Camellia Days at Lyman Estate Greenhouses

Experience the vibrant beauty of 100-year-old camellias in full bloom at the historic 1804 Lyman Estate Greenhouses, one of the oldest surviving greenhouses in the US. Soak up the tropical atmosphere, explore a piece of history, and enjoy a 10% discount on purchases as a Historic New England member. 𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒂 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓! 𝑱𝒐𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅/𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒚𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝑬𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔. Tuesday - Saturday February 18 - March 18 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tickets are not required to see the camellias in bloom but are required for tours. Lyman Estate Greenhouses Tours:&nbsp;<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fshorturl.at%2FmF0oK%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR38doTv6YQ-yl2W6EAmwpM2eNYVmxQEBebewoIdTAlOBQG3ddn7f_jJW10_aem_aSyi5eAjj029lTDnTk9KlQ&amp;h=AT3gNhcpZ1joz1CA4Z0TK8X_yu9uo-gBxIKRooeKHzVuuk9YP3c_LqsxsmmiYyuRqdSLZjSE7YxXwDe4nJj-pIPvG8QkqPVQiOO9Ke4zFT8PGcVk2aFL-QB_1VKZ7h9NTdLxZDnUK1HyL9XrLw&amp;__tn__=q&amp;c[0]=AT0afItgaMZiHP9jKIgtsu-8eTU0Iag_ePh96KT74PagJ2h5MR5e8THduDUjuxOd_gj_BAeeHYNU9-tJd-zeDst10DtfVW7fbUiTqDh1STFDqHC_y1TiwhY5ogsX6M9hciezlrMDDHQerA6JHNWLC8Gq6CQoYONvq5yr2A">https://shorturl.at/mF0oK</a> Lyman Estate Museum Tours:&nbsp;<a href="https://shorturl.at/WYi0t?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1PRDsGj9Bzi5uOgEYL2o3OwdkMlHyw36n6tPicxFp7P0BG7VSKGRD6nTY_aem_NvCuYs2Qa8UpQQM-JIaRUw">https://shorturl.at/WYi0t</a> Please call (617) 994-5913 for more information or visit&nbsp;<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2FHistoricNewEngland.org%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1PRDsGj9Bzi5uOgEYL2o3OwdkMlHyw36n6tPicxFp7P0BG7VSKGRD6nTY_aem_NvCuYs2Qa8UpQQM-JIaRUw&amp;h=AT1y9_ddWX148T7bf9G3OZbuW7wUBNPl_uKueRUQyb6VinL_YcCQl86dOSYLoyx9ryLPsK3VR3eJt2gcHpOYQwbdKcFt9lpjoVinh7Is6uE6rPzhvHR7fiGmhYJvHuzei8JbllQDk-ijeAwGHQ&amp;__tn__=q&amp;c[0]=AT0afItgaMZiHP9jKIgtsu-8eTU0Iag_ePh96KT74PagJ2h5MR5e8THduDUjuxOd_gj_BAeeHYNU9-tJd-zeDst10DtfVW7fbUiTqDh1STFDqHC_y1TiwhY5ogsX6M9hciezlrMDDHQerA6JHNWLC8Gq6CQoYONvq5yr2A">HistoricNewEngland.org</a>&nbsp;See less

Lyman Estate Greenhouses

Love and Politics in the American Revolution

Held in the same ballroom where Abigail and John Adams danced as guests of the Lymans, join Historic New England for a riveting one-woman performance of American Portia: <a href="https://my.historicnewengland.org/19944/love-and-politics?">Abigail Smith Adams by local writer and performer Laura Rocklyn. </a> Experience Abigail’s memories of her inspiring relationship with John that began with playful love letters from a young lawyer sending kisses to his "Miss Adorable," and developed into the extraordinary partnership between two sharp and visionary political minds that helped to shape a young nation. The year is 1788. Abigail and John Adams have just returned from Europe, where John has served as an American envoy to France and then to England. When greeted with the news that the new United States' Constitution has finally been ratified and that the first Presidential election is at hand, Abigail looks back over her life at the center of the inspiring and challenging events that led to the creation of this new nation. Please call 617-994-5912 for more information.&nbsp;

Lyman Estate 

Houseplant and Begonia Sale

Visit Historic New England's <a href="https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/lyman-estate-greenhouses/?">Lyman Estate Greenhouse</a> for this exotic houseplant sale features begonias and semi-tropical plants. Browse the large selection of hard-to-find houseplants, along with succulents, cactus, citrus, gesneriads, flowering plants, terrarium plants, and striking foliage plants. Historic New England members save 10% on purchases. Please call 617-994-5913 for more information.&nbsp;

Christmas Tree Chipfest

Join Historic New England at <a href="https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/spencer-peirce-little-farm/?">Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm</a> to celebrate the end of the holiday season with our Christmas Tree Chipfest, a new event that highlights environmental sustainability.&nbsp; Support soil health and increase resilience against climate change by using the chipped trees for mulch or to restore coastal sand dunes. Spend the afternoon at the farm. Enjoying roasted s’mores, sipping and snacking on food and drinks from your favorite local vendors, and tours of the first floor of the 1690 manor house. Families can join in the fun with face painting and winter storytelling. Bring your undecorated Christmas tree to be chipped by our event partner, Black Earth Compost, and take home a bag of mulch as a memento of your contribution to sustainability. Ticket is for parking: $15 The event is rain or shine.

Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm

Virtual Program - Houseplants 101

Join Historic New England and Lynn Ackerman, the greenhouse manager at the Lyman Estate Greenhouses in Waltham, Massachusetts, for this virtual presentation. Lynn shares the best growing strategies for houseplants, plus tips on how to keep them plants healthy. You will learn the proper cultural conditions needed to have success growing your houseplants and which ones to choose for growing conditions in your home.&nbsp; Be ready to ask questions about your own houseplant to get a personalized answer during the question and answer segment. Mark your calendar for the Houseplant and Begonia Sale on Saturday, January 18, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Advance tickets required. Please call 617-994-6678 for more information. The link for the webinar will be included in the order confirmation for this program.

Lyman Estate

Gilded Glow Holiday Concert

Join Historic New England for a festive concert from The Harper and The Minstrel in the twinkling glow of the holiday lights in this Gilded Age mansion. This historically inspired performance of Medieval, Renaissance, and Celtic winter music is sung and played on a variety of traditional instruments including historical harps, recorders, viola da gamba, dulcimers, guitar, wooden flutes, and psaltery.&nbsp; The Harper and The Minstrel are Jay and Abby Michaels. This husband-and-wife musical duo has performed Medieval, Renaissance and Celtic music for more than twenty years.&nbsp; Doors open at 6:00 p.m. to explore the house and enjoy refreshments. The concert starts at 7:00 p.m.&nbsp; Please call 617-994-6600 for more information.&nbsp; Seating is limited. Advanced registration required.

Eustis Estate

Santa at the Eustis Estate

Santa Claus is coming to Historic New England's Eustis Estate! Visit the 1878 mansion house decorated for Christmas and take a photo with Santa from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Please call 617-994-6600 for more information. All children must be accompanied by a ticketed adult. Once you have selected your child tickets reserve your adult tickets from the link in the cart or HERE.This is a special program and no discounts apply. Children: $5; General Public: $20. Historic New England member adult tickets are free.

Annual Eustis Estate Arts Market

Historic New England invites you to the 5th Annual Eustis Estate Arts Market. This open air market features a variety of local craftspeople selling unique, handmade work in a wide range of mediums. Tickets are $5. Historic New England members are free; Nonmember $5.  Please call 617-994-5914 for more information.

Museum as Muse

Ever since Andy Warhol’s 1969 “<a href="https://risdmuseum.org/exhibitions-events/exhibitions/raid-icebox-1-andy-warhol">Raid the Icebox 1</a>” exhibition at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, contemporary artists have found fertile ground in traditional museum settings. By introducing work that challenges and enlarges our experience of these spaces, makers and curators forge unforeseen links between institutional founders and present-day visitors, reinvigorating our engagement with the past. Join moderator Tripp Evans, curator of Historic New England’s exhibition, <a href="https://my.historicnewengland.org/20292/importance-exhibition">The Importance of Being Furnished: Four Bachelors at Home</a>, for a discussion of this practice with celebrated artists Hannah Barrett and Beth Katleman, whose works appear in Historic New England’s show, and Pieranna Cavalchini, the Tom and Lisa Blumenthal Curator of Contemporary Art at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. to allow time to visit the exhibition and enjoy refreshments before the program. Please call 617-994-6600 for more information.

Mobius Artist Group Presents: Accumulation + Migration

Join Historic New England and Mobius Artist Group for an afternoon of art and performance at the Eustis Estate in Milton, where the theme of <a href="https://my.historicnewengland.org/20292/mobius?_gl=1*1ohbcn*_ga*MzQ0NjA5MjUwLjE3MTgzODIxMjg.*_ga_FZ62ER4KHZ*MTcyNTM5MDczNy4yODUuMS4xNzI1MzkxMTM1LjYwLjAuMA..">Accumulation + Migration</a> is brought to life through visual explorations. <a href="https://www.mobius.org/">Mobius</a> presents a series of unique performances that delve into this theme and invite the audience to reflect on the impacts of climate change on humanity and the natural world. Performers will engage in building a sculpture while simultaneously creating dynamic traveling movements, seamlessly blending art and action to evoke a powerful narrative. The event also features two musical sets that complement the visual and movement pieces, enhancing the sensory journey through the Eustis Estate and its landscape. <a href="https://my.historicnewengland.org/20292/mobius?_gl=1*1ohbcn*_ga*MzQ0NjA5MjUwLjE3MTgzODIxMjg.*_ga_FZ62ER4KHZ*MTcyNTM5MDczNy4yODUuMS4xNzI1MzkxMTM1LjYwLjAuMA..">Don't miss this unique opportunity</a> to witness the innovative spirit of the Mobius Artist Group against the stunning backdrop of the Eustis Estate. Please call 617-994-6600 for more information.

42nd Annual Codman Estate Fine Arts and Crafts Festival

Join Historic New England for the 42nd Annual Codman Estate Fine Arts &amp; Crafts Festival. This annual event features the work of more than 100 local artisans. Work includes painting, woodworking, food products, jewelry, photography, glass, clothing, metalwork, and more! Enjoy live entertainment, a food court, and first floor tours of the Codman House museum.

Codman Estate

Lyman Estate Landscape Tour

Join Historic New England for a walk through the rolling wooded paths and garden trails of the Lyman Estate. This site was home to pleasure grounds, formal gardens, a pond system, woodlands, and a working farm for more than four generations of the Lyman family. Peek into the land’s former uses with stories of flora, fauna, and the individuals who cared for them. Historic New England $15; Nonmember $25. Please call 617-994-6672 for more information. Tour will meet at the front door of the mansion. This outdoor tour involves traversing uneven surfaces and some stairs for 90 minutes. It will run rain or shine. The greenhouses, one of the oldest surviving complexes in the country, will be open 9:30-4:00 and participants can visit before or after the tour.

Spinsters and Confirmed Bachelors: LGBTQ+ Tour at the Codman Estate

When Ogden Codman Jr. married in 1904, a newspaper printed what many of his friends were thinking: wasn’t he a confirmed bachelor? While not all spinsters and bachelors were gay, not all who were unmarried remained uncoupled. Join us for this special tour of Historic New England’s Codman Estate, for highlights of Codman family friends and relations, from a late nineteenth-century New York power couple, to a literary cousin with a talent for needlework, sharing stories of specific gay and lesbian lives.&nbsp; Historic New England member $20; general public $35. Please call 617-994-6651 for more information.&nbsp;Advance registration required.&nbsp;

Summer Concerts at Eustis Estate: Olson Pingrey Quartet

Join us for summer concerts on the expansive lawn of Historic New England’s Eustis Estate, presented with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mandorlamusic.net/" target="_blank">Mandorla Music</a>. Bring a picnic and enjoy music as the sun sets. Boston’s most alphabetical jazz group, the Olson Pingrey Quartet (AKA the OPQ) is led by the husband and wife team of trombonist Randy Pingrey and baritone saxophonist Kathy Olson. They play a mix of original compositions and inventive arrangements of standards. They'll be joined for this performance by Sam JC Lee on bass and Austin McMahon on drums. Tickets are free; donations are encouraged.&nbsp; Advance ticket reservations are highly recommended. Alcohol is not permitted. Refreshments are available for sale. Please bring your own lawn chairs and blankets. Dogs on leashes are welcome. In the event of rain, the concert will be canceled or rescheduled. Please call 617-994-6600 for more information.

The Importance of Being Furnished: Four Bachelors at Home

The Importance of Being Furnished: Four Bachelors at Home delves into the evolution of American interior design by spotlighting four historic homes - Beauport-Sleeper-McCann House, Codman Estate, Gibson House, Pendleton House – and their creators. Opening June 21, the exhibition examines the role Ogden Codman Jr., Charles Hammond Gibson, Charles Leonard Pendleton, and Henry Davis Sleeper played in early twentieth-century preservation and interior design, highlighting an extraordinary range of furnishings, design work, and personal artifacts drawn from their homes. The homes featured in the exhibition, all of which are now museums open to the public, include:<ul><li><a href="https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/beauport-sleeper-mccann-house/" target="_blank">Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House</a>&nbsp;(1907), in Gloucester, Massachusetts, the eclectic masterpiece of interior decorator Henry Davis Sleeper (1878-1934);</li><li><a href="https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/codman-estate/" target="_blank">Codman Estate</a>&nbsp;(c. 1740) in Lincoln, Massachusetts, home to five generations of the Codman family and redecorated in its final incarnation by architect Ogden Codman, Jr. (1863-1951);</li><li><a href="https://www.thegibsonhouse.org/" target="_blank">Gibson House Museum</a>&nbsp;(1860) in Boston’s Back Bay, a row house preserved by its final owner, writer Charles Hammond Gibson, Jr. (1874-1954);</li><li><a href="https://risdmuseum.org/exhibitions-events/exhibitions/charles-pendleton-house" target="_blank">Pendleton House</a>&nbsp;(1906) at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, built to replicate the Federal-era home of collector Charles Leonard Pendleton (1846-1904).</li></ul>The Importance of Being Furnished: Four Bachelors at Home&nbsp;is on view from June 21 to October 27, 2024 at the Eustis Estate in Milton, Mass. The Eustis Estate is open from Friday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S19: interest based

WBUR’s 75th birthday celebrations 💫

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.