This year, Lowell’s prominence in the state’s arts and culture arena was evident as two of the five recipients of the Commonwealth Awards were given to people with ties to the Mill City.

The Commonwealth Awards are the state's highest honors in the arts, humanities and sciences.  They are given by the Massachusetts Cultural Council to outstanding individuals and organizations in five different categories.

Peter O’Connell, left, recently retired director of the Tsongas Center, received the prestigious Commonwealth Award at the State House.

Peter O’Connell, the recently retired director of the Tsongas Industrial History Center, received the award at a State House ceremony

for his 40-year career in history education.  After coming to the Tsongas Center in 1996, O’Connell developed and oversaw educational programs for more than 60,000 students annually, showcasing the City’s resources and role in the industrial revolution.  Under his leadership, he also spearheaded teacher training programs that attracted educators from across the country. 

“As museum educators, we live at the edge of the museum or park and the world of the schools. We are educational brokers creating experiential learning in non-traditional settings,” says O’Connell.  “This is especially true in a University, which is focused on research and teaching of undergraduates while the Tsongas Center, on the other hand, is primarily working with students in grades 3-8 and with their teachers.  So it is doubly rewarding to receive this recognition to cap off my career and recognize the work of all the history museum educators in the Commonwealth!”

Also receiving the Commonwealth Award was the staff of the Revolving Museum.  Located in downtown Lowell, the museum was honored for its cultural offerings, which include a wide range of youth programs, public art projects and collaborations with the University.