Don't miss - this Friday, 2-3:30 at the AHM - join author and Executive Director/Founder of Military Special Operations Family Collaborative, KaLea Lehman, as she reveals how the simple act of family meals strengthens the health, resilience, and well-being of America’s most elite warfighters. No reservations needed.
Meet the M26A1 Pershing!![]()
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#AmericanHeritageMuseum #VisitMA #militaryhistory #historymuseum #WWII
The American Heritage Museum will be open all next week (2/16-2/22) for February school break. Great place to bring the whole family!
With Valentines Day this weekend, we're asking our friends, "What do you love most at the American Heritage Museum?" - whether it's a certain event, artifact, or favorite volunteer... let us know in the comments!
American Heritage Museum President Rob Collings will introduce Ashlen Hyatt Nunnery today as she talks about her father who was a Hanoi Hilton POW during the Vietnam War. Presentation starts at 2pm. No reservations needed.
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Speaker Series – Cold War Massachusetts: Hidden Infrastructure and the Legacy of Preparedness
December 12, 2025 @ 2:30 pm, ending 3:30 pm
Free with standard museum admission
This presentation explores the pivotal but often overlooked role Massachusetts played during the Cold War, when military and civil defense infrastructure—such as bunkers, radars, and missile launchers—were embedded into the state’s landscape. At the center of the story is the Framingham bunker, the nation’s first blast-resistant state emergency operations center, built to ensure continuity of government in the event of a nuclear strike. Drawing on archival research, site visits, and more than 30 years of experience in public safety and emergency management, author and historian Joshua Shanley examines how Cold War-era planning shaped modern emergency preparedness—and why its legacy still matters today.
About the Presenter
Joshua Shanley is a historian, educator, and emergency management professional with over 35 years of experience in public safety, including roles as a firefighter-paramedic and emergency management director. He currently serves with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. Shanley is the author of several historical works, including Cold War Massachusetts, which examines the state’s hidden role in Cold War civil defense. His work blends archival research with real-world experience to explore how past infrastructure and policy continue to shape today’s preparedness strategies.
