WHEREAS:	Cambridge is a city that boasts a rich, vibrant history that stretches back to its establishment in 1630, nearly 150 years prior to this nation's formal declaration of independence from England; and
WHEREAS:	Cambridge was a strong center of anti-British sentiment in the years leading up to the American Revolution, and it was one of the colonial-era cities in which notions of liberty and democracy began to ferment and take hold; and
WHEREAS:	Cambridge was a frontline community during the Revolutionary war, and it saw the loss of many native sons who gave their lives for a burgeoning nation; and
WHEREAS:	From its earliest days, Cambridge established itself as an intellectual center not only of the United States, but of the world, and it has prided itself on being the home to some of the finest educational institutions in existence; and
WHEREAS:	The atmosphere of intellectual and educational improvement, and the sense of social progress always present in Cambridge has helped stir and shape nascent movements such as those concerning the abolition of slavery, women's suffrage, the equality of men and women, LGBT rights and protections, and the Civil Rights movement; and
WHEREAS:	Cambridge's strategic location along the Charles River provided vital access to the water and served as an early enticement to businesses and entrepreneurs, and over the course of the past three centuries, that industrial base and the close proximity of world class institutions like Harvard and MIT allowed for Cambridge to become a world-class center of cutting edge Technology and Life Science Companies; and
WHEREAS:	Cambridge has also cultivated a reputation as a prime center for arts and entertainment, with institutions like the Harvard Lampoon, Club Passim, the Regattabar, and many other establishments hosting a wealth of talent over many generations; and
WHEREAS:	The Cambridge Historical Commission and the Cambridge Historical Society serve as keepers and archivists of much of this rich history, and each entity plays an important role in ensuring that archives, mementos, photographs, and documents of our earlier eras are catalogued, preserved, and available to those who wish to conduct historical research and investigation; and
WHEREAS:	This archival activity is unquestionably important, but it does not invite the public in, nor capture the public's imagination, nearly to the extent that a museum dedicated to the city's history would; and
WHEREAS:	Communities like Somerville and Concord have had success in establishing museums promoting their history, which not only has drawn people in and illuminated those histories, but also have had economic benefits by helping to brand the communities, and by bringing additional traffic to area restaurants and other businesses; and
WHEREAS:	Having a "Cambridge Historical Museum" may go a long way toward preserving and promoting our City's rich history, while also helping to better brand our community, presenting the opportunity to sell Cambridge-branded paraphernalia, and driving additional traffic to area restaurants and other attractions; and
WHEREAS:	There are buildings owned by the City that are not currently in use that could be repurposed by the City for this museum, and the resulting building could be aesthetically, culturally, and economically beneficial to the Cambridge community; now therefore be it
ORDERED:	That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to appoint a committee to explore the feasibility of establishing a Cambridge Museum that will serve as repository of Cambridge history.