Across the State of Massachusetts, communities and institutions are celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution with events, exhibits, special tours, programs, festivals, performances, and much more. Bookmark this page to join events and celebrations statewide.
1776 was more than a turning point; it marked the birth of a new world order. A bold line was drawn as ordinary people made extraordinary decisions, declaring independence from the most powerful empire on earth. Driven by youthful fire, they believed in the promise of liberty more than they feared the cost of pursuing […]
Established by General George Washington and General Henry Knox in 1777, the Continental Arsenal at Springfield was a critical part of the supply network for the fledgling Continental Army. The enlisted men and officers assigned there fabricated and supplied all manner of military supplies throughout the Revolutionary War. Explore rarely seen collections and historic documents […]
Back Bay to the Berkshires: Celebrating 250 Years of Art in Massachusetts looks at some of the artists and artistic innovations associated with the Bay State through their relationship with book illustration, printing, and publishing. This display is held in conjunction with MA250 (a celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and the […]
Haverhill’s Museum of Printing this summer is featuring broadsides, essentially posters, created by local artists to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the “Shot Heard Round the World.” “Awake, Rise, Act: Contemporary Broadsides at the Museum of Printing” run through Aug. 30. The exhibition draws inspiration from broadsides that were generated at the beginning of the […]
The second of three 250th special exhibitions at the Concord Museum, Transformed by Revolution will explore histories of community and belonging during and after the war, tracing shifting ideas about what it meant to be part of the new nation and who would be included in the story. Featured objects and stories will explore the […]
As the Nation marks 250 years of independence, Witness: Hingham in the Age of Revolution explores how one New England town experienced the ideas, contradictions, and upheavals of the American Revolution. Through the lives of Hingham’s residents– white and Black, free and enslaved– this immersive new exhibit traces the ups & downs forging of a […]
With the New Bedford Free Public Library Melissa “Sawhand” Philley, graphic artist and illustrator gives a talk about her latest graphic novel: Quaker, Whaler, Traitor, Spy! The Trials of William Rotch, an artistic collaboration with history professor, Dr. Sarah Crabtree. This talk will include an artist-led activity and other fun games. This is taking place […]
Come see the Concord Museum's new special exhibit, Transformed by Revolution, on opening day! Transformed by Revolution is on display from October 3, 2025, to February 22, 2026. Explore how ideas about community and belonging changed during and after the American Revolution. Learn about the impact of Harvard University’s temporary relocation to Concord, the daily […]
Experience life during the American Revolution in this weekend long event at the Bidwell House Museum. As you drive down Art School Road, you will be able to leave the modern world behind and enter a time when fire was used for cooking, everyone lived off the land and muskets were the weapon of choice. […]
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 […]
The Plymouth Antiquarian Society and Pilgrim Hall Museum announce their continuing partnership in a free public tour series of Plymouth’s historic Burial Hill for the 2025 season. Each first Saturday of the month a thematic tour of the ancient burying ground will reveal facets of Plymouth’s evolving story over generations. This year honors the 250th […]
Uncover the overlooked role of patriot artists—women, Black men enslaved and free, and people of mixed race—who shaped the Revolution through art, espionage, and activism across America, London, and Paris. Their work helped inspire rebellion and forge a new political culture, almost always armed with wax, paint, and wit rather than a musket or bayonet. […]
Free, In-person & livestreamed Performing Arts Center, Brewster Presented by Mr. Rod Gragg, author and historian, this presentation surveys the impact of the Judeo-Christian worldview on the American Revolution from the early Colonial Era through the American victory at the Battle of Yorktown and formation of the United States of America. Info: 508-240-2400 | artsempoweringlife.org […]
Haverhill’s Museum of Printing this summer is featuring broadsides, essentially posters, created by local artists to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the “Shot Heard Round the World.” “Awake, Rise, Act: Contemporary Broadsides at the Museum of Printing” run through Aug. 30. The exhibition draws inspiration from broadsides that were generated at the beginning of the […]
Concord Museum Forum: Annual Sally Lanagan Forum Join historian Zara Anishanslin and Museum of Fine Arts, Boston curator Erica Hirshler for a conversation about Dr. Anishanslin new book, The Painter’s Fire, which tells the gripping story of three revolutionary artists – Robert Edge Pine, Prince Demah, and Patience Wright – who used their creative talents […]
Opening reception with a presentation about the artist. The Longmeadow Historical Society is proud to announce a retrospective exhibition of the art works of Alice Faith Willard (1866-1946), during the month of October 2025. Alice Willard was the first art teacher in the Longmeadow Schools, implementing the Massachusetts Drawing Act of 1870 based on her […]
Opening reception with a presentation about the artist. The Longmeadow Historical Society is proud to announce a retrospective exhibition of the art works of Alice Faith Willard (1866-1946), during the month of October 2025. Alice Willard was the first art teacher in the Longmeadow Schools, implementing the Massachusetts Drawing Act of 1870 based on her […]
October marks the 250th anniversary of the battle between General George Washington's hired vessel HANNAH and HMS NAUTILUS. This Oct. 9 and 10, FAME will sail FAME into the waters where the battle was fought and Capt. Mike Rutstein will talk us through every step of the historic encounter. He'll also cover the aftermath of […]
3 Special Sails coming this October! October 10 marks the 250th anniversary of the battle between George Washington's hired vessel HANNAH and HMS NAUTILUS. This October 9 and 10, Capt. Mike Rutstein will sail FAME into the waters where the battle was fought and talk us through every step of the historic encounter. He'll also […]
Special tour information will also recognize John Adams legacy over the Navy’s birthday weekend. USNSM is a sub-grant recipient of Discover Quincy’s Massachusetts 250 grant funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism.
Indigenous People's Day: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Free with museum admission. Enjoy special programs on Wampanoag history from 10 am to 2 pm, free with general Museum admission; see documents of Indigenous soldiers in the American Revolution and participate in a range of family activities! Revolutionary Voices: A Benefit Performance for Pilgrim Hall […]
The United States.08. Naval Shipbuilding Museum is celebrating US Navy 250th Birthday onboard USS Salem on Saturday, October 11 and Sunday, October 12. The museum will be open from 10am - 4pm and is offering free admission for US Navy Active Duty & Veterans. Quincy has a rich shipbuilding and military history. The Salem's Volunteer […]
On 5 October 1775, Congress created the first of a series of committees to study naval matters. From that time onward throughout his career, John Adams championed the establishment and strengthening of an American Navy. USNSM will have special tour information, exhibits and entertainment onboard USS Salem.
The United States.08. Naval Shipbuilding Museum is celebrating US Navy 250th Birthday onboard USS Salem on Saturday, October 11 and Sunday, October 12. The museum will be open from 10am - 4pm and is offering free admission for US Navy Active Duty & Veterans. Quincy has a rich shipbuilding and military history. The Salem's Volunteer […]
On 5 October 1775, Congress created the first of a series of committees to study naval matters. From that time onward throughout his career, John Adams championed the establishment and strengthening of an American Navy. USNSM will have special tour information, exhibits and entertainment onboard USS Salem.
"Spies Among Us" will open on Thursday, February 6th at 10 a.m. during the museum’s first Thursday opening hours. We will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on February 6th and will be open every Thursday going forward from 10-4. We will also showcase the exhibit during our February Second Sunday Open House […]
Haverhill’s Museum of Printing this summer is featuring broadsides, essentially posters, created by local artists to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the “Shot Heard Round the World.” “Awake, Rise, Act: Contemporary Broadsides at the Museum of Printing” run through Aug. 30. The exhibition draws inspiration from broadsides that were generated at the beginning of the […]
National Award-Winning Musical Ventriloquist Kevin Driscoll to Perform Paul Revere & Friends™ Edutainment Program in Canton for Massachusetts 250th Anniversary CANTON, MA — The Department of Elder and Human Services is proud to present Boston’s own Kevin Driscoll, nationally recognized musical ventriloquist, in a special performance of his acclaimed Paul Revere & Friends™ program. This […]
Please join us on October 16, 2025, at 6 PM, for " 'Within the compass of good citizens:' Paul Revere’s Masonic Journey" with Steven C. Bullock, Professor of History at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. From the son of an immigrant to speaking beside the governor on Beacon Hill, Paul Revere traveled far in his extraordinary life. […]
Liberty & Union Day is an annual event that celebrates Taunton, Massachusetts' rich history and culture. We commemorate the events of October 1774, when our community became one of the first in the American colonies to raise a flag in opposition to British rule. That flag - the "Liberty and Union" flag - flies proudly […]
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 […]
Blandford, Massachusetts, is a small town with a big history rooted in the American Revolution in unexpected ways. See and hear its stories come alive from a dispatcher running clandestine operations for the military while still serving patrons at the family tavern to a selectman who secretly participated in the Boston Tea Party and more. […]
An Afternoon of Revolutionary Ipswich History with four vignettes at the Ipswich Museum and the Whipple House in Historic Ipswich, Massachusetts. 2:00 – 2:30 pm: Encore presentation of “Within These Walls” on the Heard House, Ipswich Museum grounds. For 200 years, a Georgian-style, timber-framed house stood at the corner of Elm and County Streets in […]
Learn about the origins of printmaking and the role printing played during the Revolutionary War, from Printmaker and Living History Presenter, Andy Volpe. Witness a demonstration on a replica printing press and step back in time to learn how revolutionary ideas spread through the colonies.
Haverhill’s Museum of Printing this summer is featuring broadsides, essentially posters, created by local artists to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the “Shot Heard Round the World.” “Awake, Rise, Act: Contemporary Broadsides at the Museum of Printing” run through Aug. 30. The exhibition draws inspiration from broadsides that were generated at the beginning of the […]
This is a hybrid event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare). The in-person reception starts at 5:30 and the program will begin 6:00 PM. Many of us give only a moment’s thought about the environment when considering […]
What does the Midnight Ride mean today, and who does it matter to? In this panel a university professor, a high school teacher and administrator, and a public history content creator will discuss how the Midnight Ride resonates (or doesn’t) with the groups they talk about history with. They will compare perspectives on societal trends […]
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 […]
18th century military reenactment 18th century taverns were important as a place to hear news and current events, engage in commerce, conduct militia drills, and provide respite for weary travelers. The Red Horse Tavern sitting along the Boston Post Road, a major east-west route, was crucial as anyone, or anything, travelling into or out of […]
Come to the historic Wayside Inn on October 25, 2025 for an experience like never before. Start the day by listening to colonial music, talking with reenactors, visiting sutlers, observing cannon firing demonstrations and more. Then watch as the Colonial and British armies battle for control of the Red Horse Tavern. Eighteenth century taverns were important in […]
Meet the woman who hoodwinked George Washington’s army! Learn about the close calls and mountainous obstacles that Deborah Sampson faced as a poor farm girl, who, without support from family or friends, risked humiliation and imprisonment to help free the colonies from English rule. Janet Parnes, founder and principal of Historical Portrayals by Lady J, […]
Haverhill’s Museum of Printing this summer is featuring broadsides, essentially posters, created by local artists to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the “Shot Heard Round the World.” “Awake, Rise, Act: Contemporary Broadsides at the Museum of Printing” run through Aug. 30. The exhibition draws inspiration from broadsides that were generated at the beginning of the […]
Two of Revere’s biographers will speak with the Executive Director of the Paul Revere House on Paul Revere, the man and the myth. While today he is most famous for his Midnight Ride, this talk will cover his life before and after the Revolution as well.
Go behind-the-scenes at the American Antiquarian Society to learn about its collection of 4.5 million printed, handwritten, and visual primary sources produced in what is now the United States up to 1900. These materials include thousands related to the Revolutionary War and our nation's founding. The tour includes patriot printer Isaiah Thomas's original printing press, […]
Visit with Master Potter Rick Hamelin at the Dwight House aka the Apprentice House at Historic Deerfield, Deerfield MA. For over 48 years, Rick has told the stories of the potters of New England while demonstrating on the potter's wheel how a variety of pots are made . This entertaining celebration of the potters who […]
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 […]
The Plymouth Antiquarian Society and Pilgrim Hall Museum announce their continuing partnership in a free public tour series of Plymouth’s historic Burial Hill for the 2025 season. Each first Saturday of the month a thematic tour of the ancient burying ground will reveal facets of Plymouth’s evolving story over generations. This year honors the 250th […]
As part of Massachusetts’ commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the Destination Groton Committee will host Donald R. Ryan for an author talk and book signing of his new work, Colonel William Prescott: Heroic Commander of the Battle of Bunker Hill, Sunday November 2, from 2-4 pm at the […]
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