MA250

The Aspirations of Ordinary People - Stories of the American Revolution from a local perspective
2026-06-02 08:00 - 14:00, 2026-06-03 08:00 - 14:00, 2026-06-04 08:00 - 14:00, 2026-06-05 08:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | 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.

From Enlightenment Ideas to the Age of Revolutions
2026-06-02 08:00 - 18:00 | French Library, Marlborough Street 53, Boston, Massachusetts, 02116, United States
Join us for a thought-provoking conversation marking the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, as renowned historian of the French Enlightenment and Harvard Emeritus Professor Robert Darnton explores how ideas circulating in eighteenth-century France helped shape political imagination on both sides of the Atlantic.
In dialogue with scholar Flora Amann, Darnton will draw on his groundbreaking work—including The Writer’s Lot and The Revolutionary Temper—to examine how writers, readers, and the circulation of ideas helped transform public opinion and lay the foundations for political change.
From underground literature in eighteenth-century Paris to transatlantic networks of exchange, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on the origins of modern democracy.
Our author’s talk will be followed by a Q&A session, with book signing and a reception.
About Robert Darnton
Robert Darnton is Carl H. Pforzheimer University Professor and University Librarian, Emeritus, at Harvard University. A leading historian of eighteenth-century France, he is the author of many acclaimed and widely translated works, including The Writer’s Lot, The Revolutionary Temper, and The Great Cat Massacre, which have received honors such as the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.
A scholar of global stature, he is a Chevalier in the Légion d’honneur and winner of the National Humanities Medal. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
About the moderator
Flora Amann holds a PhD in French from La Sorbonne and the Université de Montréal. A specialist in Enlightenment literature and media history, she has taught at La Sorbonne, the Université de Montréal, and the University of British Columbia. She has also worked at the Bibliothèque nationale de France, where she curated cultural programs and exhibitions.

1776: Declaring Independence
2026-06-02 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-06-03 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-06-04 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-06-05 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

American Stories: Celebrating 250 Years of Independence
2026-06-02 09:30 - 2026-06-17 16:30, 2026-06-03 09:30 - 2026-06-18 16:30, 2026-06-04 09:30 - 2026-06-19 16:30, 2026-06-05 09:30 - 2026-06-20 16:30 | Bonhams Skinner, Clarendon Street 236, Boston, Massachusetts, 02116, United States
In honor of this auspicious moment in American history, Bonhams Skinner will be showcasing highlights from their June 30th auction in their Boston Gallery. The works are available to the public for viewing Monday through Friday between May 26th and June 10th.

Handwriting the Constitution and Declaration of Independence
2026-06-02 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.

The Road to Revolution: Massachusetts and the Independence Movement
2026-06-02 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-06-03 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-06-04 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-06-05 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.

Patriots of Color Exhibition
2026-06-02 10:00 - 18:00, 2026-06-03 10:00 - 18:00, 2026-06-04 10:00 - 18:00, 2026-06-05 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.

AudaTours Stoneham Audio Tour: Timeless Tales of Historic Pride and Heritage
2026-06-02 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-06-03 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-06-04 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.

Special Exhibit: Mary Baker Eddy and Her Revolutionary Legacy
2026-06-03, 2026-06-04, 2026-06-05 | 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

Tea with Martha
2026-06-04 11:00 - 12:00 | unitedparish, Church Street 1, Upton, Massachusetts, 01568, United States
The Upton Historical Society invites the community to step back in time for a special program, Tea with Martha, held at the United Parish on Thurs June 4th at 11:00 a.m. Attendees will enjoy an engaging, first person portrayal of Martha Washington, brought to life through a dramatic reading by Cheryl Lampshire, D.M with the assistance of Patty Lynn.
The event offers a unique opportunity to explore the wit, wisdom, and daily experiences of America’s original First Lady. Following the presentation, guests are welcome to stay, mingle, and enjoy light refreshments.
Free Event – Reservations are requested by May 22. To RSVP, email UptonMAHistoricalSociety@gmail.com or call (508) 529 6600.

1776 The Musical
2026-06-04 19:30 - 22:00 | Calliope Productions, Main Street 150, Boylston, MA, 01505, United States
The perfect show for the 250th anniversary of our country, Greater Worcester Opera presents the Tony award winning musical, 1776. Witness the journey of the original Continental Congress as they grapple with moving towards independence from England. Replete with a slew of fascinating characters, this “play with music” is by turns dramatic, moving, exuberant, lively, and always tuneful. From the opening “Sit Down, John!” to the final tally, you’ll thoroughly enjoy the historical experience this beloved musical brings to life.
Shows are Thursday 6/4 (7:30 PM), Friday 6/5 (7:30 PM), Saturday 6/6 (2:00 PM and 7:30 PM) and Sunday 6/7 (2:00 PM). Reserved seating available on our ticket page. $25 adult, $22 senior, $15 age 12 and under (+ small fee)
Please note that this is a GWO production. We rent the theatre at 150 Main Street, Boylston (owned by Calliope Productions) but all tickets and inquiries should go through GWO.
