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Old State House

Construction financed by the King of England in 1713, this was the longtime seat of government in Boston, and remains its oldest public building. The Boston Massacre took place just in front of the State House, and in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was first read to Bostonians from the balcony. Saved from demolition in 1882, the building has housed numerous tenants and seen many faithful restorations over the years. For example the lion and unicorn statues—symbols of the monarchy—were replaced after being burned during a period of revolutionary zeal in 1776. Every 4th of July, the Declaration of Independence is read aloud once more from the same balcony.

family

Address: 206 Washington St
Getting there: T: State
Hours: 9AM-5PM daily
Price: $10, seniors and students $8.50. Kids, US Military, and veterans free
Website: bostonhistory.org (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Boston/Downtown, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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