Annual Fiori Lecture: French Material Culture in the Revolutionary Atlantic

This is a hybrid event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare). The in-person reception starts at 5:30 and the program will begin at 6:00. Please visit <a href="https://www.masshist.org/events/fiori-lecture-2025">here </a>to register. Lafayette’s tour of the United States in 1824-5 resulted in the production of objects—ceramics, textiles, prints, among others—all emblazoned with his name and visage. But like Lafayette himself, French impact on material culture dates to the American Revolution. Join us as Ashli White examines the influence of various French things on political movements throughout the revolutionary Atlantic world and considers how diverse populations turned to these items as part of their attempts to realize liberty and equality.

Massachusetts Historical Society

Creating Culture in America, AAPI Diaspora Lives

This is a hybrid event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare). The in-person reception starts at 5:00 and the program will begin at 6:00. Please visit <a href="https://www.masshist.org/events/AAPI-2025">here </a>to register. Join us for a performance and panel considering cultural practices the Asian American and Pacific Islander diaspora have created in Massachusetts. Speakers will discuss what traditions their families brought to Massachusetts and how these intermingled with other cultures to form new observances. They will also examine what has been lost and the challenges that prevented certain customs from continuing in new environments.

Around the World with John Quincy Adams

This is an in-person event. Free.&nbsp; <a href="https://18308a.blackbaudhosting.com/18308a/Around-the-World-with-JQA---Program">Register to attend in person</a>. John Quincy Adams (1767–1848) went everywhere, and he left an incredible paper trail to show for it. Go around the world with the Adams Papers editors in one history-filled night at the MHS. Visit the moments and manuscripts that cemented JQA as a statesman, a president, an anti-slavery crusader, and a public servant in the family tradition. Join us for JQA’s guide to a world gone by.

We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance

This is a hybrid event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare). The in-person reception starts at 5:30 and the program will begin at 6:00. Please visit <a href="https://www.masshist.org/events/Speakers-Fund-We-Refuse">here </a>to register. In her book We Refuse, historian Kellie Carter Jackson examines the breadth of Black responses to white oppression, particularly those pioneered by Black women.&nbsp;Force—from work stoppages and property destruction to armed revolt—has played a pivotal part in securing freedom and justice for Black people since the days of the American and Haitian Revolutions. In conversation with Kanisorn Wongsrichanalai, Carter Jackson will discuss force alongside other vital tactics that have shaped the Black struggle, from the restorative power of finding joy in the face of suffering to the quiet strength of simply walking away.

This is a hybrid event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare). The in-person reception starts at 5:30 and the program will begin at 6:00. Please visit <a href="https://www.masshist.org/events/Speakers-Fund-We-Refuse">here </a>to register In her book We Refuse, historian Kellie Carter Jackson examines the breadth of Black responses to white oppression, particularly those pioneered by Black women. Force—from work stoppages and property destruction to armed revolt—has played a pivotal part in securing freedom and justice for Black people since the days of the American and Haitian Revolutions. In conversation with Kanisorn Wongsrichanalai, Carter Jackson will discuss force alongside other vital tactics that have shaped the Black struggle, from the restorative power of finding joy in the face of suffering to the quiet strength of simply walking away.

A Revolutionary Woman: Elizabeth Freeman & the Abolition of Slavery in the North

This is a virtual event. Please visit <a href="https://www.masshist.org/events/revolutionary-woman-elizabeth-freeman">here </a>to register. At the end of the American Revolution, Elizabeth Freeman was an enslaved widow and mother living in Massachusetts. Hearing the words of the new Mass. state constitution which declared liberty and equality for all, she sought the help of a young lawyer named Theodore Sedgwick, later Speaker of the House and one of America's leading Federalist politicians. The lawsuit that she and Sedgwick pursued would bring freedom to her and her daughter, as well as thousands of other enslaved people. Freeman left her enslaver to be employed by Sedgwick. After Sedgwick's wife, Pamela, became a chronic invalid, Freeman effectively became the foster mother to his seven children, enabling him to pursue a political career. Join us online as author Donna Tesiero details Elizabeth Freeman's life and the far-reaching influence of her battle for freedom.

William Hickling Prescott Award with Stacy Schiff

This is an in-person event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare). The in-person reception starts at 5:00 and the program will begin at 6:00. Please visit <a href="https://www.masshist.org/events/william-hickling-prescott-award-stacy-schiff" target="_blank">here </a>to register. In&nbsp;her most recent book, The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams, Pulitzer-Prize winning author Stacy Schiff brings her masterful storytelling skills to illuminating Adams’ transformation from aimless son of a well-off family to tireless, beguiling radical who mobilized the colonies. Schiff has also brought figures like Benjamin Franklin, Cleopatra, and the Witches of Salem to life in bestselling, widely acclaimed biographies.&nbsp; In recognition of her scholarship, Stacy will be presented with the William Hickling Prescott Award for Excellence in Historical Writing by the Massachusetts Society of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America and the Massachusetts Historical Society. This award has been conferred biennially since 2014 by the Massachusetts Dames and recognizes literary accomplishments and contributions in the field of historical writing.

Making the Presidency: John Adams & the Precedents That Forged the Republic

This is a hybrid event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare). The in-person reception starts at 5:00 and the program will begin at 6:00. Please visit <a href="https://www.masshist.org/events/making-presidency-adams" target="_blank">here </a>to register. Join us for an evening with Lindsay M. Chervinsky, Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library and author of Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents that Forged the Republic, in conversation with Louisa Thomas, author of Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams. Following an introduction by MHS Editor in Chief of the Adams Papers Sara Martin, the historians will reflect on using MHS collections to inform their works on the Adamses. Making the Presidency is a captivating and authoritative account of John Adams’s presidency, exploring how Adams shaped the highest office and ensured the survival of the American republic. The quixotic and stubborn Adams would rely on his ideas about executive power, the Constitution, politics, and the state of the world to navigate the hurdles of the position. He defended the presidency from his own obstructionist cabinet, protected the nation from foreign attacks, and forged trust and dedication to election integrity…at the cost of his political future. In Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams, published in 2016, Louisa Thomas creates an intimate portrait of Louisa Catherine Adams and her extraordinary life. Using historical context along with letters, diaries, and autobiographical accounts written by Adams, Thomas captures the remarkable life of a woman with a thirst for knowledge, who suffered loss, endured a complicated marriage, lived through a pivotal historical moment, and found her voice.

Our Voices: AAPI History at the MHS

This is an in-person event. The in-person reception starts at 5:30 and the program begins at 6:00 PM.&nbsp; Please register to attend <a href="https://www.masshist.org/events/AAPI-2024" target="_blank">here</a>. Join MHS Chief Historian, Peter Drummey, and Reading Room Supervisor, Rakashi Chand, for a look at some of the material in our collections that explores Asian American history.&nbsp;

A Civil Right: 20 Years of Marriage Equality in Massachusetts

This is a hybrid event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare). The in-person reception starts at 5:30 and the program will begin at 6:00.&nbsp; Please visit <a href="https://www.masshist.org/events/Twenty-Years-Marriage-Equality" target="_blank">here </a>to register. Twenty years ago, in May 2004, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s ruling in&nbsp;Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health&nbsp;legalizing same-sex marriage in Massachusetts took effect. The ruling made Massachusetts the first state to legalize gay marriage.&nbsp;Former Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall will discuss the import of Goodridge,&nbsp;as well as the reaction to it.&nbsp;Professor Nancy Cott will explain the part that a historians’ amicus brief played in this case and others. In conversation with MHS President Catherine Allgor, our speakers will reflect upon this landmark case, and the role historians may play in legal cases.

Telling the Untold Stories for Children: Biographies for Kids and Why They Matter

This is a hybrid&nbsp;event.&nbsp;The in-person reception will begin at 4:30 PM. Please visit <a href="https://www.masshist.org/events/telling-untold-stories-children-biographies-kids-and-why-they-matter" target="_blank">h</a><a href="https://www.masshist.org/events/reconstructing-artisan-labor-economy-post-emancipation-south-carolina" target="_blank">ere </a>to register. Biography can be a powerful vehicle for telling some of the untold and under-told stories of people’s lives. This may be especially true for children, who are forming their ideas about what matters, and who matters, in part through the books they read. The New England Biography Series is proud to convene a conversation with three well-known children’s writers who focus on biographies of underrepresented groups. Ray Anthony Shepard, whose award-winning books for teens include biographies of well-known and relatively unknown Black Americans; Heather Lang, whose biographies for young readers focus on amazing but mostly unfamiliar women; and Mia Wenjen, author of both two picture biographies for children and two biographical anthologies for middle schoolers that center the stories of Asian Pacific Americans, will discuss their work, what biographies for children can do, and why it’s important to be writing for children in these times when some communities struggle over control of school curricula, public library holdings, and controversies about whether there are books that should be banned.

Italian Influence on Boston's Culture, Economy & Politics

This is a hybrid event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare). The in-person reception starts at 5:30 and the program will begin at 6:00. Please visit <a href="https://www.masshist.org/events/Italian-Influence" target="_blank">here </a>to register. Though late-19th century Italian immigrants to Boston faced discrimination and language barriers, they found opportunities; built churches, clubs, and support networks; and created flourishing cultural, economic, and political communities. Join civic leader Lawrence DiCara and historian James Pasto as they reflect on the impact of the Italian community on Boston. Drawing on history and memory, our speakers will consider the challenges and opportunities for immigrants in the past; reflect on the contributions Italians have made to the culture, politics, and economy of Boston; and debunk common myths.

Chasing Beauty: The Life of Isabella Stewart Gardner

This is a hybrid event. The in-person reception starts at 5:30 and the program will begin at 6:00.  Please visit <a href="https://www.masshist.org/events/Chasing-Beauty">here </a>to register. A celebration of the publication of Chasing Beauty. Isabella Stewart Gardner’s Museum rose from Boston’s Fens at the turn of the 20th century. Its treasures encompassed not only masterwork paintings but tapestries, rare books, prints, porcelains, and fine furniture. Natalie Dykstra's new book, Chasing Beauty, illuminates the fascinating ways the eponymous museum and its holdings can be seen as a kind of memoir, dazzling and haunting, displayed per Isabella’s wishes in the exact placements she initially curated.  Born in 1840 to a privileged New York family, Isabella Stewart married Boston Brahmin Jack Gardner as she turned 20. She was misunderstood by Boston’s insular society and suffered the death of her only child, not yet two years old. But in time came friendships, awe-inspiring world travels, and a love of collecting beautiful things with a keen eye and competitive pace. All these were balm for loss. Join Natalie Dykstra in conversation with Catherine Allgor as they discuss Chasing Beauty—a tale of beauty and loss, grit, and American self-invention.  A book signing will follow.

NHD In - Person Feedback Session with Suffolk and Boston University

This feedback session will allow NHD students advancing to States the opportunity to receive live feedback, in real time from local college aged students studying History! Student volunteers from Boston and Suffolk University will gather at the MHS on Saturday, March 23, 2024, from 11 A.M. - 3 P.M. as “NHD Mentors” for an In-Person feedback session after the regional contests occur. NHD students will be asked to come prepared with 2-3 specific questions related to their project to ask the mentors. Bagels, Pastries, Coffee will be offered! Please visit <a href="https://www.masshist.org/events/nhd-person-feedback-session-suffolk-and-boston-university">here </a>to register.

Wheatley in the 21st Century: A Reading & Book Launch

This is a hybrid event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare). The in-person reception starts at 5:30 and the program will begin at 6:00.&nbsp; Please visit <a href="https://www.masshist.org/events/Wheatley-21st-century" target="_blank">here </a>to register. Wheatley at 250: Black Women Poets Re-imagine the Verse of Phillis Wheatley Peters&nbsp;celebrates the 250th anniversary of&nbsp;Phillis Wheatley Peters’ historic and transformative&nbsp;Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral&nbsp;(1773). The new anthology gathers the voices of 20 Black female poets to reimagine the work of this iconic literary ancestor for a new generation. Join editors Danielle Legros Georges and Artress Bethany White, and contributors Florence Ladd and Janice Lowe, as they consider Phillis Wheatley Peters’ impact and share selections from their new book.

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.