Old State House Museum in Boston
Since 1882, the Old State House has been a Boston history museum focused on the Colonial and American Revolution periods. If you have seen all of the attractions within Boston National Historical Park, the museum is largely a repeat of what you may have already learned, only here you actually get to see some original artifacts and reprints of newspaper articles, speeches, and political cartoons.
Exhibit at the Old State House Museum in Boston
The Old State House Museum covers the events in Boston that led up to the American Revolution; the British military occupation and subsequent withdrawal from the city in March 1776 after an 11-month siege by Patriot militiamen; and the conversion of the State House from a Royal house of government into the Massachusetts State House in 1780. John Hancock was elected the first state governor and was inaugurated in the building. One of his coats and waistcoats is now on display in the museum. Based on a written description of the event, this may be the coat he wore for his inauguration, but this is not known for certain.
Coat and waistcoat that belonged to John Hancock on display at the Old State House Museum
Many Americans are upset about today’s fake news, but fake news—or as it has always been known by, propaganda—has been around since people began forming communities thousands of years ago. In fact, fake news helped establish this country. Paul Revere’s lithograph of a Henry Pelham drawing depicting British soldiers gleefully gunning down civilians outside the State House is only one example of how fake news was used to garner colonist support for the Patriot movement. An exhibit in the museum shows even more examples.
Examples of pro-Patriot propaganda used to stir up resentment against the King of England on display at the Old State House Museum
Print of the Boston Massacre by Paul Revere
There are also rotating exhibits in the upstairs Council Chamber and House of Representatives Hall.
Rotating exhibits in the Council Chamber of Boston’s Old State House
The preservation of the Old State House is also covered in detail. Information panels tell the story of the building’s rescue from near demolition in 1881 up through the most recent renovation in 1991 when, among other upgrades, air conditioning was added to the building.
A second floor exhibit titled The Old State House: A Hands-On History is located in the area of the building that was once occupied by the Court Chamber. It is geared for children and has many interactive (non-electronic) exhibits where kids can try to answer questions or build a wall with foam bricks to mimic the State House’s exterior.
The Old State House: A Hands-On History exhibit on the second floor of Boston’s Old State House
There is also a five-minute multi-media presentation on the Boston Massacre. The story is told using video, audio, and light to help recreate the atmosphere of the March 5, 1770, event. It’s short, so you can’t go wrong, and kids will like it.
SCHEDULING YOUR TIME
While the Old State House Museum contains many artifacts, the majority of the exhibits are comprised of information panels that require a lot of reading. In addition, there are many facsimiles of historical documents that you might want to take a look at. The typical tourist will give the museum no more than a few minutes of his time, but for a meaningful visit, allow at least a half hour. If you want to read everything and see all of the exhibits as I did, plan to spend between an hour and an hour and a half.
Exhibit at the Old State House Museum with reprints of pre-and post-Revolution government proclamations
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Last updated on February 1, 2024
