Boston National Historical Park

USS Constitution goes underway in Boston Harbor at various times each year.  The Ship cruises into the Harbor, stopping for a memorable 21-gun salute at Fort Independence, Castle Island.

**NOTE: Underways affect public visitation hours of USS Constitution. Please follow the ship's social media for updates.

March 28  –  USS Massachusetts Commissioning

May 28  –  Turnaround for USS Constitution Crew

June 17 – The Battle of Bunker Hill Commemoration

July 4 – Independence Day and Public Lottery*

July 11  –  Sail Boston Parade of Tall Ships

August 21 – Chief Petty Officer Heritage Week

August 28  –  Chief Petty Officer Heritage Week

September 25 – Honoring Gold Star Families

October 21 – Commemorating USS Constitution and the United States Navy’s Birthday

Please note that USS Constitution is an active-duty U.S. Navy vessel: the USS Constitution Museum shares details about the underway at the Ship’s discretion as a matter of public interest.

*The Commander of USS Constitution holds a Public Lottery providing opportunities for the public to join the crew on board the Ship for the Independence Day cruise.  The lottery is typically held in early Spring, at the discretion and oversight of the U.S. Navy. All other events are by invitation-only. The public is encouraged to view the Ship from various vantage points throughout Boston’s harbor.

All underway dates are subject to change or cancellation, at any time and at the discretion of the U.S. Navy.

Join a National Park Service Ranger as they share Boston’s diverse history through unique guided tours.

In 1717, six captured pirates faced trial for piracy in Boston. Cotton Mather, a Puritan minister, condemned piracy but also offered salvation to these six pirates. This tour will explore the moment during which the opposing worlds of Puritan Boston and piracy collided. Walk in the footsteps of the condemned pirates through Boston’s North End where they met their fate.

Meeting Point: Find Your Park Space in the lower level of Faneuil Hall, 1 Faneuil Hall Square, Boston, MA 02109

Final Stop: Copp's Hill Terrace

Route Info: The tour will cover approximately 1.1 miles over uneven surfaces, moderate hills, and cross multiple intersections in a highly populated urban area.

Bark is to the Northeast Woodland tribesas bison is to the tribes of the Western Plains. Bark is the material traditionally used to make wigwams, canoes, harvesting and storage containers, even raincoats. There is a season to harvesting bark, just like there is a season to harvesting raspberries. Craftsperson Jennifer Lee
will demonstrate sewing a bark container together with spruce roots, and will have finished containers for sale.

Inspired by Children's Hours held at Old South Meeting House from the late 19th century through the early 20th century, join Revolutionary Spaces for a modern take on family fun at our historic sites and museums! Visit the Old South Meeting House and the Old State House throughout the year for activities for all ages of history enthusiasts, including themed games, crafts, scavenger hunts, gallery talks, music, and more!

Hands-On History Day activities are included in the price of general admission. Plus, ages 17 and under get in to both the Old State House and Old South Meeting House for FREE all day long!

Look closely at a crazy quilt and you’ll find a life woven in the mosaic of textured surfaces: a scrap of wedding silk, a ribbon from the county fair, a souvenir swatch, a sliver of someone’s favorite dress. Gaining distinct popularity by the end of the nineteenth century, “crazy” quilting was more than a technique, but how makers kept record of what mattered to them. What did it mean to spend hundreds of hours of nimble labor into something you’d sleep under every night? These quilts reveal how ordinary women turned scraps and keepsakes into personal archives—and what their quilts can still tell us about the relationship between memory and material culture today.

Tenesha Carter Johnson is a curator and cultural historian, with a particular investment in American quilt and textile histories. Her work explores the relationship between material culture and public history, wherein quilts serve as records of lived experience and historical intervention. She holds a BA in Art History from Spellman College and MA in Decorative Arts, Design History, and Material Culture from Bard Graduate Center. Her research has contributed to leading institutions and digital resources such as the Museum of African American History, Boston & Nantucket; Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture; and, The Fashion & Race Database.

This lecture is presented as a part of our 2026 Lowell Lecture Series, “Engrave, Paint, Sew, Weave: Craft and Craftspeople in Massachusetts.” Craft transcends boundaries of place, time, and culture by communicating across literal and figurative distances. Many craft traditions are also deeply rooted in the places they are practiced in, influenced by local climates, geographies, and resources. Inspired by Paul Revere’s legacy as an artisan, this series delves into four local and regional histories of craft and craftspeople.

Lectures take place on Mondays, September 14 and 28 and October 05 and 26, from 6:30 to 7:45 pm. Lectures are free to the public and can be watched online (link coming soon!) or in person at Smith Commons (5th floor), Sargent Hall, Suffolk University, 120 Tremont Street. The lectures will be recorded and available after the fact.

The in-person location is wheelchair accessible and has accessible restrooms. Seating is in free-standing chairs which may be moved. The live-stream and recording will have auto-generated closed captions only. Please contact the Paul Revere House with any questions about accessibility.

Presented in partnership with GBH Forum Network, the Suffolk University History Department, and the Museum of Fine Arts, with funding from the Lowell Institute.

Join Revolutionary Spaces, the Adams Presidential Center(opens in new tab), and GBH Forum Network(opens in new tab) on Thursday, October 29 at for an engaging conversation exploring the remarkable leadership and enduring contributions of John and Abigail Adams and their relevance to America today. Renowned historians and civic education leaders Dr. Colleen Shogan and Dr. Kurt Graham will come together at the Old South Meeting House for an insightful discussion of the Adams family’s leadership, civic values, and lasting impact on our constitutional democracy.

Dr. Shogan will also introduce In Pursuit: Lessons of American Leadership, an America 250 project featuring essays on leadership lessons from presidents and first ladies, the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Pulitzer Prize-winning historians, military leaders, and other iconic Americans. She will share highlights from the essays focused on the extraordinary leadership of John and Abigail Adams, as well as John Quincy Adams and Louisa Catherine Adams, offering fresh perspectives on how their experiences and leadership lessons continue to resonate today.

This program is free and open to the public thanks to the generous support of the Lowell Institute(opens in new tab). Doors will open at 6:00 PM and the program will begin at 6:30 PM. The program is also available virtually and priority registration is available to Revolutionary Spaces members(opens in new tab). 

Following the program, a recording will be available on Revolutionary Spaces’ GBH Forum Network(opens in new tab) page.