An Interactive, State-of-the-Art Exhibition
In 2025, American Ancestors launched the Family Heritage Experience, an interactive, state-of-the-art exhibition that introduces visitors to the joy of family history research as well as learning how to trace your ancestry. Boston's newest historical attraction is located at 97 Newbury Street in the historic Back Bay neighborhood.
American Ancestors is also home to the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center, which preserves New England’s Jewish history, and 10 Million Names, dedicated to finding the names of the enslaved men, women, and children in pre- and post-Colonial America before emancipation.
Who in the World Are You?
Place can be a powerful way to explore family history. Whether you know a specific hometown or a generic region, add a location pin to our interactive world map and see how your family’s individual journey connects with others.
Wall of Questions
What can I learn from my surname? Did my ancestor commit a crime? Genealogy often starts with a question. Choose from one of our 90 colorful question cards and discover how to approach answering it at our Research & Record station.
Treasures Vault
From elaborate family trees to handmade textiles and home movies, explore our remarkable collection up close and see how each artifact tells a unique story about the people who created it and the generations who cherished it.
Your Name, Your Year
Discover what your name and birth year reveal about you! Explore pop culture, major events, and surprising trends in our interactive Your Name, Your Year station and see how your story fits into history.
Story Station
Listen as people share the discoveries, challenges, and insights gained from their family research journeys and see how these moments transformed the way they relate to their heritage.
Hidden Histories
Why do some family mysteries last? Uncover the secrets and surprises of family history from our archives. See how research can turn mystery into insight and curiosity into understanding.
Reviews
A Great Introduction
"Everyone working at the Family Heritage Experience was engaging and helpful! If you ever considered looking into family history but didn’t know how to start, a visit here would be a great introduction."
Lucky Find
"I was walking by, and being a fan of Finding your Roots had to stop in. Very interesting stop while I was in Boston. Highly recommend to fans of genealogy and history."
Wonderful Time
"Wonderful time exploring their exhibit and the staff is remarkably knowledgeable, friendly, and professional."
The Experience Continues
When you are ready to go further, the Brim-DeForest Research Library gives you access to one of the country’s leading collections of family history resources. You will have access to millions of genealogical records, including manuscripts, books, microtext, photographs, artifacts, electronic resources, and much more that preserves and reveals our nation’s history.
Together, the Family Heritage Experience and the Brim-DeForest Research Library at American Ancestors offers a meaningful and engaging way to begin exploring your heritage.
About American Ancestors
American Ancestors® is a national nonprofit center for family history, heritage & culture based in Boston, Massachusetts, that has been setting the gold standard for family history research since its founding in 1845.
Today, American Ancestors serves more than 400,000 members and online subscribers through AmericanAncestors.org, one of the world’s largest online collections of free family history resources, scholarship, educational programming and events.
