The Paul Revere House Museum is expanding its footprint. In 2007, the Museum purchased an 1835 row house at 5-6 Lathrop Place, located directly behind the Revere house, on property once owned by Paul Revere. The plan is to convert this building into a visitor and education center, creating much needed space for education programs, visitor amenities, a gift shop, an orientation center, storage space and offices. A master plan for all of the properties has been completed, and fundraising has begun for this major expansion project.
Nina Zannieri, Executive Director of the Paul Revere House Museum, gave a short presentation to NEWRA at their September meeting. The Museum is in dire need of additional room as its visitor numbers continue to grow. While the primary draw will always be Paul Revere, the Museum has been expanding its mission to several aspects of life during that period in history.
The building is one of few remaining wooden buildings in the neighborhood and eligible for National Historical designation. The building has quite a storied history and the Museum is tracking its history of residents from when it was an Irish boarding house to when Italian families owned it in the early 1900s.
The organization will return to the discuss various zoning and code issues, but wanted to give a quick review now. The extension work will start in the Fall 2009 or Spring 2010. The Museum is raising money and has enough to get going. Abutters of the property are generally supportive.
Nina reminded the neighborhood that the Paul Revere Museum is FREE to North End/Waterfront residents with identification.
