Boston National Historical Park information desk at Faneuil Hall

See the Visitor Centers web page for an interactive location map.

Faneuil Hall began as a marketplace in 1742, and in keeping with that tradition, the main floor is still a retail shopping mall full of small vendor stands. One of the tenants is the National Park Service, which operates its main visitor orientation center for Boston National Historical Park from here. It’s not a traditional visitor center housed in its own building, but there is a Ranger-staffed information desk and a small gift store. It is typically open daily from 9 AM to 6 PM, except when closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Keep in mind that times can always change, so before making travel plans be sure to get the current schedule on the National Park Service’s official Operating Hours and Seasons web page for the park.

The Faneuil Hall Visitor Center is also where you come to sign up for Ranger-guided tours of the Freedom Trail. There is no fee, but you do need a ticket. If you have a group of ten or more you must make a reservation in advance. For more information, see the National Park Service’s official Make a Reservation web page for Boston National Historical Park.

While you sign up for a tour on the main level, the actual tour begins on the lower level of Faneuil Hall in a meeting room. This is also where the restrooms are located.