depot as it stands now is a blank slate. It is in the very center of town, both highly visible and accessible. However, due to budgetary constraints, a small staff, and more recently COVID-19, the building has not been used to its fullest potential. It can and should be an epicenter for history education, serving not only Lexington but the nation.
With this project, we will turn the Depot into a creatively flexible space where we will connect the past to contemporary issues and ideas. It will be a hub of activity, rich in history, but also active in contemporary arts, open to community groups, and welcoming to all.
In tandem with the Depot transformation, we want to rebrand the organization and make it accessible to a broader audience.
We are excited for this next chapter at LHS!
Project Updates
Lexington Historical Society Looks to the Future by Transforming its Headquarters
Lexington Historical Society has selected Massachusetts-based, women owned H2 Design Studio to create the physical starting point of a visitor’s journey through the rich, diverse, and dynamic history of Lexington.
The Society set a fundraising goal of $500,000 and achieved it in less than nine months through a combination of private donations, state funding earmarked by Rep. Michelle Ciccolo, and a fundraising campaign. As Representative Ciccolo points out, “The Lexington Depot is an important cultural facility for the Town of Lexington and I was extremely pleased to be able to help provide funds that will help catalyze its new interpretation and reuse as a more culturally relevant facility. I look forward to seeing this project materialize and know it will be of great benefit to the people of Lexington and all its visitors.” The project will transform the Society’s headquarters into an interactive exhibition and education space, setting the stage for the visitor’s experience of Lexington history and the three other museums the Society oversees (Buckman Tavern, Munroe Tavern and the Hancock-Clarke House).
Lexington Historical Society Board President Anne Lee is thrilled to see this long term goal come to fruition. “When the Society purchased the Depot in 2002, the goal had always been to ultimately create a flexible and dynamic space to introduce audiences to the many facets of Lexington history. We didn’t have the funds to achieve that transformation - until now. It’s thrilling to have a cutting-edge firm, selected from a nationwide search, ready to help us tell the diverse stories of our town and its impact on the nation.”
Executive Director Carol S. Ward is excited to have the chance to assist in shaping this historic space which is integral to the operations of the Society. “From the moment I walked into the Depot while still interviewing for the position here in Lexington I saw the immense potential of this space, and I’m thrilled to be able to work with the Board, staff, H2 Design Studio and the community to shape it as we move forward into the future.”
The importance of the synergy between the Society and the firm selected was of high value, and Larissa Hansen, H2 Design Studio’s Principal and Creative Director, understands this. “As we look to the future of museums and cultural centers it is clear they need to be more relevant and inclusive in the types of stories told about the past and present; of the people that are welcomed as visitors; and in how audiences are engaged in the experiences offered. The leadership at the Lexington Historical Society and H2 Design are aligned in this thinking and will apply it as we imagine the next chapter of the Depot. We are truly delighted and very honored to be chosen to lead this transformative project in the exhibition, media and brand/identity design.”
The project is currently in its design phase, The Society’s Annual Meeting, scheduled for the evening of April 4, 2023, will be the first chance for the public to see mock-ups and renderings of the new space, and hear from Society stakeholders and H2 about their vision for the space. The project is slated to be completed and open to the public in Fall of 2024.
December 13, 2022
