MA250

1776: Declaring Independence
2027-12-04 09:30 - 16:00, 2027-12-06 09:30 - 16:00, 2027-12-07 09:30 - 16:00, 2027-12-08 09:30 - 16:00, 2027-12-09 09:30 - 16:00, 2027-12-10 09:30 - 16:00, 2027-12-11 09:30 - 16:00, 2027-12-13 09:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York) and 5 more dates | 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!
2027-12-04 10:00 - 17:00, 2027-12-05 10:00 - 17:00, 2027-12-06 10:00 - 17:00, 2027-12-07 10:00 - 17:00, 2027-12-08 10:00 - 17:00, 2027-12-09 10:00 - 17:00, 2027-12-10 10:00 - 17:00, 2027-12-11 10:00 - 17:00 and 9 more dates | 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.
