Every year Doors Open Lowell provides an inside look to nearly 30 buildings. Look for old favorites this year as well as new additions to the roster of buildings.
Please note that Doors Open Lowell 2026 will again be a one day event on Saturday, May 9.
No tickets or pre-registration is required. Admission is free.
The Lowell National Historical Park’s Visitor Center at 246 Market Street will serve as the hub for Doors Open Lowell information this year on May 9. A shuttle bus will also run on a rolling basis between the Visitor Center and selected sites all day.
Look for the blue Doors Open Lowell banners identifying participating sites.
The official Doors Open Lowell program guide will be online and also available at the Lowell National Historical Park’s Visitor Center, Mogan Cultural Center, and Boott Cotton Mills Museum as well as the Pollard Memorial Library in early May.
The 2026 building roster is a work in progress and sites will be added below as they are confirmed.
THIS LISTING REPRESENTS THE DOORS OPEN LOWELL BUILDING ROSTER AS OF FEBRUARY 18, 2026.
CLICK HERE TO SEE AND DOWNLOAD THIS YEAR’S PROGRAM GUIDE AND MAP (AVAILABLE LATE APRIL, 2026)
Click on each building’s name to learn more about its history.
Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances that the program is subject to change.
Saturday, May 9
10 am - 1 pm
Masonic Temple
79 Dutton Street
Built as Lowell’s Masonic Temple (1928), the building serves the same use today. Learn about the Masons and view several meeting rooms as you tour this Classical Revival structure.
Moody Street Feeder Gatehouse
269 Merrimack Street
Discover how this gatehouse (1848) regulated the flow of water through the underground Moody Street Feeder, connecting the Western Canal to the Merrimack Canal and learn about upcoming restoration work that will be undertaken this year by the Lowell National Historical Park.
St. Anne’s Church
227 Merrimack Street
This Gothic Revival church (1825) is modeled after a medieval English church and is home to several Tiffany stained glass windows. Originally providing worship for the mill girls, it was also a stop on the Underground Railroad and is part of Lowell’s Black History Trail. Still in use today for worship, come see its deep-rooted past as the church recently celebrated its bicentennial.
Hildreth Building *New in 2026*
45 Merrimack Street
The Hildreth Building (1884) is Lowell’s most outstanding Queen Anne style commercial building. Discover the building’s recent rehabilitation for residential use and be sure to visit the ground floor shops of the Hive Public Market. Note - please enter from the residential lobby to the rear of the building at 105 Paige Street.
Talbot & “K” Buildings
40 Middle Street
Both the Talbot Building (1887) and “K” Building (1886) were built as Middle Street transitioned from a residential street to one lined with similar commercial and light-industrial buildings in the late 19th century with the “K” Building being one of downtown’s best examples of Queen Anne commercial architecture. See how Middlesex Community College has repurposed both buildings for academic programs.
Simpson and Rowland Building
80 Middle Street
Middle Street was first developed as a residential street in the 1830s and 1840s, then largely redeveloped in the late 19th century with larger commercial and light-industrial buildings like the Simpson and Rowland Building (1891). Originally home to a wholesale grocer, Middlesex Community College now occupies the building.
Boston & Maine Railroad Depot
240 Central Street
This High Victorian Gothic style structure (1876) was originally built as a train depot but is more commonly known locally as the former Rialto Theater up until 1960 when it was converted into a bowling alley. Discover how it has been spectacularly rehabilitated by Middlesex Community College and is now home to the Richard & Nancy Donahue Family Academic Arts Center and the new Owl Theatre.
First United Baptist Church
99 Church Street
View the Greek Revival style First United Baptist Church (1826) that was the second church to be founded in Lowell and is celebrating its bicentennial this year.
St. Patrick Church
282 Suffolk Street
Visit this Gothic Revival church (1853-1874) and learn more about past restoration projects and how the church continues to serve Lowell’s immigrant populations today. Designed by famed ecclesiastic architect Patrick Keely, St. Patrick is home to the oldest Catholic parish in the Merrimack Valley, the third oldest in the Archdiocese of Boston, and is celebrating its 195th year. Doors Open XTRA
Saturday, May 9
10 am - 4 pm
Whistler House Museum of Art
243 Worthen Street
Built for the Lowell Machine Shop’s agent, this Federal/Greek Revival building (ca. 1825) is best known as the birthplace of artist James McNeil Whistler.
Gates Block
307 Market Street
The Gates Block (1881) originally housed a leather goods manufacturer as well as the manufactory for Moxie Nerve Food, a patent medicine that later became a soft drink. Explore the building’s rebirth as an arts center, home to the Arts League of Lowell, Van Gogh’s Gear Art Supplies, and three floors of artist studios.
Brush Art Gallery & Studios
256 Market Street
Browse these working artist studios and view current exhibits housed in this Italianate style mill building originally built by the Lowell Manufacturing Company in 1882, today the Market Mills complex.
National Streetcar Museum
25 Shattuck Street
The Queen Anne style Mack Building (1886) was originally home to W.A. Mack and Company, a manufacturer and dealer in cast iron stoves, architectural elements, fences, and other metal products. Browse exhibits about the influence of street railways in the development of our cities.
Saturday, May 9
11 am - 3 pm
201 Canal Apartments
201 Canal Street
Completed in 2022 by the WinnCompanies, these new buildings are home to 125 mixed income apartments located within the former Appleton millyard. See how historic mill wall remnants have been preserved and incorporated into their canal side patio and don’t miss a chance to experience the views of Lowell from their roof deck.
Center for Lowell History *New in 2026*
40 French Street
Located in the Lowell National Historical Park’s Patrick J. Mogan Cultural Center, the UMass-Lowell Center for Lowell History is home to extensive archives and special collections. Discover this branch of the University’s libraries and the many and varied historical research materials found here.
Smith Baker Center
400 Merrimack Street
Stop by the former First Congregational Church (1884) and learn how this High Victorian Gothic style masterpiece is being repurposed as the Lowell Center for the Arts with members of their board.
Saturday, May 9
Noon - 3 pm
Lowell Senior Center *New in 2026*
276 Broadway Street
Originally built as the City Stables (1877), this Italianate style structure was part of the City’s public works complex that stood on both sides of the street and since 2003, has been home to Lowell’s Senior Center. See how the building has been repurposed to serve the community’s seniors and the various programs and services they provide.
Saturday, May 9
1 – 4 pm
St. Joseph the Worker Shrine
37 Lee Street
Originally built as the Lee Street Church (1850) by the Second Unitarian Society, this Romanesque Revival style church served Lowell’s French Canadian Catholic community since 1868 and became a worker’s shrine in 1956.
Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church
25 Fr. John Sarantos Way
The Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church (1956-1964), founded in 1924, grew from humble beginnings to a stunning Byzantine-style church adorned with breathtaking gold mosaics and iconography. Visitors can admire its rich ornamentation, including imported mosaics, intricate iconography, and stained glass windows.
Tremont Yard
1 Tremont Place
Located beneath the Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union headquarters, discover exposed historic subterranean waterpower features that were the site of pioneering turbine experiments undertaken by famed engineer James B. Francis in 1855. Doors Open XTRA
The River Transformed Exhibit
Wannalancit Mill
Discover how engineers harnessed the waterpower of the Merrimack River to drive Lowell’s mills and view original 19th century hydropower equipment including a turbine.
The Stone House *New in 2026*
267 Pawtucket Street
Originally built as a tavern and hotel in 1824, later it was an elegant private residence, a shelter for young women and children, orphanage, convent, and soon-to-be affordable, permanent housing for homeless veterans. Central to the founding of Lowell in 1826, it was the site of Lowell’s first town meeting while frontiersman Davy Crocket stayed here in 1834, two years before his death at the Alamo.
Spalding House
383 Pawtucket Street
The Georgian style Spalding House (1761) is the third oldest surviving house in Lowell. Learn about its history and the Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust’s preservation efforts.