Volunteer Janet Driscoll helps keep Waltham Museum humming 

First in a series highlighting volunteers who are essential to the success of Waltham nonprofits

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the Waltham Museum hard, forcing it to close for a few years.

“It was difficult to rebuild,” said Tom Arena, president of the museum’s board of directors.

But museum volunteer Janet Driscoll rose to the challenge. 

Driscoll worked with volunteer Mary Baker to clean the museum’s holdings and reorganize its displays. Driscoll also created thematic rooms throughout the museum, including the military room, a favorite for many visitors.

Driscoll, Arena said, is the “tip of the spear for keeping things running” at the volunteer-led museum. “Janet keeps plugging along,” he added.

Driscoll, a lifelong Waltham resident, started volunteering at the museum in 2018 and became a board member in 2022.

During her eight-year tenure, Driscoll has contributed much, said Sally Collura, another museum board member.

She listed some of Driscoll’s activities: “leading tours, organizing and booking events at the museum as well as planning special events and fundraisers at the museum [and handling] a lot of the office work including planning monthly board meetings and organizing the agenda.” 

Arena likewise praised Driscoll’s contributions and their importance to the museum. “She has a list of new ideas, an event that we should attend, a person we should be in contact with,” he said.

Driscoll disagreed that she stood out, emphasizing that all volunteers and board members work hard and closely together. She said as a retiree she has the most time available, but “we all do what we are able to do.”

Driscoll’s comments won’t surprise those who know her. “She’s humble,” Collura said.

Driscoll was born and raised in Waltham. She and her husband, Jake, brought up three sons and one daughter in Waltham. She also worked in Waltham, taking a job at Brandeis University’s registrar’s office once her children were older. 

After retiring in 2016, she started volunteering at the Waltham Museum at a friend’s suggestion. Driscoll admitted she was reluctant to start – “I didn’t want to commit to anything,” she said – but once she started, she never looked back.

In her spare time, Driscoll enjoys visiting her children and their families. She travels when she can. Her most recent trip was a cruise last year in Alaska. She also volunteers for Meals on Wheels and at the Waltham Arts Council’s summer Concerts on the Common. 

Waltham Museum, yesterday and today

Since 1971, the Waltham Museum has preserved local history and provided cultural and educational programs for diverse audiences. The goal, according to Arena, “is not just to show you an object but to share its connection to a story or a family here in Waltham.” 

The museum was started as a nonprofit by Arena’s uncle as a “family museum” filled with objects, photos and papers donated by Waltham residents. 

In the early 2000s, the museum moved into its current home, Waltham’s old police station. This impressive brick Queen Anne building, built in 1892, is located at 25 Lexington St. near the Waltham Common.

Driscoll highlighted the museum’s social series that encourages hands-on learning and a sense of community.  “We shake it up a bit,” she laughed. Although she isn’t required to, she always shows up. 

One of Driscoll’s favorite events is an immersive event involving sound bathing with crystal bowls, scheduled for June 7.

Driscoll also enjoys leading museum tours. “It’s always a big surprise to find out how much people engage with the tour. Some people who lived here all their lives didn’t know much of Waltham’s history,” she said, adding that the tours “focus on the people and cultural side of Waltham. It’s not strictly academic.” 

Driscoll is skilled at the task. “Best tour guide ever,” said Collura. 

Although the museum is regularly open only on Sunday afternoons, people can make midweek appointments, which leads to another favorite activity for Driscoll: curating experiences for visitors.  

“People can call in advance and tell us their interests. Some people who had lived in Waltham and donated their things will call us for an appointment, and we will put [their items] out for display and keep them out for a while,” she said. 

For Arena, Driscoll is far more than a friendly face greeting visitors. Her dedication and drive helped keep the museum going through its toughest years.

“We’re lucky to have her,” said Arena, “not to diminish the work of all the volunteers who give so much to the museum.”