The Boston Tea Party Museum is located right down on the Congress Street Bridge in Boston. This experience is a fun way to learn a little history. This museum is actually a small performance that you get to participate in as the Boston Tea Party is re-enacted. This is a fun way for kids to get involved, and a great way for adults to learn about this event in American history.
The Boston Tea Party Museum is located right on the river, so there is no parking at the museum. You will need to park and walk to the entrance. We found a pay parking lot on the west side that was not too expensive and an easy walk. After all, you are going to pay for parking anywhere in Boston.
Interactive Experience
As you enter, you’ll be given a small role card that tells you whom you’ll be portraying during the events of that evening in 1773. You can learn more about this actual person, and at the end of the tour, you get to keep the card. A few of the roles even have speaking parts. Dad got to be one of the speakers, and it was super fun.
You’ll start in a pew in a meeting room. Here, the actors in period clothing get you riled up by explaining the reasons for the Tea Party. Kids enjoy participating by sitting in on the meeting and responding with claps, foot stomping, and more.
Eventually, you head out to the ship. You are greeted by more actors aboard one of the three ships that were present that night. Then, you and your group will take turns tossing tea boxes into the Boston Harbor.
Museum
After exploring the ship, you enter the actual Boston Tea Party Museum. There aren’t many artifacts, but the two that stand out are incomparable. First, there is a vial of tea that was collected and second, you’ll see the only existing tea box to survive the night. There are also some short videos and explanations about the events just following the Tea Party. Finally, a movie takes you to “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World,” at the beginning of the Revolution. You are not allowed to take any photos or videos in this part of the museum, but we really enjoyed this part of the tour.
To call this site a museum is a misnomer. It is an interactive experience that in no way resembles a stodgy old museum. We liked it a lot more than a museum! The Boston Tea Party Museum was one of our favorite stops in Boston.
