The Family Heritage Experience by American Ancestors® in Boston, Massachusetts, is a new public space dedicated to the joy of exploring family history. It is a fun, interactive, state-of-the-art permanent exhibit that inspires people to think about their ancestors, wonder who they were and how they lived.
Everyone has a family history story worth telling and worth hearing. Prior knowledge of your ancestors is not necessary to enjoy a meaningful visit. The Family Heritage Experience answers questions people commonly have about their ancestors to build curiosity and stir interest in the past.
Only half of all Americans can name all their grandparents but most have a desire to learn more, particularly ancestors’ life stories. When people learn about their family history, they also learn about the more expansive shared human experience.
A self-guided tour of interactive exhibits, unique family history artifacts, and original artworks, the Family Heritage Experience invites visitors to ponder questions about their own family’s origins, journeys, and cultural traditions, and to learn ways to discover more about their ancestry.
Exhibits explore themes of personal identity, creation of family lore, and almost universal desire to leave a record of one’s existence. On display are objects that various cultures and individuals have used to preserve family history, such as an intricate shell-beaded belt from the local Wampanoag nation, a patchwork quilt depicting scenes from African
American family experiences over centuries, photographs and items that document Jewish traditions, and artistic renditions of AngloAmerican family trees from the 19th century. Other exhibits allow visitors to explore events that took place the year they were born, learn how DNA test results shed light on genealogy, and listen to the family history research journeys of people from diverse backgrounds.
The Family Heritage Experience is especially suited to multigenerational family groups. For more information visit
FHE.AmericanAncestors.org
