Founded in 1875 as the Worcester Society of Antiquity, the Worcester Historical Museum is the only institution in the area devoted entirely to Worcester’s history and artifacts. Its collections range from the colonial era into the twentieth century and include manuscripts, textiles, paintings, and ceramics. Along with permanent and temporary exhibitions, it offers a research library, archival access by appointment, and operates Salisbury Mansion. Its Fuller Gallery of Industrial History examines Worcester’s industrial past and the work of local inventors and manufacturers, while other exhibitions have explored subjects from toys and graphic design to the histories of the city’s diverse Jewish, Swedish, Guatemalan, Black, Latino, and LGBTQ+ communities.