Old State House

The Old State House, completed in 1713, served as the center of royal government in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and was a focal point of the political conflict that preceded the American Revolution. The Boston Massacre occurred just outside the building on March 5, 1770, and testimony about the confrontation was gathered within its walls. On July 18, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was publicly read to Bostonians from the building’s balcony.

Today, visitors can explore restored historic rooms such as the Council Chamber, examine exhibitions about colonial government and revolutionary Boston, and participate in gallery talks and interpretive programs. Outside, a marker identifies the approximate site of the Boston Massacre. Surrounded by the modern city, the building offers an unusually vivid contrast between present-day Boston and the compact civic center where royal authority gave way to independence.