Marthas Vineyard Museum in Edgartown, Dukes County, United States | Museum

Welcome to Marthas Vineyard Museum, Edgartown, United States. The Mission of the Marthas Vineyard Museum: "To bring together persons interested in the history of Martha's Vineyard, to collect and preserve significant information and materials relevant to local history, to maintain Museums and libraries and to disseminate historical information and stimulate interest in the Island's unique heritage." In October 2003, the organization's original 1923 mission statement was revised to reflect the Museum's current goals. The modified text contains the original statement plus the following text, which appears in the organization's By-Laws:

The Marthas Vineyard Museum, Edgartown is committed as a Museum to inspire interest and understanding of the island’s unique history, culture and physical characteristics by collecting, preserving and presenting relevant materials and information to a wide audience. In order to achieve these goals the Museum will:  * present educational programs * Add to its Museum, library, and archive collections

* Actively involve the people of Martha’s Vineyard * Mount exhibitions on a variety of topics * Support scholarly research * Produce publications

A Brief History of the Marthas Vineyard Museum: The Martha's Vineyard Museum was originally known as the Dukes County Historical Society. It was founded in 1922 and incorporated the following year. The first acquisitions of collections for the DCHS were revolutionary era documents. The founders of the DCHS devoted a great deal of their time, energy, and resources in the documentation of the Island's role in American history and the community's involvement in the maritime industry. In 1996 the name was changed to the Martha's Vineyard Historical Society to reflect the main emphasis of the institution's collections which are strictly those concerning Martha's Vineyard. The only other town within Dukes County is Gosnold on the Elizabeth Island of Cuttyhunk, which now has its own Museum and historical society.