Behind the Exhibition: Myth, Memory, and the Stories We Tell

For nearly a year, Curator of Collections Erica Lome has been taking readers behind the scenes of Myth and Memory: Stories of the American Revolution as she makes decisions about which stories to include in the exhibition at the heart of Historic New England’s NE250 commemorations. Through posts on topics ranging from samplers to powder horns to mirrors, Erica has shown how objects accumulate layers of meaning, and how curators work to separate fact from folklore without diminishing the emotional power of the stories communities hold dear.

We invite you to revisit Erica’s posts in advance of visiting Myth and Memory, opening May 15, 2026, at the Eustis Estate in Milton, Massachusetts. Many of the stories shared here explore how everyday materials become declarations of identity—evidence of who people were and how they wished to be remembered. The American Revolution emerges not as a distant political event but as lived experience that fractured households and communities. These stories offer a preview of the perspectives and objects on view in Myth and Memory, inviting you to encounter them firsthand and consider how the Revolution was experienced and remembered by those who lived through it and the generations that came after.

• An Invitation to Tea explores the social rituals, objects, and cultural meanings surrounding tea, while also examining how myths and assumptions shape our understanding of domestic life.
• The Myth of the Bunker Hill Quilt Top dismantles a long‑held belief about a textile’s origins.
• In Search of Crispus Attucks traces how a man with a fragmented historical record became a national symbol.
• A Case Study of Three Powder Horns reveals how even wartime tools became autobiographical canvases, engraved with names, maps, and symbols.
• A House Divided explores how political conflict could split families and reshape daily life.
• Through the Looking Glass (Parts 1 & 2) is the tale of the search for the origins of a mysterious mirror.
• Jonathan Sayward, Reluctant Loyalist profiles a Maine merchant whose loyalty to Britain placed him at odds with his neighbors.
• From the Townspeople highlights how (and when) local communities remembered local heroes of the Revolution.
• Whose Hair? examines the deeply sentimental world of hairwork objects—memorial pieces crafted from the hair of loved ones.
• Stitching Identity shows how textiles, clothing, and needlework served as intimate expressions of personal and cultural identity.
• Whose Hair? examines the deeply sentimental world of hairwork objects—memorial pieces crafted from the hair of loved ones.

Myth and Memory: Stories of the American Revolution is on display at the Eustis Estate in Milton, Massachusetts, May 15—November 15, 2026. To visit the exhibition, purchase a ticket for any self-guided tour; it is included with museum admission.