About Us

Preservation Massachusetts (PM) is the statewide non-profit historic preservation organization dedicated to preserving the Commonwealth’s historic and cultural heritage. We are an advocacy and education organization that works with everyone from individuals to organizations and businesses striving to revitalize their communities, historic buildings and landscapes through preservation while making a real economic impact, creating jobs and investing in our existing resources to enhance our collective quality of life. 

Preservation is about more than just a building or landscape; it is about relationships, making the old new and relevant again, and connecting people to historic places. It is about recycling, up-cycling, sustainability, breathing life back into our community centers and neighborhoods, and activating an appreciation for the places we call home.  

Preservation Massachusetts was established in 1985 as Historic Massachusetts, Inc. We actively promotes the preservation of historic buildings and landscapes as a positive force for economic development and the retention of community character. PM is funded entirely by grants, fundraising events, and the support of our membership. In keeping with our mission, we work in partnership with national, state, and local organizations and with individuals across the Commonwealth to advance an understanding, appreciation, and utilization of our historic built and natural landscapes.  

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So what does Preservation Massachusetts do? 

• We Educate – We develop programming and resources that are accessible and relevant to individuals to businesses in an effort to learn from each other. We produce the biennial Massachusetts Historic Preservation Conference in addition to partnering with local organizations and communities to offer presentations on trending topics throughout the year. We are always looking to bring more learning opportunities to people and places across Massachusetts, in addition to housing important resources on our website. We also seek to continually educate our leaders, both in Massachusetts and Washington, about the importance and benefit of historic preservation in our communities. 

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• We Advocate –  We work daily to support preservation in Massachusetts communities, from state and federal programs and policy to local projects and challenges. Advocacy takes the form of programs, like our Massachusetts Most Endangered Historic Resources Program to legislative advocacy in support of the state and federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits and the Community Preservation Act. Our professional staff handles numerous advocacy calls daily that assist and support preservation at all levels.

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• We Empower – We work to empower individuals, groups, and communities to preserve, reuse, and restore the places that matter to them. Our Circuit Riders deliver mentoring support, education, resources, and technical assistance to those facing preservation challenges. Empowering and educating "preservationists" on the ground is critical to fostering a broader understanding of preservation, its uses and benefits, and where it fits in our communities. We are always looking to strengthen our efforts, by forging partnerships across industries and working to strengthen preservation's voice through our Massachusetts Preservation Coalition and our involvement with the National Preservation Partners Network. ​

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Our mission is brought to life by our programs and daily work. By joining as a member, you help educate, advocate, and empower preservation efforts across Massachusetts!