Old State House

Historical statehouse with historical artifacts and displays from the countries found to present day on display. There is a gift shop and an educational scavenger hunt for kids or the kids at heart with a cool prize for its completion.

A historical location you'll visit as part of your Freedom Trail walk. Standing in front of the Old State House, the location where the Boston Massacre occurred, is a profound experience. It's typically a bit busy, as it's located near main roads and walkways, with pedestrians coming and going, but it's quite easy to approach. There's no cost to see the outside of it, and the location doesn't require waiting in line or navigating barriers. I didn't go inside, but it's worth a visit just to see the structure itself.

The site of the Boston Massacre is marked by a large circle inset with the date, March 5, 1770, in front of the Old State House (original place of colonial governance). There's something tragic yet poetic about the juxtaposition of historical events when you stand there in person. It feels altogether *real*.

There are occasional music performances in front of the Old State House as well, if you want to pause a moment and soak it in.

The Old State House is another example of living history right in the middle of Boston. In all honesty, as you walk around the building today, it's almost hard to imagine those moments you've read about in history books since you were a kid taking place where you're standing. It's fascinating and a bit humbling in the moment if that makes any sense. Like a lot of great Boston landmarks, the Old State House is just right there, in between a lot of more modern buildings.