BOSTON · MUSEUMS
Good museum visits fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 11 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Join costumed guides aboard the replica ships Eleanor and Beaver for a lively, one-hour retelling of the Boston Tea Party. You’ll take part in the tea toss, watch the film Let It Begin Here, see the Robinson Tea Chest, and finish with tea time at Abigail’s Tea Room.
“Great time! Informative and we had a blast throwing the tea into the harbor! The Living History performers did an excellent job.”
Visit Real Pirates Salem for a self-guided look at Black Sam Bellamy, Maria Hallett, and the wreck of the Whydah Gally. You’ll see authentic shipwreck artifacts, watch a short film, explore a discovery lab, and enjoy photo stops. Allow 45 to 90 minutes.
“There’s a lot of interesting historical information. It was a lot of fun, and honestly one of the best tours we had while in Salem.”
Visit Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts at your own pace with a one-day general admission ticket. Use the free audio guide on your phone, see works from ancient Egypt to modern art, browse the shops, and pause at the cafés. Special exhibitions require separate tickets.
“This museum is amazing. We were especially interested in the O'Keefe exhibit. It was excellent, but the people who were supposed to be in the group before us arrived late. That made for a very crowded experience. Other than that, it was great. The Ancient Egypt exhibit is fabulous.”
At Real Pirates Salem, follow Black Sam Bellamy and Maria Hallet through a multimedia museum built around treasure recovered from the Whydah Gally. See 300-year-old coins, jewelry, and weapons, watch archaeologists work in the Discovery Lab, and finish with an included digital photo experience.
“the tour was great. the guide was great. the coin with $5 off was a great treat”
Spend 8 to 9 hours tracing the opening battles of the American Revolution from Boston to Lexington and Concord. Guide Coach leads the drive through Cambridge, Lexington Green, Battle Road, historic homes, and the Concord Museum. Pickup, bottled water, and museum admission are included.
“Coach was an excellent guide. His tour was very informative, educational and entertaining. My grandson and I love it.”
Explore Real Pirates Salem with a director-led tour of Whydah artifacts and Sam Bellamy’s story. Guides such as Bill, Victor, and Captain Johnny have drawn strong praise for making the visit lively. Your ticket includes an audio tour, digital photo, and $5 gift-shop gold coin.
“Instead of just buying tickets to the museum, I bought the guided tour because I thought it would be more interesting for my grandchildren, age 11 and 14 . It was awful. The guide was dressed in pirate costume, but he spoke low, and in a monotone, and was just not interesting at all. He basically read what I could read on the wall from the exhibit. The kids were bored after about five minutes and wandered off. We left early.”
Spend about 90 minutes at Boston’s Museum of Ice Cream, an interactive Experium with nine themed spaces, unlimited ice cream, the Sprinkle Pool, and Hall of Freezers. #TeamMOIC guides keep the visit moving, share ice cream facts, and help you enjoy the exhibits safely.
“It didn’t really have any story attached to it. The ice cream was very sweet and sickly. Would recommend for toddlers but nothing older”
Take a 35-minute train from Boston to Salem, then follow a local guide through witch trial sites, Hocus Pocus locations, Puritan landmarks, and pop culture stops. The tour ends with the Salem Witch Museum Sunday through Thursday or Real Pirates Museum Friday and Saturday, plus free time in town.
“Our tour guide Elizabeth was very knowledgeable and passionate about the history of the town. The town was beautiful and clean. Everyone was very welcoming and the shops were fun! Lots of walking so be prepared and public bathrooms are few and far between so go when you can!”
Use one $15 ticket to enter Boston’s Old State House and Old South Meeting House in any order. The two Freedom Trail sites are three minutes apart and open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM, with exhibits, gallery talks, and historic rooms focused on self-government, protest, and the American Revolution.
At Boston’s Charlestown Navy Yard, explore the USS Constitution Museum for one day with interactive galleries, sailor activities, Navy crew videos, and the LEGO Brickyard. Your ticket covers the museum only, not boarding USS Constitution, which the US Navy operates separately.
“Really educational and the films were fascinating to watch”
Join Adam of Up and Adam Food Tours for a 2.5-hour, 1.3-mile walk through Boston’s Back Bay. You’ll taste hot chocolate, a cookie, cupcake, and chocolate hazelnut cake, visit art galleries, and hear neighborhood history in a group capped at 12.
“Adam was an amazing guide, very very knowledgeable and could answer almost any question you ask. Tasted some of the best chocolatey desserts ever, and saw some beautiful artworks. If you love chocolate and modern art this is the tour for you!”
Pick a walk, a hull, a plate or a ghost story.
