MA250

Calling All Kids, Patriots And Sailors: Revolutionary Summer Saturdays
2026-08-22 10:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Custom House Maritime Museum, Water Street 25, Newburyport, Massachusetts, 01950, United States
FREE outdoor and indoor activities for kids all summer long
Building on the success of the Road to Revolution partnership programs, each Saturday from now until the end of September, the museum will host children’s outdoor and indoor programming. The hugely successful Discovery Center experience will extend out onto the lawn with 15 new activity stations. Rolling River Printmakers of New England will partner this week with an activity station to make prints. A rideable dolphin and elephant, courtesy of local sculptor Jeff Briggs, along with a bouncy castle, pirate boat with water guns, plus water, sand and craft tables await.
This free program runs from 10 am to 1 pm thanks to generous sponsorship from the Institution for Savings and the Local Cultural Council.
Looking ahead, in September, the museum is pleased to partner with Imagine Studios on a fascinating project to burn and carve out of a pine log and shape into a 20 foot long mishoon (dugout canoe) using traditional methods. Led by Imagine Studios, Darius Coombs of the Mashpee Wampanoag and Jonathan Petty of the Aquinnah Wampanoag will carve over successive weekends. Sponsored by the New England Foundation for the Arts, and with in-kind support from New England Development, the goal is to launch on Indigenous Peoples Day on Oct. 11.
We hope you can join us.–James

1776: Declaring Independence
2026-08-22 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-08-21 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-08-20 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-08-19 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-08-18 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-08-17 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

Brewing the Revolution: Bay State Scavenger
2026-08-22 - 2026-09-25, 2026-08-21 - 2026-09-24, 2026-08-20 - 2026-09-23, 2026-08-19 - 2026-09-22, 2026-08-18 - 2026-09-21, 2026-08-17 - 2026-09-20, 2026-08-16 - 2026-09-19 | Memorial Hall Museum, Memorial Street 8, Deerfield, MA, 01342, United States
To honor this revolutionary history, we are crafting a free historic statewide event, titled “Brewing the Revolution.” This scavenger hunt will bring participants to historic Revolutionary taverns and brewing sites across the state. The Scavenger hunt will take place from May 24th-June 27th, 2026 and is open to everyone ages 13 and up, free to play, and participants can win a variety of prizes.

AudaTours Stoneham Audio Tour: Timeless Tales of Historic Pride and Heritage
2026-08-21 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-08-20 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-08-19 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-08-18 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-08-17 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-08-16 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.

Brewing Massachusetts: How Beer Shaped the Bay State
2026-08-21 11:30 - 16:30, 2026-08-16 11:30 - 16:30 | 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.

Revolution 250 Salem Tour
2026-08-21 11:00 - 12:30 | Salem Historical Tours, Central Street 8, Salem, Massachusetts, 01970, United States
Everyone knows Salem for the 1692 Witchcraft Trials, but did you know that Salem made significant contributions to the American Revolution? The shot heard round the world almost happened in Salem, the town was known for its Privateers (legal Pirates) who were the most successful against the British Navy and British military governor General Thomas Gage encountered some of his biggest challenges to his authority in Salem.
We always say that without Salem, the United States may not be the same United States we know today.
Come to Salem as part of the Rev250 Celebration and learn the incredible role our patriots played in the start of our country.
https://www.salemhistoricaltours.com/revolution-250-tour

The Road to Revolution: Massachusetts and the Independence Movement
2026-08-21 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-08-20 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-08-19 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-08-18 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-08-17 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-08-16 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.

Zine Making: What Does the Declaration Mean 250 Years Later?
2026-08-18 10:00 - 11:30 | Boston Public Library: Copley Square Branch, Boylston Street 700, Boston, Massachusetts, 02116, United States
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Through an art-making opportunity, reflect on what the document means 250 years later and how the American Revolution relates to other protest movements and revolutions that have occurred in the United States. We will have supplies available to use and staff will be present to assist as needed. No registration is required to attend; drop-ins encouraged. Stay for as little or as long as you’d like during the event.
