20 Under 40: Madeline McGraw

City of Springfield

As the Curator of the Springfield History Museum, I am in a special position to be able to help my community learn about itself. I’m a firm believer in the power of small museums to transform their communities, and I take my role as a steward of public memory very seriously. Every day, I try my best to create opportunities for people of all ages to learn more about themselves and their neighbors — whether I’m leading a school tour, cleaning headstones in our local cemetery, or dressing up for our annual Haunted Museum, my goal is always to connect local people with their stories and leave things better than I found them. I feel lucky every day that I get to advocate for museums, heritage, and community. If you don’t think museums are for you, I promise I can change your mind!