MILTON, MA – April 13, 2026 – The Forbes House Museum has received a transformational $500,000 matching grant for restoring its historic barn and carriage house.
“We are incredibly excited to be able to see the fundraising finishing line, thanks to this generous challenge grant. Once we raise the matching $500,000, we’ll be 90% of the way to our goal. We’re looking forward to opening our restored barn doors to the public,” says Heidi Vaughan, Forbes House Museum executive director.
The multi-year project began in 2024 with new windows and repairs to the carriage house roof and foundation. Work continues on the rest of the building, preserving key historic elements such as the original horse stalls and sliding barn doors. Once exterior work is complete, interior renovations will provide meeting, exhibition and rental space, offices, and a gift shop.
In addition to this anonymous grant, Community Preservation Act funds, a Save America’s Treasures grant, Mass Cultural Council and Massachusetts Historical Commission grants, and many generous individual donors are also supporting the restoration.
The museum property, at 215 Adams Street in Milton, has been designated a National Historic Landmark since 1966. Designed by architect Isaiah Rogers, the carriage house was built in 1833 in the same Greek Revival style as the main house. In the late 19th-century, the renowned Boston architecture firm of Peabody & Stearns designed the shingle-style barn addition.
Currently, the museum uses the barn and carriage house as a backdrop for community events, including seasonal Barnfests, a popular family-friendly evening gathering with live music, local food and lawn games. Once completed, the renovated barn and carriage house will be more widely available as a community resource.
For more information about the museum, tours and other programming, call 617-696-1815 or visit www.forbeshousemuseum.org.
About the Forbes House Museum:
Inspired by the Forbes family legacy of entrepreneurship, social action and philanthropy, the Forbes House Museum fosters discourse around civic engagement and cultural awareness. Built in 1833, the Greek Revival home at 215 Adams Street in Milton has been a museum since 1964 and a National Historic Landmark since 1966.