It all began in a church parish house in Belmont, Massachusetts. That's where, in 1971, a group of Armenian educators, professionals and business leaders began collecting Armenian books and artifacts. The collection grew steadily, and in 1985 ALMA opened its doors to the public for the first time. The ground floor of The First Armenian Church of Belmont, Massachusetts became ALMA's new home, and it existed there for several years, independently from the church. Soon, the need for a larger, more permanent home became apparent. In September of 1988, ALMA purchased and remodeled a modern, four-story brick and glass building in the heart of Watertown, Massachusetts, the center of America's first, and still one of America's largest Armenian communities.