  The way to obtain massive non-relativistic states from the Poincare algebra
is twofold. First, following Inonu and Wigner the Poincare algebra has to be
contracted to the Galilean one. Second, the Galilean algebra is to be extended
to include the central mass operator. We show that the central extension might
be properly encoded in the non-relativistic contraction. In fact, any
Inonu-Wigner contraction of one algebra to another, corresponds to an infinite
tower of abelian extensions of the latter. The proposed method is
straightforward and holds for both central and non-central extensions. Apart
from the Bargmann (non-zero mass) extension of the Galilean algebra, our list
of examples includes the Weyl algebra obtained from an extension of the
contracted SO(3) algebra, the Carrollian (ultra-relativistic) contraction of
the Poincare algebra, the exotic Newton-Hooke algebra and some others. The
paper is dedicated to the memory of Laurent Houart (1967-2011).
