180th celebration launches new Family Heritage Experience exhibit dedicated to the joy of family history at Newbury Street complex
McGRATHPR.com – American Ancestors® marked a major milestone in its 180-year history with the grand opening of the Family Heritage Experience today, a new permanent public exhibit attraction in Boston’s Back Bay. The centerpiece of the event was the official naming of the newly renovated building at 97 Newbury Street in honor of acclaimed historian and Harvard University professor Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., alongside philanthropist Thomas Bailey Hagen.
Dr. Gates, best known as the host of PBS’s popular series “Finding Your Roots,” was on hand to unveil a permanent installation of his illustrated family tree, a vibrant piece of artwork by Tania Crossingham created using gouache on vellum mediums. The intricately designed family tree—developed through rigorous genealogical and DNA research—serves as a focal point of the new exhibit and a powerful visual symbol of the exhibition’s purpose: to inspire all people to discover and honor their roots.
“This exhibition is not just about history—it’s about identity, connection, and discovery,” said Dr. Gates during opening remarks. “I’m deeply honored to be part of a space that invites everyone to explore the rich stories of where they come from.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony, led by American Ancestors President & CEO Ryan J. Woods, welcomed hundreds of local officials, donors, and community leaders. Attendees enjoyed exclusive tours of the interactive exhibits, a reception, and a behind-the-scenes look at collection highlights. The immersive Family Heritage Experience officially opens to the public on Friday, April 25, and features self-guided tours, rare artifacts, and original works from diverse artists.
The Family Heritage Experience is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 am to 6 pm. Admission is $10 for adults, and free for children under 12. For more information, visit fhe.americanancestors.org.
About the Family Heritage Experience
The Family Heritage Experience—an interactive, state-of-the-art exhibition that introduces visitors to the joy of family history research—was launched in 2025 by American Ancestors®, a national center for family history, heritage & culture. The Family Heritage Experience is located on the first floor of American Ancestors’ headquarters at 97 Newbury Street, in Boston, Massachusetts. For more information, visit fhe.americanancestors.org.
About American Ancestors
American Ancestors® is a national nonprofit center for family history, heritage & culture based in Boston, Massachusetts that has been setting the gold standard for genealogical research since its founding in 1845. Today, American Ancestors serves 400K+ members and subscribers through AmericanAncestors.org, one of the world’s largest online collections of family history resources. In 2025, American Ancestors launched the Family Heritage Experience, an interactive, state-of-the-art exhibition that introduces visitors to the joy of family history research, located at 97 Newbury Street at our headquarters in Boston. American Ancestors is also home to the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center, which preserves New England’s Jewish history, and 10 Million Names, a project dedicated to finding the names of the enslaved men, women, and children in pre- and post-colonial America before emancipation. For more information, visit americanancestors.org.
