How to Explore the History and Beauty of the Massachusetts State House

After spending a great weekend with our grand kids, we decided to visit the Massachusetts state house in Boston. This state house was number three on our Visit All Capitols Quest. (New Hampshire and Vermont were our first). As always, it was fun to learn new things about our country’s history.

Massachusetts State House, front view
Massachusetts State House

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Where is The Massachusetts State House?

First things first, where is this state house? When Google assured us that it was on 24 Beacon Street in Boston, we trusted it… Still, we managed to get lost on the way there (story of my life). Who knew there would be another 24 Beacon Street in Boston?! Or that either Google Maps or I would mess up…

It was pretty far away from the one we were actually seeking! So please be aware that your GPS might not correctly point you to the address of the capitol. Don’t make our mistake and lose time by being stuck in Boston traffic.

Using Public Transport to the State House

Hall with beautiful statues.

I wish we would have been able to use public transport, but we could not do it that day, due to time constraints. Recommending public transport instead of a car.

Stained Glass window with seal of Massachusetts.

Parking

It was a lot of driving but we eventually made it. Now it was time to  confront the next obstacle: parking! After some circling, we lucked out and found street parking close to the front of the state house. If you can not find street parking, try the Boston Common underground Garage. It is close by the state house.

The Massachusetts State House

We made quick work of the obligatory selfie, and found out that this was the first state house where we actually had to go through a metal detector. I know for sure New Hampshire allows concealed weapons, I still have to research whether Vermont does.

Obligatory bad selfie and the Massachusetts state house.
OurCarpeDiem Statehouse Selfie #3

Since we are on a quest to visit all full size Liberty Bell replicas, we asked about the Massachusetts liberty bell replica. A puzzled looking person referred us to the second floor, where interns conduct statehouse tours. The interns referred us back to security, so that wasn’t very helpful. They also pointed out where the bell was vaguely visible from a window if you climbed over enough tables. Tom took a picture through the window…

We were disappointed, but not ready to give up on the bell.

Beautiful ceiling in the Massachusets state house.


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Fun Facts about the Massachusetts State House

For now, we joined one of the tours and were very impressed by all the information. The tour was extensive and informative. The state house building was designed by architect Charles Bulfinch and was completed in 1798. We found out that there were many Italians working on the state house, actually so many that this was how the North End of Boston got its start. Because Tom is from Italian heritage, we always are interested in Italian-American history and this was a fact we didn’t know yet.

Marble from italy, marvelous mosaic flooring.
Marvelous Marble

Italian Marble

The marble actually came from Italy, which I assumed would not have fossils, unlike the Vermont and New Hampshire ones. The whole interior of the state house was very ornate and decorative, we enjoyed looking at all the grandeur.

One of the chambers in the Massachusetts state house

I was happy to see a hall named Nurses’ Hall with the statue of an Army war nurse. Sculpted in 1914 by Bela Pratt, it was the first statue erected in honor of the women of the North after the Civil War. I also was happily surprised by six works of art, to honor six women who took a leadership roll in Massachusetts.

Foodie Travelers, Yes, there is a Cafeteria

We made a quick stop at the cafeteria, just to see whether it was possible to eat inside of the state house, since that was one of the things which surprised us in Vermont. Although it turns out that all three of the state houses we visited had a cafeteria inside, so I suspect it might be a common feature of all our state houses.

Conclusion Massachussetts State House

In conclusion, the Massachusetts State House is a must-visit destination for history enthusiasts, architecture lovers, and anyone looking to immerse themselves in the rich culture of Boston. So next time you find yourself in Boston, make sure to carve out some time to visit this iconic landmark.

Though were happy to have visited another state house, we were disappointed that we hadn’t been able to visit the liberty bell replica. We tried security again and the reply was ‘Nobody gets to see the liberty bell!’ which felt like an oxymoron… Find out the ending of the Quest for Liberty Bell Replica #3 !

Share your experiences at the Massachusetts State House in the comments and keep the conversation going. Who knows, maybe we’ll see you there on your next trip to Boston.


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Bonus: The Old State House in Boston

A few years after we visited this state house, we found out that the Old State House in Boston still is standing. Visiting the museum we discovered Why We Were So Mad at The British, The Old State House in Boston.

Other State Houses to Visit

More New England Fun Things To Do


Comments

6 responses to “How to Explore the History and Beauty of the Massachusetts State House”

  1. […] floor in the capitol is very elaborate. Just like in the Massachusetts statehouse, some of the marble in this building came from Italy. They used white marble and red slate from […]

  2. […] by the famous architect Charles Bulfinch, the Massachusetts State House in Boston is worth a visit. Both the exterior and the interior are elaborately decorated. The only […]

  3. […] Most states have to import marble from other states or even other countries, but the Alaska Capitol marble is from close-by Prince of Whales Island. Because this is such a short distance, it was much easier to transport than the Italian marble in the Massachusetts State House. […]

  4. […] and when you find yourself in Massachusetts, don’t forget to visit the fabulous Massachusetts state house. During fall, check out the best places to see […]

  5. […] hoped to visit the Massachusetts liberty bell replica when we visited the Massachusetts State house in Boston. We had visited three bells already (New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine) and were excited […]

  6. […] few years ago, we started our Visit All US Capitols quest, and visited the Massachusetts State House in Boston. After finding out that Massachusetts locked up their Liberty Bell, we went on with our […]