Tour the Otis House

Explore over 200 years of history at the foot of Boston’s iconic Beacon Hill neighborhood! Situated at 141 Cambridge Street, nestled beside the historic Old West Church, you’ll find the last surviving mansion in Bowdoin Square, the most luxurious neighborhood before Beacon Hill was constructed. This house was designed by Charles Bulfinch for the man who would become the 3rd mayor of Boston – Harrison “Harry” Gray Otis. Join us for guided tours every Friday through Sunday to learn about the rich lives of one of Boston’s wealthiest families in the Federal era. Discover how use of the home changed through the centuries and learn about the restoration this National Historic Landmark has undergone. Join our knowledgeable guides for an enlightening and entertaining tour of this beautiful mansion! Please note that the tours run approximately 45 minutes and involve standing, walking, and stairs. Chairs are stationed throughout the house, which is not air conditioned, but hand fans are available for free. Tours of only the first floor are available upon request. Hours: April and May, Saturdays Only: 11am – 2pm June through October Friday – Sunday: 11am – 4pm Tours on the hour Admission Costs: Adults: $15 Students and Seniors: $13 Youth (ages 6-12): $7 EBT or SNAP (up to 4 tickets): $2 Children (ages 0-5), HNE Members, and Boston Residents: Free

Otis House Museum

Explore over 200 years of history at the foot of Boston’s iconic Beacon Hill neighborhood! Situated at 141 Cambridge Street, nestled beside the historic Old West Church, you’ll find the last surviving mansion in Bowdoin Square, the most luxurious neighborhood before Beacon Hill was constructed. This house was designed by Charles Bulfinch for the man who would become the 3rd mayor of Boston – Harrison “Harry” Gray Otis. Join us for guided tours every Saturday in November to learn about the rich lives of one of Boston’s wealthiest families in the Federal era. Discover how use of the home changed through the centuries and learn about the restoration this National Historic Landmark has undergone. Join our knowledgeable guides for an enlightening and entertaining tour of this beautiful mansion! Please note that the tours run approximately 45 minutes and involve standing, walking, and stairs. Chairs are stationed throughout the house, which is not air conditioned, but hand fans are available for free. Tours of only the first floor are available upon request. Accessibility Considerations: Tour involves a second floor only accessible by stairs and the house is not air-conditioned. Folding chairs can be provided for visitors upon request. Visitors with limited mobility may be able to enjoy a first floor tour of the house and grounds.    Hours: 	Saturdays Only: 11am – 2pm 	Tours on the hour   Admission Costs:     Adults: $15 	Students and Seniors: $13 	Youth (ages 6-12): $7 	EBT or SNAP (up to 4 tickets): $2     Children (ages 0-5), HNE Members, and Boston Residents: Free

Life of a Laborer, a Working-Class History Tour

From cooking meals to operating a factory loom, laborers made the Lyman family’s life on a grand estate possible. Hundreds of workers were employed in occupations like gardeners, maids, and farm hands during the Lyman Estate’s 150+ years of operation. Thousands more held positions in industries that helped the family prosper financially, like the textile mills in Waltham and Holyoke that the Lyman’s invested in. Explore the working-class history of the Lyman Estate and visit areas of the house not usually on view during this new specialty tour. Member $15; Nonmember $20 The Lyman Estate is located at 185 Lyman Street, Waltham, Mass. The parking lot is just past the mansion with additional parking along the entrance road to the property. For more information about the program, please call 617-994-5912 or visit <a href="historicnewengland.org/property/lyman-estate/">HistoricNewEngland.org/Property/Lyman-Estate/</a>.

Lyman Estate

Tour the Lyman Estate

The Lyman Estate, also known as “the Vale,” is a National Historic Landmark and one of the finest U.S. examples of a country estate following eighteenth-century English naturalistic design. In 1793 shipping merchant Theodore Lyman commissioned famed architect Samuel McIntire to design and build a Federal-style house for his family. The thirty-seven acres include beautifully preserved gardens and historic greenhouses. Hear the story of over 150 years of history at the mansion, which is used today as a venue for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/property-rentals/lyman-estate/">weddings and corporate events</a>. Its architectural features include a graceful oval parlor and elegant ballroom, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x79u230bFU">can be seen</a>&nbsp;in the 2019 film adaptation of&nbsp;Little Women. Tours are 1st and 3rd Saturdays at 10:00, 11:00, and 12:00.&nbsp;Purchase tickets online or on site: $15 adult, $13 senior, $7 student, Free for Historic New England members. There is ample on-site parking for cars in the large lot past the mansion. Please enter through the front door of the mansion to begin your visit. Landscape Tours take place the 3rd Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. and the working-class history tour, Life of a Laborer, takes place on the same day at 11:30 a.m. Visit our website for tickets and more information. Stop by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/lyman-estate-greenhouses/">Lyman Estate Greenhouses</a>&nbsp;for beautiful plants and expert advice. For group reservations, please call 617-994-5912 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lymanestate@historicnewengland.org">email Lyman Estate</a>.

From cooking meals to operating a factory loom, laborers made the Lyman family’s life on a grand estate possible. Hundreds of workers were employed in occupations like gardeners, maids, and farm hands during the Lyman Estate’s 150+ years of operation. Thousands more held positions in industries that helped the family prosper financially, like the textile mills in Waltham and Holyoke that the Lyman’s invested in. Explore the working-class history of the Lyman Estate and visit areas of the house not usually on view during this new specialty tour. Member $15; Nonmember $20 Life of a Laborer, a Working-Class History Tour&nbsp;will also be offered on&nbsp;<a href="https://my.historicnewengland.org/23835/laborer-tour-nov">November 15</a>. The Lyman Estate is located at 185 Lyman Street, Waltham, Mass. The parking lot is just past the mansion with additional parking along the entrance road to the property. For more information about the program, please call 617-994-5912 or visit <a href="historicnewengland.org/property/lyman-estate/">HistoricNewEngland.org/Property/Lyman-Estate/</a>.

Lyman Estate Landscape Tour

Walk the rolling paths and garden trails of the 37-acre Lyman estate with us. Landscape and horticulture were always integral to the estate. This site was home to pleasure grounds, formal gardens, a working farm, greenhouses, and woodlands for over four generations of the Lyman family. See how the grounds have changed over time and explore that which has remained intact in spite of it.&nbsp; Member $15; Nonmember $20. The Lyman Estate is located at 185 Lyman Street, Waltham, Mass. The parking lot is just past the mansion with additional parking along the entrance road to the property. For more information about the program, please call 617-994-5912 or visit <a href="historicnewengland.org/property/lyman-estate/">HistoricNewEngland.org/Property/Lyman-Estate/</a>.

100 Years in 4 Objects: A Quick Tour of the Otis House

Short on time? Discover the rich history of art and daily life from the 19th century in just 25 minutes. Perfect for both first-time visitors and longtime enthusiasts, this tour offers a fresh way to experience the Otis House Museum's timeless charm. Historic New England members $5;&nbsp;Nonmember $15. ABOUT THE OTIS HOUSE Otis House is the last surviving mansion in Bowdoin Square in Boston’s West End neighborhood. Charles Bulfinch designed the house for politician Harrison Gray Otis, Sally Foster Otis, and their young family. Tours include the family’s life in the Federal era and the later history of the house, when it served as a clinic and a middle-class boarding house.&nbsp;

Virtual Program - Threads of Industry: The Lyman Family and the Rise of New England Mills

Discover how the Lyman family helped shape New England’s industrial story. From their early days as Boston merchants to their deep ties with mill towns like Waltham, Holyoke, and Lowell, this talk traces their shift alongside the region’s transformation. Join Steve Guerriero, Director of Education at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.charlesrivermuseum.org/">Charles River Museum of Industry &amp; Innovation</a>, Barbara Callahan, Historic New England Metro Boston Regional Site Administrator, and Lyman Estate volunteer Emily Warren for this lively look at how industry and everyday lives came together in the 19th century. Members Free; Nonmembers $5. Advance tickets required. The link for the webinar will be included in the order confirmation for this program. The Lyman Estate&nbsp;is one of Historic New England's properties, a 1793 mansion with grounds in Waltham, MA. For more information about the program, please call 617-994-5912 or visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thebostoncalendar.com/events/historicnewengland.org/property/lyman-estate/">HistoricNewEngland.org/Property/Lyman-Estate/</a>.

Online

The Lyman Estate, also known as “the Vale,” is a National Historic Landmark and one of the finest U.S. examples of a country estate following eighteenth-century English naturalistic design. In 1793 shipping merchant Theodore Lyman commissioned famed architect Samuel McIntire to design and build a Federal-style house for his family. The thirty-seven acres include beautifully preserved gardens and historic greenhouses. Hear the story of over 150 years of history at the mansion, which is used today as a venue for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/property-rentals/lyman-estate/">weddings and corporate events</a>. Its architectural features include a graceful oval parlor and elegant ballroom, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x79u230bFU">can be seen</a>&nbsp;in the 2019 film adaptation of&nbsp;Little Women. Tours are 1st and 3rd Saturdays at 10:00, 11:00, and 12:00.&nbsp;Purchase tickets online or on site: $15 adult, $13 senior, $7 student, Free for Historic New England members. There is ample on-site parking for cars in the large lot past the mansion. Please enter through the front door of the mansion to begin your visit. Landscape Tours&nbsp;take place the 3rd Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. and the working-class history tour,&nbsp;Life of a Laborer, takes place on the same day at 11:30 a.m. Visit our website for tickets and more information. Stop by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/lyman-estate-greenhouses/">Lyman Estate Greenhouses</a>&nbsp;for beautiful plants and expert advice. For group reservations, please call 617-994-5912 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lymanestate@historicnewengland.org">email Lyman Estate</a>.

Short on time? Take a lunchtime break and discover the rich history of art and daily life from the 19th century in just 25 minutes. Perfect for both first-time visitors and longtime enthusiasts, this tour offers a fresh way to experience the Otis House Museum's timeless charm. Historic New England members $5; Nonmember $10. Please call (617) 994-5920 for more information. 100 Years in 4 Objects: A Quick Tour of Otis House lunchtime tour will also be offered on September 5, September, 12, September 19, and September 26.   ABOUT THE OTIS HOUSE Otis House is the last surviving mansion in Bowdoin Square in Boston’s West End neighborhood. Charles Bulfinch designed the house for politician Harrison Gray Otis, Sally Foster Otis, and their young family. Tours include the family’s life in the Federal era and the later history of the house, when it served as a clinic and a middle-class boarding house. Accessibility Considerations: Tour involves a second floor only accessible by stairs and the house is not air-conditioned. Folding chairs can be provided for visitors upon request. Visitors with limited mobility may be able to enjoy a first floor tour of the house and grounds.

Short on time? Discover the rich history of art and daily life from the 19th century in just 25 minutes. Perfect for both first-time visitors and longtime enthusiasts, this tour offers a fresh way to experience the Otis House Museum's timeless charm. Historic New England members $5;&nbsp;Nonmember $15. 100 Years in 4 Objects: A Quick Tour of Otis House&nbsp;will also be offered on&nbsp;October 17. ABOUT THE OTIS HOUSE Otis House is the last surviving mansion in Bowdoin Square in Boston’s West End neighborhood. Charles Bulfinch designed the house for politician Harrison Gray Otis, Sally Foster Otis, and their young family. Tours include the family’s life in the Federal era and the later history of the house, when it served as a clinic and a middle-class boarding house.&nbsp;

From cooking meals to operating a factory loom, laborers made the Lyman family’s life on a grand estate possible. Hundreds of workers were employed in occupations like gardeners, maids, and farm hands during the Lyman Estate’s 150+ years of operation. Thousands more held positions in industries that helped the family prosper financially, like the textile mills in Waltham and Holyoke that the Lyman’s invested in. Explore the working-class history of the Lyman Estate and visit areas of the house not usually on view during this new specialty tour. Member $15; Nonmember $20 Life of a Laborer, a Working-Class History Tour&nbsp;will also be offered on&nbsp;<a href="https://my.historicnewengland.org/23835/laborer-tour-oct">October 18</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://my.historicnewengland.org/23835/laborer-tour-nov">November 15</a>. The Lyman Estate is located at 185 Lyman Street, Waltham, Mass. The parking lot is just past the mansion with additional parking along the entrance road to the property. For more information about the program, please call 617-994-5912 or visit <a href="historicnewengland.org/property/lyman-estate/">HistoricNewEngland.org/Property/Lyman-Estate/</a>.

1/2 Price Labor Day Tour - Life of a Laborer, a Working-Class History Tour

Join us for this special half-price tour in honor of Labor Day! Tours are at 10:00 a.m. and noon. From cooking meals to operating a factory loom, laborers made the Lyman family’s life on a grand estate possible. Hundreds of workers were employed in occupations like gardeners, maids, and farm hands during the Lyman Estate’s 150+ years of operation. Thousands more held positions in industries that helped the family prosper financially, like the textile mills in Waltham and Holyoke that the Lyman’s invested in. Explore the working-class history of the Lyman Estate and visit areas of the house not usually on view during this new specialty tour. Member $5; Nonmember $10 Life of a Laborer, a Working-Class History Tour&nbsp;is also offered on the 3rd Saturday of each month at 11:30 a.m. The Lyman Estate&nbsp;is located at 185 Lyman Street, Waltham, Mass. The parking lot is just past the mansion with additional parking along the entrance road to the property. For more information about the program, please call 617-994-5912 or visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thebostoncalendar.com/events/historicnewengland.org/property/lyman-estate/">HistoricNewEngland.org/Property/Lyman-Estate/</a>.

Barbara Callahan

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

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

S19: interest based

Kid-friendly events in Boston

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.

Where

hnemetroboston

Experiences

Tour the Otis House

Life of a Laborer, a Working-Class History Tour

Tour the Lyman Estate

Life of a Laborer, a Working-Class History Tour

Lyman Estate Landscape Tour

100 Years in 4 Objects: A Quick Tour of the Otis House

Virtual Program - Threads of Industry: The Lyman Family and the Rise of New England Mills

Tour the Lyman Estate

Tour the Lyman Estate

100 Years in 4 Objects: A Quick Tour of the Otis House

100 Years in 4 Objects: A Quick Tour of the Otis House

Life of a Laborer, a Working-Class History Tour

Lyman Estate Landscape Tour

1/2 Price Labor Day Tour - Life of a Laborer, a Working-Class History Tour

Life of a Laborer, a Working-Class History Tour