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The Treasury of Life

Dedicated in 2008 through a partnership between the Museum of Work and Culture and Navigant Credit Union, this exhibit was designed to represent an old bank/credit union vault. Big banks often refused to give loans or services to working class/immigrant individuals. Credit Unions were formed to fill the holes left by the big banks. Credit Union Central Falls was the first Rhode Island credit union created in 1915 to help the working class get loans. It was later rebranded as Navigant Credit Union in the early 2000s. 

These are real safety deposit boxes which are available for purchase by the public to store their family memorabilia, such as birth certificates, immigration papers, photographs, letters and other keepsakes. 100% of the proceeds from the sales of the boxes goes to the Museum’s endowment fund. Prices for boxes start at $1,000 and payment plans are available. Additionally, families can volunteer to display the content of their boxes in the museum.

Welcome to the Museum of Work & Culture!
  1. Introduction
  2. The Farmhouse
  3. Flowing Through Time
  4. The Church
  5. Transition
  6. Mill Floor
  7. The Treasury of Life
  8. Stairwell
  9. Baseball
  10. The Triple Decker
  11. The Mills Along the Blackstone
  12. The Classroom
  13. Woonsocket Industrialists
  14. The ITU Hall
  15. The Merci Boxcar
  16. Introduction Alt Text
  17. The Farmhouse Alt Text
  18. Flowing Through Time Alt Text
  19. The Church Alt Text
  20. Transition Alt Text
  21. Mill Floor Alt Text
  22. The Treasury of Life Alt Text
  23. Stairwell Alt Text
  24. Baseball Alt Text
  25. The Triple Decker Alt Text
  26. The Mills Along the Blackstone Alt Text
  27. The Classroom Alt Text
  28. Woonsocket Industrialists Alt Text
  29. The ITU Hall Alt Text
  30. The Merci Boxcar Alt Text