Brue Family Learning Center
Brue Family Learning Center
The Brue Family Learning Center
A Center for Excellence in Family History Programming
The Brue Family Learning Center is dedicated to introducing family and local history to national and international audiences. Founded by Nord and Suzanne Brue, the Center supports the creation of programming aimed at helping anyone start or advance their family history journey.
Located on Newbury Street in Boston’s Back Bay, American Ancestors, founded as the New England Historic Genealogical Society, is the nation’s oldest and largest genealogical society. The Brue Family Learning Center is part of a capital expansion project to introduce family and local history to wider audiences.
Philanthropic leadership from the Brue Family also supports the creation of unique program content for American Ancestors' online education offerings.
I felt like I had hit a wall in my research and your class showed me the door to continue. Thank you so much! I appreciate it more than words can express.
Founders Suzanne and Nordahl Brue
In 2019, Bruegger’s Bagels co-founder Nordahl Brue and his wife Suzanne Brue gave $1.5 million to American Ancestors to endow a family history learning center to help anyone learn more about their ancestry.
The Brue Family Learning Center produces hundreds of family history programs each year, which reach many thousands of people around the world.
Upcoming Lectures
Lecture
In Person
Paid
Murder Mysteries & The English Country House
SOLD OUT | Fancy a spot of murder with your afternoon tea? Join architectural historian and raconteur Curt DiCamillo for an illustrated madcap tour of murder mysteries set in the English country house. Following Curt’s lecture, attendees will enjoy tea, treats, and good company.
With Curt DiCamillo
May 20, 2026
Art & Architecture
Lecture
In Person
Paid
Discover Your Story: Guided Tour of the Family Heritage Experience
The Discover Your Story Tour from American Ancestors will guide you through our new Family Heritage Experience and show you the essential first steps of conducting family history research.
June 6, 2026
Lecture
Online
Free
Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea
This presentation will delve into the profound impact of Gloucester’s coastal landscape on the development of three titans of 20th-century art: Milton Avery, Adolph Gottlieb, and Mark Rothko. Barker and Rathbone will illuminate the shared summers and creative exchanges that fostered lifelong friendships and influenced the artists’ evolution from representational painting to abstraction. They will share behind-the-scenes details about the building blocks around creating the exhibit and highlight key works from the exhibition’s impressive roster of loans.
June 12, 2026
Art & Architecture
Lecture
In Person
Free
Tour of the Brim-DeForest Library at American Ancestors
The Brim-DeForest Library at American Ancestors serves as a center for research, learning, and discovery, where history comes to life through archival collections and expert guidance. Learn more about the collections, services, and other library offerings during a brief tour.
June 13, 2026
Lecture
In Person
Paid
Picture This: Identifying and Preserving Family Photos
Want to get a better picture of the photographs in your family's collection? In this hands-on workshop, Chief Genealogist David Allen Lambert will show you how to identify different types of photography, from daguerreotypes to Polaroids! Plus, Archivist Judy Lucey will provide guidance on how best to preserve photos for future generations.
June 20, 2026
Hands-on History
Lecture
Online
Paid
Murder Mysteries & The English Country House
Join architectural historian and raconteur Curt DiCamillo for an illustrated madcap tour of murder mysteries set in the English country house.
With Curt DiCamillo
June 26, 2026
Art & Architecture
Lecture
In Person
Free
Tour of the Brim-DeForest Library at American Ancestors
The Brim-DeForest Library at American Ancestors serves as a center for research, learning, and discovery, where history comes to life through archival collections and expert guidance. Learn more about the collections, services, and other library offerings during a brief tour.
July 11, 2026
Lecture
Online
Free
Top Resources for Atlantic Canadian Research
Atlantic Canadian research can be difficult to navigate—there is no “one-stop-shop” for the region, and record locations and availability can vary widely from province to province. In this online lecture, Chief Genealogist David Allen Lambert will provide his go-to resources for the region.
July 14, 2026
The Brue Family Learning Center
Lecture
In Person
Paid
Discover Your Story: Guided Tour of the Family Heritage Experience
The Discover Your Story Tour from American Ancestors will guide you through our new Family Heritage Experience and show you the essential first steps of conducting family history research.
July 18, 2026