If you are interested in the industrial revolution - and what a 19th century mill looks like then don't miss this spot. Great museum and an actual working spin room.
History of textile production in Lowell MAInsight into the beginnings of factory work in the US and how workers struggled for a better life
A walk into the past and time lost and forgotten. Nothing to dislike about it. A piece of history from the old mill days. Behind it, you can get on the river walk as well
Incredible to see an actual working mill factory. The beginning of the industrial revolution started in Lowell, Ma. Imagine working there as you step into a functioning mill.
When we visited to museum we only had fifteen minutes, just enough to see the first floor. The highlight of the whole museum we did see which is the rows and rows of automatic looms around which the city of Lowell is based. It was informative as well as very cool for all ages
There's no better place to get a sense of what textile production was like in the late nineteenth century that at the Boott Cotton Mills museum. The first floor houses row upon row of century old looms still producing a wide variety of cotton textiles. Several museum staff operate the looms and are available to answer any questions you many have. The second floor exhibit area contains an extensive history of Lowell and the textile business including many informative displays and examples of machinery used over the past 200 years. There is a separate admission to the museum ($6 for adults and $3 for students) the cost of which is reduced by half if you have a parks pass.
This site had a lot of interactive exhibits or kids and adults alike. I really enjoyed seeing the room of working looms and the cutout of how the mill would have looked and worked. You get to really see how crowded, noisy, hot and dirty the mill would have been.
This is a fascinating place! An integrated mill, it took raw cotton through the weaving process. They continue to operate a number of old looms. It wasn't busy when we went. The operators would stop a loom and show us parts and answer questions. In fact, I bet they might do on any day. It's quite loud in the weaving room. They sell earplugs at the entrance of the museum. Buy them or bring your own. You'll thank me.They have a number of hands-on displays as you walk through the museum. There are food-for-thought activities at the end of the visit. The free parking is about a 15-20 minute walk from the actual museum, so consult the map on the website or the Lowell city map. There is a reasonably priced parking garage at the corner before you turn into the mill. The city has parks if you want to picnic. There is also an area with tables where you can eat your packed lunch. And a blessed K-Kup pay machine. There is no food for purchase on the premises. Pick up your lunch and coffee elsewhere.It's a national park. It has a junior ranger program. The museum is interesting for kids through adults. We walked over the bridge next-door to see the intake for the waterwheel. Friendly staff. Clean facility.
Very informative. The floor with the working looms was very well done and provided a good sense of what life in a textile mill would have been like. Upstairs there are further displays, outlining the whole textile process and life as it was in Lowell, including a short film on the industrialisation of America. The buildings have been beautifully and sensitively restored. The Ranger on the front desk was very friendly and provided an interesting overview of Lowell and the museum.
Amazing! My 4.5 year old loved the machine room w the looms. My 2 year old was entertained as well. The staff was helpful and very friendly. One staff member called to reserve our space on the canal tour. Overall impressive museum experience!