MA250

Patriots of Color Exhibition
2026-07-23 10:00 - 18:00, 2026-07-22 10:00 - 18:00, 2026-07-21 10:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | 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.

America 250 Outdoor Exhibit: 250 Years of the American Story
2026-07-23 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-07-21 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-07-20 10:00 - 17:00 | Church of the Transfiguration, 5 Bay View Drive, Orleans, MA, 02653, United States
A walk-about tour around the Common of the Church of the Transfiguration, Rock Harbor, Orleans
June 22 to July 12, Mon–Sat (except Wed.) 10am–5pm, and Sunday 11am–12 noon; Free Admission.
Take an outdoor stroll to revisit our history—culture, science, faith, politics, commerce, and constitutional rights—and meet many heroes, known and unknown, along the way who made this nation strong, prosperous, and rooted in Liberty. Info: 508-240-2400 | artsempoweringlife.org

The Road to Revolution: Massachusetts and the Independence Movement
2026-07-23 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-07-22 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-07-21 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-07-20 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.

1776: Declaring Independence
2026-07-23 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-07-22 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-07-21 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

Brewster’s Ancient Burial Ground Tour
2026-07-23 09:30 - 10:30 | Ancient Burial Ground, Main Street 1993, Brewster, MA, 02631, United States
A guide from the Brewster Historical Society provides the history of the Brewster Ancient Burial Ground, sharing highlights of some of the townspeople buried underneath these centuries old headstones.

The Aspirations of Ordinary People - Stories of the American Revolution from a local perspective
2026-07-23 08:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-22 08:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-21 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.

Special Exhibit: Mary Baker Eddy and Her Revolutionary Legacy
2026-07-23, 2026-07-22, 2026-07-21 | 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

Drums in the Revolution and Early Republic: Sounds and Symbols of Patriotism
2026-07-22 19:00 - 20:30 | 1699 Isaac Winslow House, 634 Careswell St, Marshfield, 02050, United States
During the American Revolution and Early Republic, drums were crucial for military communication, discipline, and morale, serving as the “soundtrack” of the war by conveying orders over the chaos of battle. Rope-tension drums, typically played by young boys, emerged as lasting symbols of patriotism, often decorated with eagles and national colors.
Stephen O’Neill serves as the Executive Director of the Hanover Historical Society and is also the Director of the Dyer Memorial Library in Abington. In 2017, he curated the “Historic American Drums” exhibit at the Hanover Historical Society, featuring drums from the early 18th century to the present.

Boston: Harbor History Waterfront Walking Tour
2026-07-22 15:30 - 17:00, 2026-07-21 15:30 - 17:00, 2026-07-20 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.

AudaTours Stoneham Audio Tour: Timeless Tales of Historic Pride and Heritage
2026-07-22 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-21 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-20 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.

American Stories: Rebels and Revolutionaries of the Berkshires
2026-07-22 11:00 - 12:30 | Norman Rockwell Museum, Glendale Road 9, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 01262, United States
History & Art Series: This summer when America is celebrating its 250th anniversary, join us for this historical and civic education program to learn how the Berkshires played a pivotal role in the founding of our nation.
“American Stories: Rebels and Revolutionaries of the Berkshires” examines the history of the American Revolution and its reverberating echoes in the region, nation, and world by highlighting the fascinating but complicated biographies of Berkshire County residents who impacted American history and culture from the late 1700s onward.
Sign up for the entire series of five classes held at the Norman Rockwell Museum. Each class will begin in the galleries of Norman Rockwell Museum’s “American Stories: Revolution to Rockwell” with a discussion of a work on view that connects to the theme of that day’s class.
Course Instructor: Justin F. Jackson is a lecturer and visiting scholar at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Classes and lectures include:
1) “Declarations of Independence”: Theodore Sedgwick, the Sheffield Resolves, and the Rise of Protest in the Berkshires
2) “Our America”: Daniel Nimham, the Stockbridge Mohicans, and the Revolution’s “Missing Indians”
3) “I Am, Amen”: Black Freedom Struggles in the Berkshires, from Agrippa Hull and Elizabeth Freeman to Samuel Harrison and W.E.B. Du Bois
4) “Do Unto Others”: Rev. Thomas Allen, Shays’s Rebellion, and a Sovereign People’s Constitutions in Massachusetts and America
5) “The Real Thing”: Herman Melville, the Magic of Memory, and Representing the American Dream
About Justin F. Jackson
Justin F. Jackson is a lecturer and visiting scholar at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he teaches US history, and the history of Boston and Massachusetts. The Berkshire Eagle is publishing his monthly column, “Revolution: Berkshires,” on the American Revolution’s local history in the run-up to the semi-sesquicentennial in July 2026. A scholar of US foreign relations history, he is author of The Work of Empire: War, Occupation, and the Making of American Colonialism in Cuba and the Philippines (University of North Carolina Press, 2025). His next book, “Cherry Cottage: Between Ruin and Restoration, America’s History Retold through a Berkshire Home,” explores how a preserved Stockbridge home produced Americans’ sense of the past, and nation, through place.

Zine Making: What Does the Declaration Mean 250 Years Later?
2026-07-21 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.

Paul Revere & Friends
2026-07-20 15:00 - 16:00 | Hazen Memorial Library, 3 Keady Way, Shirley, MA, 01464, United States
Join ventriloquist Kevin Driscoll as he portrays Paul Revere with his puppets. There is no historical proof that Paul Revere actually had a talking dog, but if he did…. it might resemble Doug The Talking Dog!
For children of all ages.
This program is funded by the Shirley Cultural Council.
