A Stake in the Ground: 1774
2026-08-02 14:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | historic deerfield, 84B Old Main Street, Deerfield, Massachusetts, 01342, United States
Staged at Historic Deerfield, A Stake in the Ground: 1774 is a series of three site-specific plays, set in Deerfield, MA, on the eve of the American Revolution. Each performance includes all three plays and will end with a post-show conversation.
In the summer of 1774, seeds of revolution begin to germinate in Deerfield when a Liberty Pole is brought to town. The characters in three new one-act plays explore the political divisions, tangled family relations, and the complexities of enslavement from all sides. Join this vibrant, immersive examination of the historical split that will define America.
Produced by Plays in Place, written by Talya Kingston, Valyn Lyric Turner, and Patrick Gabridge, and directed by Brianna Sloane, “A Stake In The Ground: 1774” will be performed outdoors at the locations* near where the characters lived in the past, including outside the Ashley House, the Allen House, and the Stebbins House.
Location & Logistics: The production is performed outdoors at the locations near where the characters lived in 1774, including the Ashley House, the Allen House, and the Stebbins House. *
Weather Policy: Shows take place rain or shine. In the event of inclement weather, the production will move indoors to the Deerfield Community Center.
Accessibility: Most performances (except for the weekend of July 31–August 2) are held outside. The audience will walk to each location along paved, municipally-owned sidewalks and will be seated on folding chairs on grassy surfaces.
Join us for this vibrant and immersive exploration of the seeds of revolution!

Boston: Harbor History Waterfront Walking Tour
2026-08-02 15:30 - 17:00, 2026-08-03 15:30 - 17:00, 2026-08-04 15:30 - 17:00 | Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Center, Atlantic Avenue 191 W, Boston, MA, 02110, United States
Boston Harbor has undergone significant transformation over four centuries. Experience Boston’s rich maritime heritage and contemporary vibrancy on a 1.5-hour stroll along the Boston Harborwalk, led by an expert local guide. The tour begins at the Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Center on the Rose Kennedy Greenway—site of the “Big Dig”—and concludes at Fan Pier in the dynamic Seaport district, offering exceptional views throughout.
This small group walking tour explores the evolution of Boston’s waterfront, from its origins as a colonial port in the British Empire; through its development as a major center for shipping, fishing, and global trade; to its rebirth as a hub for modern commerce, tourism, and recreation. As you venture through the heart of the Boston Harborwalk, gain insight into the city’s significant efforts to expand and revitalize its waterfront infrastructure, greenspace, and public access.
Hub Town Tours delivers a compelling introduction to Boston’s identity as America’s “city by the sea.” Hear engaging stories as you pass historic landmarks and architectural highlights, illustrating the remarkable shoreline transformation from an industrial area and “dirty water” dumping ground to a vibrant public space beside one of the cleanest harbors in the United States.

Special Exhibit: Mary Baker Eddy and Her Revolutionary Legacy
2026-08-03, 2026-08-04, 2026-08-05 | How Do You See the World? experience, Massachusetts Avenue 210, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
Learn about the revolutionary ideas and historical legacy of Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910) — one of the only women to found a worldwide religion — in a temporary exhibit this spring and summer at the Christian Science Plaza celebrating MA250: Mary Baker Eddy and Her Revolutionary Legacy.
This free exhibit is part of the interactive How Do You See the World?® experience, exploring the world through a lens of hope, progress, and generosity. Walk through the three-story, stained glass Mapparium® globe (ticketed) that shows the world as it was in 1935 — from the inside of the world, looking out. You can then explore “Our World: Mapping Progress,” an exhibit featuring stories from The Christian Science Monitor, the Pulitzer Prize-winning international news source headquartered in the building. Learn more about Eddy’s remarkable life and the global church she founded in “Christian Science and Mary Baker Eddy.”
This special exhibit will be open through spring and summer 2026 as part of the statewide MA250 celebrations. Tickets for the Mapparium® globe are free for youth under 18, $6 for adults. All other exhibits, including this special exhibit, are free.
Hours of operation:
Monday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Tuesday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Wednesday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Thursday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
The How Do You See the World?® experience is located at 210 Massachusetts Ave. in the heart of Boston’s Back Bay.
For additional information and to buy tickets to the Mapparium® globe, please visit christianscience.com/howdoyouseetheworld

Collecting Wonders: Tomorrow’s Discoveries
2026-08-03 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-08-04 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-08-05 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
2026-08-03 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-08-04 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-08-05 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
2026-08-03 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-08-04 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-08-05 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

The Road to Revolution: Massachusetts and the Independence Movement
2026-08-03 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-08-04 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-08-05 10:00 - 17:00 | Old State House, 206 Washington St, Boston, MA, 02109, United States
Explore major Massachusetts events in the first year of the American Revolution at the Old State House, where protest turned into action and the momentum for independence accelerated. Created through a partnership between Revolutionary Spaces and the Massachusetts Historical Society, The Road to Revolution: Massachusetts and the Independence Movement invites visitors to step into 1775 and 1776—a moment defined by uncertainty, debate, and decisions that would reshape the world.

Ruckus!
2026-08-03 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-08-04 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-08-05 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.

AudaTours Stoneham Audio Tour: Timeless Tales of Historic Pride and Heritage
2026-08-03 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-08-04 12:00 - 14:00 | Nobility Hill Historic District, Stoneham, Massachusetts, 02180, United States
In Stoneham, the shadows of colonial fires and twentieth-century neon flicker side by side. Few realize how many secrets linger behind these iconic facades.
This self-guided audio tour leads straight through the city’s untold stories. Encounter corners and chapters that even locals walk past, and let carefully crafted tales reveal what hides beneath the ordinary.
Why did a quiet night at the Bernard Cogan House erupt into controversy that changed a neighborhood? Who vanished beneath the glowing beacon of Stoneham’s eerily beautiful gas station? What explains the perfectly preserved pencil marks under the Warren Sweetser House staircase?
Move between centuries as you cross storied main streets and hidden lanes. Each step peels back another layer of rebellion, ambition, and intrigue, letting Stoneham rise up around you as never before.
Tap play and see how deep Stoneham’s shadows can stretch. The secrets are waiting.

The Aspirations of Ordinary People - Stories of the American Revolution from a local perspective
2026-08-04 08:00 - 14:00, 2026-08-05 08:00 - 14:00 | North Andover Historical Society, 800 Massachusetts Ave., North Andover, 01845, United States
The Andover revolutionaries understood that creating a truly free society would take many generations. Their records and artifacts, preserved at the North Andover Historical Society, are here to remind us that history matters. They depict stories of battles won, hardships endured, hometown and battleground heroes, and the start of a long fight for liberty, equality and justice. Their ideals and aspirations are the standards by which we measure our progress today.
Come discover the amazing stories brought to life at the North Andover Historical Society (NAHS) through REV250, a series of programs and exhibits dedicated to the American Revolution.
The exhibit will be open every week, Tuesday through Saturday, from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm Please check the website for more information.

Handwriting the Constitution and Declaration of Independence
2026-08-04 10:00 - 11:30 | Boston Public Library: Copley Square Branch, Boylston Street 700, Boston, Massachusetts, 02116, United States
In honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, visitors are invited to handwrite the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution in the Courtyard of the Central Library, in Copley Square. This program aims to create time and a quiet space to reflect and deepen one’s understanding of these historic documents. All supplies will be provided. Participants will first stop by the supply table to pick up writing supplies and copies of the Constitution and/or Declaration of Independence. Reproductions of John Adams’s personal copy of the Constitution held by Special Collections will also be available to transcribe. This program is self-paced. Patrons are invited to stay for the whole session or simply stay as long as they would like.

Patriots of Color Exhibition
2026-08-04 10:00 - 18:00 | Family Heritage Experience, Newbury Street 97, Boston, Massachusetts, 02116, United States
Patriots of Color, a new exhibit in the Family Heritage Experience at American Ancestors, sheds light on the overlooked histories of Black, Native, and multiracial men and women who fought, labored, and led in the struggle for American independence across all thirteen colonies. Through documents, personal narratives, and digital interactives, the exhibition uncovers the courage and resilience of those whose contributions helped shape a new nation, even as they continued to confront inequality and enslavement.
Bridging past and present, Patriots of Color highlights the voices of descendants who are reclaiming these stories today—connecting revolutionary ideals of freedom and justice to the ongoing pursuit of equality in America.
Entrance to the exhibit is included in admission to the Family Heritage Experience and can be purchased either in person or online.

Amesbury National Night Out
2026-08-04 17:00 - 20:00 | Heritage Park, Water Street 27, Amesbury, MA, 01913, United States
Amesbury National Night Out – America 250 Community Celebration
Join the Amesbury community for a special America 250 celebration during Amesbury National Night Out, a family-friendly community block party and public safety car show marking the 30th anniversary of National Night Out in Amesbury.
National Night Out is a nationally recognized community-building event that brings together residents, families, law enforcement, first responders, and community organizations to strengthen partnerships, promote safety, and build positive relationships between public safety officials and the communities they serve.
This milestone year provides an opportunity to celebrate not only the tradition of National Night Out, but also Amesbury’s unique place in America’s story as we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States. The event will highlight our community’s history, innovation, and the people who have helped shape Amesbury over generations.
Attendees will enjoy an evening filled with family-friendly activities, including a public safety car show, food trucks, DJ entertainment, live professional wrestling, mascot characters for children, and displays from local and state law enforcement agencies and public safety organizations. Guests will have the opportunity to meet first responders, explore specialty vehicles, and connect with neighbors in a welcoming community atmosphere.
As part of the America 250 celebration, attendees will also be able to experience pieces of Amesbury’s history through featured attractions including Lowell’s Boat Shop, the Amesbury Carriage Museum, and the Bailey Electric Car, showcasing the craftsmanship, innovation, and contributions that have made Amesbury a meaningful part of the American story.
For 30 years, Amesbury National Night Out has brought our community together in the spirit of partnership, service, and connection. This year’s celebration honors our past, celebrates our present, and looks forward to the future of Amesbury.
We invite everyone to join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating history, community, public safety, and the 250th anniversary of America.

Kids Free August
2026-08-05 09:30 - 2026-08-30 17:00 | Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, MA, 01566, United States
For a limited time, up to two kids, 17 years old or younger, are admitted for FREE to Old Sturbridge Village per adult paying for full-price general daytime admission. Before the kids head back to school, spend a day exploring the sights, sounds, and stories of 19th-century rural New England. Wander through the Village’s scenic landscape and historic buildings, enjoy hands-on activities, watch skilled artisans at work, meet heritage-breed animals, chat with our knowledgeable costumed historians, and create lasting family memories before summer comes to a close.
