Events

Legal scholar Gerard Magliocca explores Justice Robert H. Jackson’s landmark concurring opinion in the Steel Seizure Case, illuminating its enduring framework for presidential power. This forum connects constitutional history to current debates, examining how Jackson’s analysis continues to shape limits on executive authority in times of crisis.

The Umbrella Arts Center of Concord, MA, presents its second Ceramics Biennial Exhibition, “Earthworks: Evolution”, a regional show celebrating the depth of history, tradition, and cultural expression in contemporary ceramics, and the ways in which artists continue to expand the field through innovation and reinterpretation.

Join the student artists featured in the new special exhibition Revolutionary Legacies, along with  Curator David Wood and Curator and Director of Exhibitions Christie Jackson, for a gallery talk.

Join Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Blight for a compelling forum on the evolving meaning of American independence. Drawing on his scholarship on Frederick Douglass, Blight will explore how the ideals of the Declaration of Independence have been interpreted and contested over time. Professor Blight will discuss Frederick Douglass’s 1852 speech, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?.” Through Douglass’s words, Blight invites us to reflect on the enduring tensions between liberty and inequality, and to consider whether the nation’s founding promises remain unfulfilled.

Join local ornithologist, author, and naturalist Peter Alden for a guided bird walk at Walden Pond. Alden is the author of Audubon’s Field Guide to New England. Peter will be joined by friend and frequent collaborator Lillian Stokes. Stokes has coauthored over 35 field guides.

Historian Beverly Gage discusses This Land Is Your Land, a sweeping examination of American democracy, protest, and power. Drawing on vivid stories and deep research, Gage traces how struggles over rights, belonging, and national identity have shaped the nation and why those struggles continue to matter today. Supported in part by Mass Humanities.

Join us in tracing parts of Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride on a ride through the historic towns of Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Bedford, and Carlisle. Starting at the Concord Museum near the historic town center, cyclists can choose to ride a 20- or 32-mile loop on paved roads, passing many Revolutionary landmarks like the North Bridge, the Lexington Green, the Paul Revere Capture Site, and much more!   All net proceeds from Paul Revere’s Bike Ride support educational programs at the Concord Museum that reach more than 15,000 students a year.

Whether you’re new to the writings of Henry David Thoreau or a lifelong fan of his work, you’re sure to enjoy the Thoreau Farm Reading Group. The group meets once a month on a Thursday evening to discuss one of Thoreau’s essays. April 16 will feature “Moon and Moonlight,” May 21 will bring “A Walk to Wachusett,” and June 18 will delve into “Slavery in Massachusetts.”

Celebrate Emerson’s birthday and follow the footsteps of writers Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau! Enjoy the spring weather and learn about the friendship of two notable observers of nature from a museum interpreter. 1-mile walk, uneven and unpaved terrain, rain or shine. Meet at the Concord Museum. Includes Same-day admission to the Concord Museum. In partnership with the Ralph Waldo Emerson Memorial Association.