Charlestown Navy Yard

55 Constitution Rd, Charlestown, Boston, 02129

617- 426 –1812

Open: daily

The last stop on the Freedom Trail is Charlestown Navy Yard, home of the USS Constitution. The ship is the oldest officially commissioned warship in existence. It never lost a battle, and its victories during the War of 1812 are legendary. The ship is open daily 10 am-4 pm, with self-guided tours of the top deck available (sailors are on hand to answer questions). The adjoining museum is open daily 9 am-6 pm May-October, 10 am-5 pm November-April. Anchored at an adjacent pier is the World War II destroyer USS Cassin Young. Admission Free.

Old State House

206 Washington St.

(State T stop on the Blue and Orange lines, Downtown Crossing T stop on the Red and Orange lines, or Park Street T stop on the Green and Red lines)

Boston, MA 02109 USA

(617) 720-1713

Admission charged.

Hours: Daily 9-5.

The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Boston took place from the balcony of the Old State House in 1776. Two centuries later, Queen Elizabeth II delivered an address from the same spot during the U.S. bicentennial celebrations. The building overlooks the cobblestone circle that marks the site of the Boston Massacre. Built in 1713, this is the oldest public building in Boston and now functions as the city's history museum.

Faneuil Hall

4 S. Market St.

Boston, MA 02109

Phone: (617) 242-5675

Admission Free

Hours: National Park Service Rangers give historical talks every half-hour daily 9-5. Museum open Mon.-Fri. 9-3. Marketplace open Mon.-Sat. 10-8, Sun. 10-6, third Mon. in Apr.-Dec. 24; daily 10-6, rest of year.

(T: State Street or Government Center).

The 1742 building was given to the city by Peter Faneuil. It burned in 1761, was rebuilt in 1763 and was enlarged in 1805. The upper story served as a meeting hall, the scene of many gatherings during the Revolutionary movement. British officers used the building as a theater during their occupation of the city. Known for its grasshopper weather vane, the hall contains a military museum and paintings of notable battles.

The Faneuil Hall Marketplace includes North and South Markets, Faneuil Hall and the adjacent Quincy Market, a renovated 19th-century complex containing more than 125 restaurants, boutiques, produce stands and retail pushcarts. Street performers entertain continuously.

Museum of Afro-American History

46 Joy St.

Boston, MA 02114

Phone: (617) 725-0022

Admission charged.

Hours: Daily 10-4, Memorial Day-Labor Day; Mon.-Sat. 10-4, rest of year. Closed Jan. 1, Thanksgiving and Dec. 25

Museum of Afro American History is at 46 Joy St. The museum includes the African Meeting House, dedicated in 1806 and said to be the oldest standing African-American church building in the United States, and the Abiel Smith School. Changing exhibits are displayed in the gallery. Guided gallery tours are available. The museum's Black Heritage Trail walking tour links 14 historic sites; maps and guided tours are available

Museum of Fine Arts

465 Huntington Avenue

Boston

617-267-9300

The MFA is located in the Fenway area, one mile west of Copley Square. It is easily accessible via public transportation by taking the Orange Line to the Ruggles stop or the Green Line E trolley to the Museum of Fine Arts stop.

Hours: Mondays and Tuesdays, 10 AM to 4:45 PM; Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 10 AM to 9:45 PM (West Wing only Thurs. and Fri. after 5); Saturdays and Sundays, 10 AM to 5:45 PM

The Japanese Garden is open Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 AM to 4 PM

Admission: charged. Admission reduced by $2 on Thursdays and Fridays after 5 PM.

Boston's finest and most comprehensive art museum is a world unto itself: art galleries from all periods and cultures; three restaurants; two gift shops; lecture and film series; gallery talks; concerts all season ; and exceptional special exhibits. The museum is especially well known for its collections of European paintings, European and American decorative arts and furnishings, Egyptian sculpture, and Asian fine and decorative arts.

The Museum of Fine Arts is so vast and the collections so extensive that several visits are required to really enjoy and appreciate its wonders. The galleries are laid out in the shape of a two-story figure eight, with two courtyards in the middle.

The "period" rooms include an early 19th century mansion from Peabody thought to have been designed by Samuel McIntyre, and the wood carving in the rooms from Hamilton Palace, a Scottish castle.