The Old Colony History Museum houses significant collections of New England decorative arts, textiles, militaria, and silver. Its archives and library hold important manuscripts and printed material relating to the genealogical and historical background of southeastern Massachusetts.

The Museum’s parent organization is the Old Colony Historical Society, one of the oldest organizations of its kind in New England. Founded in 1853, it serves the region of southeastern Massachusetts that was once part of the Plymouth Colony. Located on historic Church Green in Taunton, the Society has its headquarters in the former Bristol Academy, designed in 1852 by the New York architect Richard Upjohn.

Our collections contain thousands of objects, images, documents, and books. If you are interested in learning more about anything in our collection please reach out at info (at) oldcolonyhistorymuseum.org and we are happy to assist you!

OCHM regularly grants permission for the use of materials in its collections on a one-time, non-exclusive basis. Uses include but are not limited to:

• scholarly publications
• broadcast/film
• promotional
• exhibition

OCHM staff will only create image reproductions of material if it can be done without damage to the original and if it is permitted by United States Copyright Law. If you would like to request permission to use material from OCHM’s collections please submit an email to [email protected] or call us at 508.822.1622.   Once we receive your request, we are happy to explain what can and cannot be reproduced, details of how we provide reproductions, and we will provide you with a quote for all the associated costs. The costs include the charges for reproducing the image and for using the image in a project. Members do receive a discount for image reproduction.

Old Colony History Museum’s (OCHM) collection of nearly 10,000 objects, 500 linear feet of archival material, and thousands of photographs has grown through the generosity and support of individuals and organizations that have donated items to it since the organization’s founding in 1853.

The staff at the OCHM has to weigh every object we consider acquiring carefully to ensure we can properly care for the item for the foreseeable future and that the object will allow us to interpret the region’s history in some meaningful way for the communities and various constituencies that we serve. Due to storage considerations, and a current backlog of cataloging, we are unable to accept most items offered for donations. We are always happy to review your items and are always interested in seeing new things! Please note that federal law prohibits all museums from providing valuations on any items and you would need to contact a certified appraiser for that information.

If you have an item you would like us to review for donation please contact us at [email protected], by phone at 508.822.1622, to learn more about our collecting process.