Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation — Attraction in Waltham

What an amazing, beautiful space with so much interesting history to offer! The museum was a lovely venue for our wedding in Oct 2022. We got married in the spacious Jackson Room, which was then transformed into our reception area (with plenty of room for cornhole etc. near the guest tables), and our cocktail hour was downstairs among some incredible exhibits. Our guests had a terrific time doing a scavenger hunt through the exhibits during the reception!

We took photos outside in Landry Park, which was beautiful with all the fall foliage and the Charles River right there.

I also want to shout out Jillian Doherty, the museum's event coordinator, who knows the museum inside and out, is super organized and conscientious, and really knows her stuff. She was also our Day of Coordinator (through her own private business, Jillian Doherty Events) and we were just SO lucky to have her running the day. It made me feel so relaxed and at ease as a bride!

Being COVID-conscious, I'm also grateful that the museum took great care (and expense) to install a state-of-the-art ventilation system during the pandemic. The air inside felt fresh and well-circulated -- and, largely thanks to that, I believe no one got COVID at our wedding, which I had been so worried about!!

Even if you aren't hosting an event at the museum, please do check it out -- It's such a cool place and they've done an amazing job curating their exhibits about the birthplace of industry in America -- Right in...

This local museum is tucked away in the Francis Cabot Lowell Mill next to Waltham Common and the Charles River (as its name suggests) and is a fascinating museum. Not only does it feature the history of the textile mills of Waltham, but how the Industrial Revolution expanded up to Lowell, MA, and shaped Massachusetts' past. There are additional items in the museum specifically related to Waltham, such as a horse-drawn fire truck, Metz electric cars, and bicycles, plus the synonymous Waltham Watches, which gives the city it's moniker of "Watch City" today. The true highlight of our trip was when Isiah demonstrated their four belt-driven machines. It was incredible to see them in operation and how they still functioned reasonably well for their age. The museum is easily reached by public transportation from Waltham Common and a short walk along the river. While there's no on-site parking, there are a couple of public lots in the area which are within walking distance of the museum. I highly recommend this museum to anyone who is interested in American history, mechanical items, transportation advances, or who possesses a general curiosity. There are also events hosted here, such as a battle bots competition, that we got to see a portion of...

The Charles River Museum of Industry documents the key innovations and entrepreneurs of Waltham's industrial revolution. Waltham was unique in shifting the factory paradigm towards vertically integrated entities in which all aspects of production took place in respective parts of a single factory building. Leveraging the power generated by the Charles, the factories were able to create watches (perhaps for which Waltham is best known), bicycles, cars, and all manner of tools - many of which are on display at the museum. While the museum paints a picture of the innovations and advancements attributed to a number of notable men - be sure to check out the full story in the area behind the...