Hands-On History

Open Daily

At the Old State House

Entrance is included in the price of admission.

The Revolutionary Age for any age

Children and adults alike can stroll through the history of the Old State House in our three Hands-On History rooms. Experience how the building and the city around it have changed over more than 300 years through interactive, multi-sensory exhibits. For young visitors and the young at heart, there’s no better way to understand history than to reach out and touch it.

Also at the Old State House

  • Framing Mass Killings
    Framing Mass Killings
    Exploring how the words we use to describe mass killings in American history affect whether and how we remember them.
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  • Gallery Talks
    Gallery Talks
    Join Revolutionary Spaces staff for brief gallery talks highlighting the key stories and themes in each of our gallery spaces.
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  • The Humble Petitioner
    The Humble Petitioner
    In Colonial America, those without the right to vote were forced to pursue other avenues to have their voices heard.
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  • Council Chamber
    Council Chamber
    Once an exclusive space for the most powerful men in Massachusetts, now all are invited to connect to our nation’s history in this meticulously-restored 18th-century room.
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  • Colony to Commonwealth
    Colony to Commonwealth
    Your first stop in Boston! See how Massachusetts and its residents played a pivotal role in the birth of America.
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  • Hands on History
    Hands on History
    For young visitors and the young at heart, there’s no better way to understand history than to reach out and touch it at the Old State House.
    Read more →
  • Unfinished Business Film Series
    Unfinished Business Film Series
    A film series exploring the legacy of protest, representation, and revolution embodied in our historical sites.
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  • Reflecting Attucks
    Reflecting Attucks
    A virtual exhibit that examines the memory of Crispus Attucks, a man of African & Native descent who was the first to die in the Boston Massacre.
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