The Commonwealth Museum

The Commonwealth Museum FREE admission, rare national treasures, engaging field trips. This museum is YOUR museum! With neighboring John F.
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Located by the seafront of Columbia Point, the Commonwealth Museum serves as a state history museum in Massachusetts for the public. Our exhibit contains many important written texts and documents such as the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Paul Revere’s original engraving of the Boston Massacre and more. Kennedy Presidential

Library and Museum, the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the US Senate and the University of Massachusetts Boston all located within a 2-mile radius from the Commonwealth Museum, Columbia Point is certainly a go-to tourist attraction for child-friendly families as well as those interested in getting to know more about the history of the United States. Join us today for an exploration back to the birth of the Commonwealth!

She sells seashells by the seashore… In the state of Mass, what seashell will you find? What does our coastline have in ...
06/18/2026

She sells seashells by the seashore… In the state of Mass, what seashell will you find? What does our coastline have in store? Did the state seashell come to mind? Have you seen it ashore?

This coming Monday is National Seashell day. The Neptunea lyrata is our state shell! Most commonly known as the New England Neptune, it was made the shell of Massachusetts on June 26th, 1987.

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Happy Juneteenth! Tomorrow, Friday June 19th, the Commonwealth Museum will be closed in celebration of Juneteenth.“Junet...
06/18/2026

Happy Juneteenth!

Tomorrow, Friday June 19th, the Commonwealth Museum will be closed in celebration of Juneteenth.

“Juneteenth” is short for June Nineteenth. This day is officially called Juneteenth National Independence Day, but it is also known as Freedom Day, Emancipation Day, and Black Independence Day.
The Final Emancipation Proclamation was issued and made effective on January 1st, 1863. Though this officially declared all enslaved people in Confederate States as free, many places still under Confederate control did not implement the Proclamation. This leads to the importance of Juneteenth for enslaved African Americans in Texas, two years later. On June 19th 1865, over 1,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced the freedom of all enslaved people in the state, declared by executive order.
156 years later Juneteenth was recognized as a federal holiday.
Since then there have been many celebrations in remembrance of this day of Freedom!









On June 10th, 1963 President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act! This was another step forward for women in the United Sta...
06/10/2026

On June 10th, 1963 President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act! This was another step forward for women in the United States, as the Act confronted sex-based discrimination.

Happy National Donut Day!!!Did you know our state donut is the Boston Cream Donut? 🍩National Donut Day lands on the firs...
06/05/2026

Happy National Donut Day!!!
Did you know our state donut is the Boston Cream Donut? 🍩

National Donut Day lands on the first Friday in June every year!
What’s your favorite donut?

This upcoming Monday we will be closed in observance of Memorial Day.We will open again on Tuesday!
05/22/2026

This upcoming Monday we will be closed in observance of Memorial Day.
We will open again on Tuesday!

Thank you for the lovely evening tour! Last evening we joined their 1630: From Shawmut to Boston walking tour. On our t...
05/22/2026

Thank you for the lovely evening tour! Last evening we joined their 1630: From Shawmut to Boston walking tour. On our tour we learned about the journey of how Shawmut became Boston, and the controversies and achievements that came with. Thank you again!!

On Thursday, May 21st from 10:00am-5:00pm the Commonwealth Museum and Massachusetts Archives will be displaying a 1,300-...
05/18/2026

On Thursday, May 21st from 10:00am-5:00pm the Commonwealth Museum and Massachusetts Archives will be displaying a 1,300-pound cast iron cannon. This cannon is believed to have been seized from HMS Diana during the Battle of Chelsea Creek on May 27-28, 1775. The cannon is in pristine condition and retains its original markings, including a crown seal from the reign of King George III. It was meticulously restored by Groton, MA historian Earl Carter, who received national recognition for the project, including his rebuilding of the wooden carriage using tools and techniques accurate to the era when the cannon was forged. The cannon will be presented by his family, who will speak to visitors about their research into the cannon’s history and Earl’s experience restoring it. Talk times will be scheduled for 10:00am, 11:00am and 2:00pm on 5/21. They will be available to answer questions, and visitors will be welcome to pose for photographs in costume with the cannon.

Guests are also invited to tour the Commonwealth Museum, including the First to Be Free exhibit focused on the evacuation of Boston, exclusively on display through July, 2026.

Throughout the month of May we will highlight individuals in Massachusetts history who have made significant contributio...
05/08/2026

Throughout the month of May we will highlight individuals in Massachusetts history who have made significant contributions to the study and advancement of treatment of Mental Health.

The first individual we would like to bring attention to is Dorothea Dix. A social reformer of the 19th century, Dorothea revolutionized the treatment of the mentally ill. Responsible for the establishment of over 32 psychiatric hospitals throughout North America. Her work did not only stop in North America- as she influenced the creation and reform of Psychiatric Care centers in Western Europe, Russia, and as far as Japan.

Alongside the establishment of these hospitals, Dix traveled throughout the United States and Europe writing reports and exposing abuses in jails and almshouses in regards to their treatment of the mentally ill. These reports would be submitted to state and national legislatures. She was even able to advocate for Pope Pius IX to visit asylums of Rome with her, to which he was shocked and appalled at the abuses he witnessed.

Following her lengthy career of psychiatric care and reform, she found herself promoted as Superintendent of Army Nurses for the Union Army during the American Civil War.

After her death in 1887, Dix was buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge.

Happy AAPI Heritage Month!There are many commemorations in the month of May, with Asian American and Pacific Islander He...
05/07/2026

Happy AAPI Heritage Month!
There are many commemorations in the month of May, with Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage being one of them. AAPI Heritage month was officially established as an annual month-long observance in the United States, in 1992. This month is spent celebrating and recognizing the culture, history, and influences that people have made in the US, as AAPI month is primarily celebrated in the country!
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Each May, Mental Health Awareness is observed for the entire month. This is to reduce stigma, educate the public, and pr...
05/07/2026

Each May, Mental Health Awareness is observed for the entire month. This is to reduce stigma, educate the public, and promote resources for mental wellness. Mental Health Awareness month was first observed in 1949. In America, 1 of every 5 adults suffer yearly with a mental health disorder. The theme for 2026 is “More Good Days, Together” which puts focus on taking small steps to have one good, simple, or calm day at a time. But most importantly, for yourself to define what a good day is!
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Address

220 William T Morrissey Boulevard
Boston, MA
02125

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:45pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:45pm
Wednesday 9am - 4:45pm
Thursday 9am - 4:45pm
Friday 9am - 4:45pm

Telephone

+16177279268

Website

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