At the end of 2019, as we geared up to change exhibits in Representatives Hall in the Old State House, we noticed a fair amount of cosmetic updates that needed to be made. We thought we were in for some paint touch-ups, minor plaster work, and a good cleaning. Once our preservation team took a closer look, we realized the issues we set out to fix were not superficial by any means, and extended beyond skin-deep. Our Facilities and Preservation… Read more Transforming Rep Hall

Revolutionary Spaces Stands With Mashpee On behalf of Revolutionary Spaces, we hereby express our organization’s undivided support for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in their struggle to preserve in federal trust the ancestral lands of the Mashpee people. Revolutionary Spaces cares for Boston’s Old State House and Old South Meeting House and is dedicated to bringing people together at these nationally significant historic sites to explore the American struggle to create and sustain a free society.  We recognize that these colonial-era… Read more #StandWithMashpee

May is Preservation Month! Even in these times of physical distancing, our preservation team often visits the Old State House and Old South Meeting House to ensure proper care of our historic sites. Along the way, they always stick to physical distancing guidelines, working more than 6’ away from others, and wearing masks anytime they go downtown.  While the rest of us are busy working from home, we caught up with our preservation team to learn more about them and… Read more Get to Know Our Preservation Team

This post is written in response to “How the 18th Century Responded to Illness Before Netflix and Zoom,” published on April 6, 2020. Last week, we published a blog post describing  how six prominent 18th-century Bostonians lived and dealt with illness in their lives. This piece drew on previous research for the “character cards” we use at the Old State House museum — a tool designed to help visitors move past the mythic dimensions of Revolutionary history and think about… Read more How the 18th Century (Actually) Responded to Illness

Every day that we adapt our lives to stay inside and protect each other or go back on the front lines as an essential worker in this epidemic, we show our capacity for resilience. While this current moment feels unprecedented, Bostonians have been through crises before, building resilience along the way, together.  Like all of us, Old South Meeting House has been through its fair share of challenges. Ordinary Bostonians have worked for years to keep the Meeting House cared… Read more Resilience at Old South Meeting House