Since 1926, the Burnham Library has stood as a center of community and life-long learning in Bridgewater. Its story begins, not in the handsome stone building that graces our downtown but scattered in multiple homes, organizations and spaces throughout Bridgewater. The desire to have a place to house a public library was finally realized thanks to the generous bequest of Captain William Dickson Burnham. Since this point, the Burnham Library has continued to keep its vision forward-thinking while being informed and guided by its past.
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Calendar of Events
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Adult and Teen Take & Make Craft: Ombre Felt Succulents!
Adult and Teen Take & Make Craft: Ombre Felt Succulents!
Stop by the library to pick up a take and make craft kit at the circulation desk! Kits will be available starting on July 2nd and throughout the month while…
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Closed for Independence Day
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Art Around the World
Art Around the World
Burnham Library presents: Art Around the World with Miss Katie! Tuesdays 7/9-7/30 1:00-2:00pm For Grades 1-5 (campers from the Bridgewater Parks & Rec camp can be walked to the library…
A Visit to Deckawoo Drive with Mercy Watson and Kate DiCamillo (PreK-2nd Grade)
A Visit to Deckawoo Drive with Mercy Watson and Kate DiCamillo (PreK-2nd Grade)
A Visit to Deckawoo Drive with Mercy Watson and Kate DiCamillo (PreK-2nd Grade) Tuesday, July 9 at 2:00 pm via digital live-stream! REGISTER HERE Join us for a visit…
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Games Around the World
Games Around the World
Burnham Library Presents: Games Around the World Wednesdays 7/10-7/31 1:00-2:00pm For Grades 1-5 (campers from the Bridgewater Parks & Rec camp can be walked to the library with a staff…
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Burnham Bunch Summer Storytime
Burnham Bunch Summer Storytime
Burnham Library Presents: Burnham Bunch Summer Storytime Thursdays 6/6/27-8/1 (No Storytime on July 4th) 10:30am Drop in. For the 5 and under crowd. Join us for stories, songs, friends and…
Worldwide Fun
Worldwide Fun
Burnham Library Presents: Worldwide Fun Thursdays 7/11-8/1 1:00-2:00pm For Grades 1-5 (campers from the Bridgewater Parks & Rec camp can be walked to the library with a staff member)…
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Tri-Town Event: Author Emily Franke & Creative Family Fun
Tri-Town Event: Author Emily Franke & Creative Family Fun
Tri-Town Event @ Gunn Memorial Library, Washington Author Emily Franke & Creative Family Fun Meet local author Emily Franke for a reading of her book The Ladybug Who Lived on a…
Burnham Beer Garden
Burnham Beer Garden
Burnham Beer Garden Join us at the annual Burnham Beer Garden Under the Tent! Enjoy local brews, soft drinks, wine, and snacks, all while grooving to live music by Jim…
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Two Town Tabletop Club
Two Town Tabletop Club
Are you ready to dive into a world of adventure, strategy, and fun? Whether you're a seasoned tabletop game aficionado or just curious to see what all the excitement is…
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Art Around the World
Art Around the World
Burnham Library presents: Art Around the World with Miss Katie! Tuesdays 7/9-7/30 1:00-2:00pm For Grades 1-5 (campers from the Bridgewater Parks & Rec camp can be walked to the library…
Surviving the Summer with The Last Kids on Earth and Max Brallier (3rd-6th Grade)
Surviving the Summer with The Last Kids on Earth and Max Brallier (3rd-6th Grade)
Surviving the Summer with The Last Kids on Earth and Max Brallier (3rd-6th Grade) Tuesday, July 16 at 2:00 pm via digital live-stream! REGISTER HERE Would you survive a…
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Games Around the World
Games Around the World
Burnham Library Presents: Games Around the World Wednesdays 7/10-7/31 1:00-2:00pm For Grades 1-5 (campers from the Bridgewater Parks & Rec camp can be walked to the library with a staff…
3 events,
Burnham Bunch Summer Storytime
Burnham Bunch Summer Storytime
Burnham Library Presents: Burnham Bunch Summer Storytime Thursdays 6/6/27-8/1 (No Storytime on July 4th) 10:30am Drop in. For the 5 and under crowd. Join us for stories, songs, friends and…
Worldwide Fun
Worldwide Fun
Burnham Library Presents: Worldwide Fun Thursdays 7/11-8/1 1:00-2:00pm For Grades 1-5 (campers from the Bridgewater Parks & Rec camp can be walked to the library with a staff member)…
A Year in Kimono
A Year in Kimono
A Year in Kimono Sono Kimono presents A Year in Kimono, a lecture about the history of kimono from its origins to modern-day fashion. Participants will get to experience dressing themselves…
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Tri-Town Summer Event: Magical Beasts and Where to Find them
Tri-Town Summer Event: Magical Beasts and Where to Find them
Tri-Town Event @ Burnham Library, Bridgewater Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them The Stamford Nature Center will bring some of their most magical creatures, such as a dragon, snake,…
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Art Around the World
Art Around the World
Burnham Library presents: Art Around the World with Miss Katie! Tuesdays 7/9-7/30 1:00-2:00pm For Grades 1-5 (campers from the Bridgewater Parks & Rec camp can be walked to the library…
Learning the Power of Poetry with Bestselling Author Elizabeth Acevedo (9th-12th)
Learning the Power of Poetry with Bestselling Author Elizabeth Acevedo (9th-12th)
Learning the Power of Poetry with Bestselling Author Elizabeth Acevedo (9th-12th) Tuesday, July 23 at 2:00 pm via digital live-stream! REGISTER HERE You’re invited to learn about the power…
1 event,
Games Around the World
Games Around the World
Burnham Library Presents: Games Around the World Wednesdays 7/10-7/31 1:00-2:00pm For Grades 1-5 (campers from the Bridgewater Parks & Rec camp can be walked to the library with a staff…
2 events,
Burnham Bunch Summer Storytime
Burnham Bunch Summer Storytime
Burnham Library Presents: Burnham Bunch Summer Storytime Thursdays 6/6/27-8/1 (No Storytime on July 4th) 10:30am Drop in. For the 5 and under crowd. Join us for stories, songs, friends and…
Worldwide Fun
Worldwide Fun
Burnham Library Presents: Worldwide Fun Thursdays 7/11-8/1 1:00-2:00pm For Grades 1-5 (campers from the Bridgewater Parks & Rec camp can be walked to the library with a staff member)…
1 event,
Burnham Beer Garden
Burnham Beer Garden
Burnham Beer Garden Join us at the annual Burnham Beer Garden Under the Tent! Enjoy local brews, soft drinks, wine, and snacks, all while grooving to live music by Jim…
1 event,
Tri-Town Summer Event: Casey Carle’s Bubblemania … Comedy with a Drip
Tri-Town Summer Event: Casey Carle’s Bubblemania … Comedy with a Drip
Tri-Town Event @ Minor Memorial Library, Roxbury Casey Carle’s Bubblemania … Comedy with a Drip An extremely unique program combining high energy with artistic achievement. BubbleMania is loaded with visual comedy,…
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Art Around the World
Art Around the World
Burnham Library presents: Art Around the World with Miss Katie! Tuesdays 7/9-7/30 1:00-2:00pm For Grades 1-5 (campers from the Bridgewater Parks & Rec camp can be walked to the library…
Graphic Novels are Life! Telling Your Own Story in a Graphic Novel with Dan Santat (5th-8th Grade)
Graphic Novels are Life! Telling Your Own Story in a Graphic Novel with Dan Santat (5th-8th Grade)
Graphic Novels are Life! Telling Your Own Story in a Graphic Novel with Dan Santat (5th-8th Grade) Tuesday, July 30 at 2:00 pm via digital live-stream! REGISTER HERE Join…
1 event,
Games Around the World
Games Around the World
Burnham Library Presents: Games Around the World Wednesdays 7/10-7/31 1:00-2:00pm For Grades 1-5 (campers from the Bridgewater Parks & Rec camp can be walked to the library with a staff…
2 events,
Burnham Bunch Summer Storytime
Burnham Bunch Summer Storytime
Burnham Library Presents: Burnham Bunch Summer Storytime Thursdays 6/6/27-8/1 (No Storytime on July 4th) 10:30am Drop in. For the 5 and under crowd. Join us for stories, songs, friends and…
Worldwide Fun
Worldwide Fun
Burnham Library Presents: Worldwide Fun Thursdays 7/11-8/1 1:00-2:00pm For Grades 1-5 (campers from the Bridgewater Parks & Rec camp can be walked to the library with a staff member)…
1 event,
Burnham Beer Garden
Burnham Beer Garden
Burnham Beer Garden Join us at the annual Burnham Beer Garden Under the Tent! Enjoy local brews, soft drinks, wine, and snacks, all while grooving to live music by Jim…
1 event,
Tri-Town End of Summer Finale: Mad Science’s Fizzy Potion Explosion
Tri-Town End of Summer Finale: Mad Science’s Fizzy Potion Explosion
Tri-Town Summer Finale @ Hurlburt Park, Roxbury Mad Science's Fizzy Potion Explosion This fun-filled outdoor event is fizzing with explosions! Soda geysers, seltzer fountains, water rockets, crazy foam, and much…
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Our History
This is a story with an unusual cast of characters: some civic-minded townspeople, a wealthy ship captain, a respected man of letters, a hermit, and a bulldozer operator. And the State of California.
The first name in the story is that of Captain Nathaniel Randall, who between l8l0 and l840 maintained a circulating library in his house, using his own large collection of books. A smaller collection was kept and lent out by Augusta Lyon, who established a district library in the building that housed the original Bridgewater post office.
![](https://burnhamlibrary.org/live/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Our-History-compressed.jpg)
![](https://burnhamlibrary.org/live/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG-1837-scaled-800x800.jpg)
Susan Beris, MD Youth Learning Center
Dr. Beris has generously donated the funds to establish the Susan Beris, M.D. Youth Learning Center, aiming to unite her passion for education, lifelong learning, and child advocacy. The establishment of this center embodies her commitment to Bridgewater, the Burnham Library, the youth of the town, and neighboring communities.