Our Annual Fund

You see it when a child leans in to examine a hand-stitched sampler or when a college student curates an exhibit drawn from our archives. You hear it in community conversations that connect past and present, or in the quiet awe of someone discovering a photograph of their great-grandparents in our collection.

This year, we’ve stepped forward with a bold new mission and vision; one that honors Henry Sheldon’s legacy while embracing the future we’re helping to shape together:

Our New Mission

In partnership with a vibrant and inquisitive community—and building on the vision of founder Henry Sheldon—we collect and share stories and objects, past and present, to inspire curiosity and spark connections.

Our New Vision

We connect people across generations to build community and foster understanding and responsibility for our shared future.

These guiding statements reflect the heart of what we do. But they also remind us of what’s needed to keep doing it: careful stewardship of the collection, creative programming, and the behind-the-scenes work that makes every exhibit, workshop, school visit, community event, and spark of curiosity possible.

This is where you come in. Your gift today supports:

• Preservation of over a century’s worth of local stories, objects, and archives

• Dynamic exhibits that connect the past with today’s lived experiences

• Educational programs for students and families, offered at little or no cost

• The people and infrastructure behind the scenes—staff, systems, and space—that keep the Museum open and responsive

Rooted in this place and shaped by its people, we’re not just reflecting where we’ve been, we’re building what’s next. Please consider making a gift to the Henry Sheldon Museum this season.

Your generosity helps ensure that this living history stays centered in community and open to all: for this generation and the next.

Mt. Abraham Union Middle School Students exploring the Research Center Archives. October 2024.