Experiences
In 1774 Paul Revere and his neighbors in the North End were forced to make difficult and dangerous choices. As sides were drawn, both Patriots and Loyalists labeled the other “enemies to this country.” Join a National Park Service Ranger for a free 60 minute walk and decide who the real "Enemies to This Country" were in the months before the breakout of the War for Independence.
The tour is limited to 15 people. Tours begin inside the Find Your Park Space at the Faneuil Hall Visitor Center and end at Old North Church, covering about 0.5 miles. This is a walking tour through Downtown Boston and the North End. The path consists of different surfaces (cement, cobblestones, and pavement) and are occasionally uneven.
If tours are CANCELLED due to inclement weather we will send an email notifying you of the cancellation.
If cancelled an indoor option will be offered in the basement of Faneuil Hall in the Find Your Park Space.
Located in Building 5 of the Charlestown Navy Yard, this Visitor Center features exhibits and a short film about the work and workers of the Navy Yard who supported the United States Navy from 1800 to 1974. Please note that access to this building is through a security checkpoint.
The park's main exhibits are at the Bunker Hill Museum. Located across the street from the Monument grounds, the exhibits are housed in the old Charlestown Branch building of the Boston Public Library.
Located in the heart of downtown on the market floor of the historic 1742 building, the Faneuil Hall Visitor Center is the main visitor center for Boston National Historical Park and Boston African American National Historic Site. Maps and information for the Freedom Trail® and Black Heritage Trail® are available here. Tours begin here seasonally.
Programming
Explore! Learn! Protect! Become a Junior Ranger at Boston National Historical Park. Opportunities for all ages (even adults) makes becoming a Junior Ranger an experience for the whole family.
The "Liberty" Junior Ranger Activity Book introduces you to the sites along the Freedom Trail® here in Boston. Travel along the sites as you learn about the early stirrings of the American Revolution.
When you come to the park, visit the Faneuil Hall Visitor Center or the Charlestown Navy Yard Visitor Center. A park ranger or volunteer can give you a copy of the Junior Ranger Handbook.
Or visit virtually! Most activities in the Junior Ranger book can be completed by reading through the book and visiting the websites of our partners. You can also complete your Ranger guided program by coming along on a virtual tour of the Bunker Hill Monument or learn about the battle with Ranger Patrick. Visit the Park's Junior Ranger page to get your virtual Junior Ranger badge and take the Junior Ranger oath.
Explore! Learn! Protect! Become a Junior Ranger at Boston African American National Historic Site. Activities for all ages (even adults) makes becoming a Junior Ranger an experience for the whole family.
Our Junior Ranger Activity Book introduces you to the sites along the Black Heritage Trail® here in Boston. Travel along the sites as you learn about the free Black community of the north slope of Beacon Hill and their fight for equal rights in the United States.
When you come to the park, visit the Faneuil Hall Visitor Center. A park ranger or volunteer can give you a copy of the Junior Ranger Handbook.
Or become a Junior Ranger virtually! Most activities in the Junior Ranger book can be completed by reading through the book and visiting the websites of our partners. You can also complete your Ranger guided program by coming along on a virtual tour of the Black Heritage Trail, listening to Ranger Shawn discuss the Maritime Underground Railroad, or learning about the story of Anthony Burns. Visit the Park's Junior Ranger page to get your virtual Junior Ranger badge and take the Junior Ranger oath.
Explore! Learn! Protect! Become a Junior Ranger at Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park. Opportunities for all ages (even adults) makes becoming a Junior Ranger an experience for the whole family.
Our Jr. Ranger booklets introduce you to the wildlife, geography, and history of the islands. Through activities, you can identify marine life, interview a ranger, and discover all that these islands have to offer!
You can download Jr. Ranger booklets on Spectacle Island, Georges Island, Peddocks Island, and the Camping Islands (Lovells, Grape, and Bumpkin Islands). Visit the Kids and Families page on the Boston Harbor Islands Partnership website to download Jr. Ranger Booklets available in Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, Vietnamese, and Haitian Creole.
In the guise of itinerant musicians, Al Petty & Deirdre Sweeney perform popular 18th-century tunes such as “Mr. Isaac’s Maggot” and “Jack’s Health” on the penny whistle, flute, fife, & other instruments.
Award-winning musician Dave Neiman plays jigs, reels, and Baroque and Renaissance tunes that Paul Revere and his family may have enjoyed.
Clothing historian Henry Cooke takes on the role of an early Boston tailor. Watch as he “takes the measure” of visitors, then sits cross-legged, fashioning waistcoats from luxurious fabrics and “slops” from coarse weaves.
Who fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill? Listen to a ranger dressed in period clothing discuss why three men from different backgrounds stepped onto the battlefield. They each had different ambitions, motivations, and concerns. The program concludes with a musket firing demonstration!
Programs are held outside the Bunker Hill Monument and last approximately 30 minutes.
For 2025, this program will run June 21 through September 1. Programs will be offered on Saturdays at 11:30am, 2:30pm, and 3:30pm, weather permitting.
Join Boston Lyric Opera at the historic Charlestown Navy Yard for a memorable afternoon of music, maritime history, and stunning Boston Harbor views. From the lawn of the 1805 Commandant’s House, BLO’s musicians will perform an open-air concert of fan-favorite opera and musical theatre repertoire, all in sight of U.S.S. CONSTITUTION and U.S.S. CASSIN YOUNG. Experience songs from across centuries as we celebrate the founding of the National Park Service, with special events happening across the country.
Rain date is August 24 from 3:30PM to 4:30PM.
Please register to get a "Know Before You Go" email and to receive any updates about rain delays or venue changes.
Diane Lent brings to life Harriet Revere, one of Paul Revere’s 16 children. Join her in reminiscing about her father’s dramatic life, the adventures of her many siblings, nieces, and nephews, and growing up in the historic North End.
Experiences
Event Programming
