MA250

Brewing Massachusetts: How Beer Shaped the Bay State
2027-04-02 11:30 - 16:30, 2027-04-03 11:30 - 16:30, 2027-04-04 11:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Indian House Memorial, Old Main Street 107, Deerfield, MA, 01342, United States
We are proud to introduce our most ambitious exhibit ever, titled “Brewing Massachusetts: How Beer Shaped the Bay State,” made possible by a grant from Massachusetts 250 and the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT). Through rare artifacts, photographs, and documents, this exhibit will tell the story of Massachusetts brewers from the Pilgrims to the present. This exhibit will be held in a rebuilt Revolutionary era tavern and tickets will be $5. Come see it starting May 30th at 107 Old Main Street in Deerfield at the Indian House Memorial.
No state has been more impacted by brewing than Massachusetts. But this story hasn’t been told in one place, until now. “Brewing Massachusetts” will be open during the 250th anniversary of 1776, a landmark nationwide event that will shine a spotlight on American history. We want to incorporate the entire state in our celebration of the History of Brewing, and what better way than to include all of Massachusetts.

Collecting Wonders: Tomorrow’s Discoveries
2027-04-03 09:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-04 09:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-05 09:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-06 09:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-07 09:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-08 09:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-09 09:00 - 17:00 | Harvard Museum of Natural History, Oxford Street 26, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, United States
When you imagine a museum, you might picture cases of artifacts. But the objects on display at the Harvard Museum of Natural History are a tiny percentage of the total collections. Behind the scenes, experts care for 26 million specimens. These objects form the basis for studying life on Earth. They are records of the planet from different times and places. Objects span billions of years and come from every continent, ocean, and beyond. They are stone and bone, plant and animal, feather and fossil.
Since the early days of Harvard University, collections have been central to teaching and research. People continue to study these collections and uncover knowledge. Come explore some treasures of the collection!
Explore historic specimens presented to mark the 250th Anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence on June 27.

Pop Quiz: 1776
2027-04-03 09:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-04 09:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-05 09:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-06 09:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-07 09:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-08 09:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-09 09:00 - 17:00 | Harvard Museum of Natural History, Oxford Street 26, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, United States
Step back into the 18th century and put your detective skills to the test! Pop Quiz: 1776 takes you on a four-museum adventure to uncover surprising ways that life at Harvard was both similar to and—or different from —today. Would Harvard students in 1776 have known about the things we see and do today? Take a guess, then search for specific objects across our four museums—the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, and the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments—to check your answers.
Pro tip: join us any Sunday–Friday 11:00 am–4:00 pm to access all four museums!
Check museum’s website for closure dates.

1776: Declaring Independence
2027-04-03 09:30 - 16:00, 2027-04-05 09:30 - 16:00, 2027-04-06 09:30 - 16:00, 2027-04-07 09:30 - 16:00, 2027-04-08 09:30 - 16:00, 2027-04-09 09:30 - 16:00 | Massachusetts Historical Society, Boylston Street 1154, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
Featuring manuscripts, artifacts, and rarely seen treasures, this exhibition captures a monumental moment in American history.
In 1776, people grappled with ideas of liberty, loyalty, and the role of government in society. Private letters, intimate diaries, and newspaper accounts reveal how the Declaration of Independence grew from draft to founding document. 1776: Declaring Independence spotlights handwritten copies of the Declaration by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson as well as multiple early printings, including a rare Dunlap broadside. On and off the page, we explore how it echoed across the commonwealth and around the world, reshaping the colonists’ chances of launching a new nation. How did the Declaration change Americans’ quest for liberty, then and now? We invite visitors to trace the Declaration’s complex legacy as a national beacon for celebration and protest.
Check here for closures and more admission information: https://www.masshist.org/visit/hours-and-admission

Ruckus!
2027-04-03 10:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-04 10:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-05 10:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-06 10:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-07 10:00 - 17:00, 2027-04-08 10:00 - 17:00 | Old South Meeting House, Washington Street 310, Boston, MA, 02108, United States
Step inside Boston’s historic Old South Meeting House and experience the Ruckus! that ignited the American Revolution. This 25-minute immersive show drops you right into the heart of the debate and defiance that once filled this iconic space, where ordinary people set extraordinary change in motion.
From the floorboards to the balconies, you will be surrounded by dynamic sound, lighting, and projected animations of fiery revolutionaries, determined citizens, and some unlikely troublemakers whose courage shook these walls.
For visitors, locals, and adventurers of all ages, Ruckus! is a powerful way to begin exploring Boston’s pivotal role in shaping our nation—a fast-paced and unforgettable reminder that a little Ruckus! can change everything.
Tickets also get you general admission to the Old State House and Old South Meeting House, including access to all exhibits, gallery talks, and tours.
Ruckus! is suitable for general audiences, with parental discretion is advised for younger children. The show includes loud sound effects (including gunfire), dynamic lighting, and moments that may feel intense for some visitors, particularly young children or those sensitive to loud noises or bright lights.
Check our website for the most up to date ticket times.
Ruckus! is made possible through the generous support of a local private foundation, with major support from The Lynch Foundation, The Hamilton Company Charitable Foundation, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, Massachusetts 250, Meet Boston, and many generous individual supporters.

Salt and Survival: The Untold Story of the Revolution
2027-04-08 13:00 - 2027-05-29 16:00 | Jericho Historical Center, Old Main Street 90, Dennis, Massachusetts, 02670, United States
School lessons about the American Revolution often focus on the Boston Tea Party—but far fewer people learn about the importance of salt.
Cod fishing, Cape Cod’s biggest industry, relied on salt for preserving fish for export. British blockades, designed to cripple coastal communities, were preventing salt being imported.
In response, colonists relied on the sun and their ingenuity. Captain John Sears of Dennis designed the first saltworks, using solar evaporation to produce the salt essential for preserving fish and eliminating the dependance on imported goods.
At the Jericho Historical Center discover the history of the first saltworks, explore a detailed model, see a demonstration of solar evaporation, and view photographs and early artifacts.
In addition, tour an historic full cape house built in 1801, and occupied by the Baker family until 1955, containing 19th century furnishings, textiles, paintings and keepsakes. In the barn, tools and equipment from the 1800s are displayed, as well as a carriage that raced at Riverside Trotting Park. The General Store is a reminder of the important role such gathering places played in the community’s economic and social life. Of special interest is the cranberry exhibit which tells the 200-year-old story of cranberry cultivation; an industry that began in Dennis in 1816!
