In July of this year, MHA held our annual meeting and voted in a new board. Over the next few months, we’ll be highlighting your MHA board members.
Eric Peterson co-directs the advocacy committee for the Massachusetts Historical Alliance. A lifelong resident of Lexington, Massachusetts, he has always been interested in history. His hometown, chock full of revolutionary history, piqued his interest in the past. Eric pursued a degree in history at Vassar College and worked various jobs before finding his true passion in museum work.
In 2009, he began studying at the Harvard Extension school for Museum studies and began volunteering at the Metro Waterworks Museum. The Metro Waterworks Museum focuses on the history of water systems in the United States and features three steam engines. He credits much of his education of analyzing history and understanding the museum world to his time as a volunteer. After two years of volunteering and learning at the Waterworks Museum, he became the director of operations in 2012.
As director of the Metro Waterworks museum, Eric has gained valuable skills in management and communications which he will bring to MHA. In his seven years as director, he has found people to be both the most challenging and the best part of his job. It often takes work to interest someone in history, says Eric, but successfully peaking interest is an amazing feeling. Skilled volunteers are critical for making visitors welcome, engaging them in history and running the museum effectively.
Eric wants history to be treated seriously. That goes for the community of public historians as well as the nuts and bolts of the historic past. According to him, the state of Massachusetts puts such a focus on the STEM field and not much is left for history. He believes MHA is working to close that gap and to advocate for the history and heritage community. The group’s annual conference inspired him to step up and take join the board.
Since joining the board in July 2018 he has been busy thinking about the future of MHA. Participating in meetings and planning future campaigns has kept him busy as he looks forward to doing more work for the Alliance. In five years he hopes the group will be a relevant part of the Massachusetts historical conversation and is busy helping historical groups gain their voices.