The Forbes House Museum, a National Historic Landmark built in 1833, provides a wealth of history, art and cultural artifacts concerning the maritime and trading era that made Boston one of the busiest ports in America in the 1830’s. Captain Robert Bennet Forbes (1804 ~ 1889) was a China trade merchant, Civil War Patriot, writer and philanthropist who helped shape maritime and trading history. The Forbes family collections, including those of the Captain and his granddaughter, provide an in-depth look at the China Trade, the Victorian era, and, interestingly, Abraham Lincoln. The Museum’s educational programming activities serve more than 6,000 people annually. Its innovative Lincoln Day, a family event which takes place near Lincoln’s birthday and features a famed Lincoln impersonator, draws more than 1,000 people each year, a 20-fold increase since 1999. The museum offers a number of special programs for area schools and communities, and offers 3 exhibitions annually. Its membership and educational program revenues have increased dramatically over the last five years, but it still has room to grow. Won’t you follow Captain Forbes’ philanthropic instincts and help?