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6 History Museums in Downtown That You Shouldn't Miss
Walk the Freedom Trail the first time you visit Boston and you'll quickly get a sense of this coastal city's revolutionary spirit and history. But make sure you also explore some of Boston's fine museums (try the Isabella Stewart Gardner, featuring masterpieces displayed in their collector's mansion) and old neighborhoods (like the North End, Boston's Little Italy). You can't claim to have experienced real Boston culture, though, until you've watched a Red Sox game from the bleachers.
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1. Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 31 reviews
Free Admission! The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts is the oldest chartered military organization in the western hemisphere. On display in the Museum are military artifacts, weaponry, uniforms, medals, and gifts to the company. Items span all conflicts from the Revolution to the battlefields of Desert Storm. A special display houses items from the Honorable Artillery Company of London. You will also notice as you tour items from the Swiss Guard. Special collections present the personal stories and materials for scholarship and research. Display cases showcase the uniform and Congressional Medal of Honor of Major George Maynard one of many recipients who have been a part of the AHAC. Also on display is an exhibit of President John F. Kennedy with the company roster opened to show his signature and a photograph of the president elect being interviewed by CBS. At the far end of the Armory are a very special set of stairs… the Stairway of the Constitution!
Reviewed By christyc117 - Mount Pleasant, United States
We visited on a cold March afternoon and were greeted by Charles Fazio, who was a host and curator who showed us many historic items. My husband’s ancestors were members and this felt very personal. We came from Charleston South Carolina for this very special trip. So glad we got to go!
2. New England Holocaust Memorial
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,507 reviews
The six glass towers of this striking memorial serve to represent the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust, six main Nazi death camps and the candles on a menorah.
Reviewed By Gonen2014 - Haifa, Israel
This is a monument in memory of the Jews murdered in the Holocaust. The monument includes six square glass towers that symbolize the six nillion Jews who perished in the Holocaust, and the six largest concentration camps. Under each glass tower there is a niche that symbolizes an extermination camp from which smoke is rising. On the boards around you can read about the history of the Holocaust along with things that Holocaust survivors said. A very emotional monument that brings teatrs to your eyes as you walk along it. This is a must visit for everyone!
3. Old State House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,366 reviews
Relive the drama and excitement of the American Revolution with fun and engaging programs and tours, interactive exhibits, beautifully restored period rooms and unsurpassed 18th century treasures. Celebrating 300 years as America's oldest and most historic colonial building, the Old State House is now Boston's Revolutionary Museum. Visit us at the heart of the Freedom Trail and only steps away from Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market and the New England Aquarium.
Reviewed By TheAviator0765 - Ripon, United Kingdom
This really is a 'must-see' on the Trail. Not only is the building beautifully kept and steeped in history in its own right, the museum will guide you around the story of Boston and allow you to fully understand the part it and its people played in the War Of Independence. Access is via the Visitors' Centre desk in the gift shop. The fee is well worth it, for inside the exhibits and interpretation boards describe clearly and in chronological order what happened in the famous city. Now as a Brit, I was curious on what slant the events would be described, but rest assured the story is sold factually without a hint of partisanship. That said, I fully recognise George III was best described as an absent landlord who saw the Colonies as a cash-cow, while the British Army's idea of defence diplomacy of the era was to pour more fuel onto the nearest available spark! But the collection of exhibits in its own right amounts to a truly fascinating collection. There are also a number of tours throughout the day. Do try and catch one; the briefers are knowledgable and full of enthusiasm, and add immensely to the overall experience. There is a gift shop on the ground floor, well stocked with good quality and interesting products; all things to do with the Revolution. Plan to spend at least an hour here. It's not a 'poke head inside and tick off' kind of place. We spent nearly two hours here, but felt much the richer for it.
4. John Adams Courthouse
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 3 reviews
Explore the roots of American government and see the beautiful home of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Opened in 1894, this courthouse is named in honor of John Adams, who wrote the Massachusetts Constitution. The Great Hall contains a barrel-vaulted ceiling decorated with murals, 16 life-size allegorical figures and two exhibit rooms on John Adams and the Sacco and Vanzetti Trial.
5. Old South Meeting House
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 307 reviews
No Tax on Tea! This was the decision on December 16, 1773, when 5,000 angry colonists gathered at Old South Meeting House to protest a tax...and started a revolution with the Boston Tea Party! Built in 1729, Old South Meeting House was the largest building in colonial Boston. From outraged protests over the Boston Massacre, to the night when Samuel Adams gave the secret signal to throw 340 crates of tea into Boston Harbor, colonists came to the Meeting House to protest British rule. Our museum and historic site is an important stop on your Freedom Trail Tour or visit to Boston, and our award-winning Museum Shop is a favorite of tourists and locals alike! From our informative exhibits, 3D map of colonial Boston, and scavenger hunts, to taking in the beauty of our historical meeting house interior, to browsing the titles, locally-sourced goods, and revolutionary gifts of our museum shop, we have something for everyone.
Reviewed By SarahS233 - Spring Hill, United States
We decided to tour the inside and the admission was very reasonably priced - check their website for the different pricing and hours open. At the Meeting House you can see tea leaves and a tea crate label from the Boston Tea Party, a popular 3-D model of colonial Boston that is over 100 years old, John Hancock's portable writing desk, a a statue of enslaved poet Phillis Wheatley and her first-edition 1773 book - and more. The girls really enjoyed the different scavenger hunts available to help them explore the exhibits, with multiple levels available depending on the age of the children. There is a small gift shop downstairs and a place to get a National Parks Passport Stamp if you are collecting them.
6. Money Museum of Boston
The Money Museum of Boston is a Non-Profit Museum designed to teach and inspire our visitors with the intricate history of our global currency. Experience the evolution of the money we know today from colonial era to the present, and discover the perpetual impact our money truly has on society! We can not wait to give you a tour!
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