Adams National Historical Park Visitor Center

The Visitor Center for Adams National Historical Park is located inside the President’s Place Galleria, a high-rise retail and office building at 1250 Hancock Street in Quincy. This is the place to purchase tickets for a guided tour of the three Adams Family houses within the park, and it is also the place from which the tour departs. A bus takes participants to the houses, so you do not have to drive yourself.

Galleria at President’s Place on Hancock Street

The Visitor Center is open year-round even though the Adams houses are only open seasonally. When tours are being held, it is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM. During the rest of the year it is open on Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 AM to 4 PM. Times can always change, so before making travel plans be sure to visit the National Park Service’s official Operating Hours and Seasons web page for Adams National Historical Park.

Unlike most National Park Service visitor centers, there are no exhibits other than a timeline of the Adams Family history. However, there is a book and souvenir store and a theater where you can watch Enduring Legacy: Four Generations of the Adams Family, a 27-minute documentary about the Adamses who lived at the Old House at Peacefield. The film is narrated by Laura Linney (who played Abigail Adams in the HBO mini-series John Adams). Paul Giamatti (who played John Adams in the mini-series) and Tom Hanks provide additional voice narration. While there are actors in the film, there is no connection to the mini-series other than the people narrating it. The film shows every half hour. There is no objectionable material, so it is suitable for all ages.