USA Today – A new permanent exhibition in Boston is focusing on ancestry and family history, and Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was on hand for the big opening on April 25.
Key Points:
A new exhibit in Boston called the Family Heritage Experience opened in April 2025
Exhibit will “inspire people to learn their origin story—ask who their ancestors were, what kind of lives they led, and what events and circumstances influenced their lives”
Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. cut the ribbon on the exhibition on April 25
It’s called the Family Heritage Experience.
The multi-structure building complex that houses the Family Heritage Experience will be named after Gates, along with American philanthropist and preservationist Thomas Bailey Hagen.
“Most people are interested in knowing their family’s story, but recent studies show that nearly half of adult Americans can’t name all their grandparents,” Ryan Woods, president and CEO of American Ancestors, said in a written statement.
American Ancestors is the non-profit organization behind the Family Heritage Experience.
He continued, “Our hope is that a visit to the Family Heritage Experience will inspire people to learn their origin story—ask who their ancestors were, what kind of lives they led, and what events and circumstances influenced their lives. This is quite unlike other museums or attractions because this permanent exhibit sparks a deeply personal journey that’s also universal.”
Here’s more about the new exhibition.
What’s in the exhibition?
In the exhibition, visitors will engage with exhibits that explore themes of personal identity, “the creation of family lore, and the almost universal desire to leave a record of one’s existence,” according to a release about the facility.
The exhibition takes up the entire first floor of the American Ancestors building complex, “which is home to seven other floors dedicated to family history, including an archive and research library that is open to the public.”
The release states that some of the exhibition’s highlights include:
- Unique family history artifacts, and original artworks.
- A “Wall of Questions” that encourages visitors to ponder their ancestors’ life experiences by selecting cards printed with common family history-related queries such as “How did my grandparents meet?” “What kind of clothes did my ancestor wear?” and “I heard a family legend––is it true?”
- Objects on display 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 Anglo-American family trees from the 19th Century.
- Toward the end of the self-guided tour, visitors can learn more about ways to begin researching their own ancestors using vital records and other family history documents.
- 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.
Is the exhibition open now?
Yes, it opened on April 25.
The Family Heritage Experience will be open every Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and free for children up to age 11. People can visit fhe.americanancestors.org for more information.
Where is the exhibition located?
It is located at 97 Newbury St. in Boston.
About Henry Louis Gates Jr.?
Gates “has made family history research familiar to millions of Americans through his popular PBS show ‘Finding Your Roots,’ which features celebrities learning dramatic accounts of their ancestry,” according to a release about the exhibition.
The show first aired in 2012.
“Researching family trees has been a passion in my life since I was nine years old, and I am thrilled to know the desire to learn about the past through the roots and branches of one’s own ancestry will now be greatly facilitated through the Family Heritage Experience in Boston,” Gates said in a written statement.
He continued, “It is difficult to imagine a greater honor in my career and I look forward to the luminous discoveries that will be made at this landmark visitor center in the city I love and where I have lived and taught for over half of my professional life. May the joys of genealogy seeded here continue to flower throughout the generations.”
By Seth Jacobson, USA Today Network New England
