Monthly Spotlight Series

The People, Places, and Ideas
that Shaped a Nation

Each month, Revolutionary Spaces shines a light on a key figure, pivotal event, bold idea, or distinctive object connected to the Old State House, Old South Meeting House, or the broader story of the American Revolution. These Monthly Spotlights invite visitors to learn more about the people and moments that shaped our nation’s founding—and continue to shape our understanding of democracy today.

Guests can explore themed displays featuring historic photographs, primary source documents, and hands-on activities daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, offering new ways to engage with our shared past. Read more about our previous and upcoming Monthly Spotlights and then plan your next visit by purchasing your tickets today!

Current Monthly Spotlight

May 2026 - James Otis Jr.

This month we honor an early patriot leader who helped shape both Boston and America in ways he would not live to see: James Otis Jr. Otis was a passionate speaker and a brilliant lawyer who fought for what he believed in. His most famous speech took place in 1761 at the Old State House, where he argued for over four hours against the writs of assistance. One of Otis’ allies, John Adams, later wrote of the speech, “Then and there the Child Independence was born.” Otis’ arguments also later informed the 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

In 1769, Otis’ life was forever changed when he was involved in a brawl with a British official during which he suffered a severe head wound. Afterward, his moods and mental stability became increasingly erratic and his influence in Boston’s political sphere waned. He was retired to the countryside, where he was struck by lightning and died on May 23, 1783, just three months before the end of the revolution.

Visit the Old State House and stand in the very room where James Otis Jr. once argued for colonial rights. Learn about his life and all he accomplished during his time in Boston, so that we might remember his legacy. We also invite you to share other figures from American history who you feel may have been forgotten and should be remembered.

June 2026 - Thomas Hutchinson

This month, Revolutionary Spaces is spotlighting Massachusetts' first and only home-grown royal governor: Thomas Hutchinson. A descendent of famous religious dissident Anne Hutchinson and member of a prominent merchant family, Hutchinson quickly rose through the ranks of power in colonial Massachusetts, serving simultaneously as Lieutenant Governor and Chief Justice in the 1760s before officially becoming Royal Governor in 1771.

Given the positions of power he occupied in Massachusetts’ colonial government, Hutchinson often found himself in the midst of many political controversies as revolutionary sentiment took root in Boston. His home was destroyed during the Stamp Act Riots in 1765, and he oversaw the official government response to the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party. While he responded well to the Massacre in 1770, his handling of the Tea Party in 1773 led to him being recalled to London to answer for his actions. The outbreak of war in 1775 prevented him from ever returning home to Massachusetts again.

Learn more about Hutchinson’s life, read his account of key Revolutionary-era events, and participate in a dramatic re-enactment of a confrontation between him and Samuel Adams in the Council Chamber of the Old State House this month!

2026 Monthly Spotlight

January 2026 - Young Benjamin Franklin

This January, Revolutionary Spaces is celebrating Ben Franklin's 320th birthday!

Born on Milk Street in Boston in 1706, Benjamin Franklin’s story began just steps from today’s Old South Meeting House. From candle making and printing to his bold “Silence Dogood” essays that challenged authority and championed free expression, Franklin’s early years helped shape one of America’s most influential founders.

Celebrate Ben Franklin’s birthday all month long at the Old South Meeting House! Discover his Boston beginnings through primary sources, historic artwork, and hands-on activities, including making your own candle.

Share your experience by tagging us on social media @RevSpaces.

February 2026 - Black Congregants at the Old South Meeting House

Based on original research conducted by Revolutionary Spaces staff, this month we are spotlighting the relationship between race, slavery, and Christianity at the Old South Meeting House. During the colonial period, the Old South Meeting House was one of the most popular churches for free and enslaved Black congregants in Boston, a place where they exercised a degree of control and experienced a form of equality in their spiritual lives that they were largely denied outside of the church. At the same time, many of the Old South Meeting House's white congregants were slave owners who practiced a moderate form of Biblically-sanctioned Christian slavery championed by some of its most influential and leading members.

We invite you to engage with this complex history and to learn about some of the figures whose thoughts on this topic have survived, including Judge Samuel Sewell and poet Phillis Wheatley. Afterwards we invite you to write a letter to one of these figures responding to their perspectives on the relationship between Christianity and slavery.

March 2026 - Evacuation Day

This month at Revolutionary Spaces we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of a very specific holiday that occurs every year on March 17th. No, it’s not St. Patrick's Day, which is also widely celebrated on this date. We’re talking about Evacuation Day, or the day when General George Washington forced thousands of British Troops out of Boston following an 11 month siege of the town.

Stop by the Old State House to learn all about the Siege of Boston, Henry Knox’s “Noble Train of Artillery,” and how George Washington used that artillery to force the British military and loyalists to evacuate Boston. Among the many objects taken from Boston during the evacuation was the original Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom which hung above the entrance of the Council Chamber of the Old State House. A replica now stands in its place, but we invite you to come and design your own coat of arms that represents what you value and cherish!

April 2026 - Birthday Month!

April 2026 - Birthday Month!

Happy Birthday! This month the Old State House turns 313 years old and the Old South Meeting House turns 296! These are incredible milestones that we at Revolutionary Spaces believe deserve to be celebrated all month long.

As the stewards of these iconic buildings, we honor the stories held within their walls of generations of Bostonians who stood up for what they believed in.

From Massacres to Tea Parties to everyday people speaking up and petitioning to better their lives, these buildings have stood the test of time thanks to the ongoing dedication of people who recognize the importance of preserving, remembering, and learning from our shared history.

Visit us throughout the month to discover what makes these places so special, and maybe even make your own party hat and celebrate with us! Plus, if you stop by April 26th or 27th around 11am, you might even get a bite of birthday cake!

2025 Monthly Spotlights

March 2025 - Dr. Joseph Warren & His 1775 Boston Massacre Memorial

This March, join Revolutionary Spaces as we recognize the 250th anniversary of Dr. Joseph Warren's dramatic Boston Massacre Memorial Speech delivered at the Old South Meeting House. Learn about Warren's life and contributions to the patriot cause, including his work as a physician, his famous 1775 address at Old South, and his tragic death at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Dress in a toga, as Warren did, and take a photo in front of our pulpit!

April 2025 - William Dawes & His 1775 Ride to Lexington

All month long, Revolutionary Spaces will spotlight the patriot who rode from Boston out to Lexington on the night of April 18, 1775, to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams that British troops were on the move to arrest them. No, we're not talking about Paul Revere, we're talking about William Dawes! Come learn about Dawes' perilous ride from Boston to Lexington, read first-hand accounts describing his efforts, and do your best Dawes imitation on our period-accurate hobby horse. Also, join us to celebrate Dawes' 280th birthday on April 6th!

May 2025 - Preservation Month Featuring Moses Gulesian and Mary Hemenway

To commemorate Preservation Month throughout May, Revolutionary Spaces is spotlighting two key figures in the preservation of the Old State House and Old South Meeting House: Moses Gulesian and Mary Hemenway.

Visit the Old State House to learn how Gulesian, an Armenian immigrant who arrived in America with only a single Turkish pound in his pocket, put himself through English school, became a United States citizen, restored the lion and unicorn on top of the Old State House, and helped save the USS Constitution from becoming target practice for the U.S. Navy. At the Old South Meeting House, you'll learn about Mary Hemenway's various philanthropic projects, including helping poor Black and white children after the Civil War, promoting the health and wellness of Boston's school children, and using her social and financial resources to save Old South from demolition. Each site will feature primary sources to explore and activities to engage with.

June 2025 - The Liberty Affair

This month, Revolutionary Spaces is spotlighting the Liberty Affair, an early and dramatic act of colonial resistance to Parliamentary taxes and customs regulations. In June 1768, customs officials seized John Hancock’s ship Liberty on suspicion of smuggling. Angry Bostonians responded by hauling the Collector of Customs’ private yacht to Boston Common, where they burned it to ashes! They also attacked customs officials and smashed the windows of their homes. They later held a large protest meeting at the Old South Meeting House, in which they drafted and sent a petition to the royal governor.

Come learn about this memorable episode through hand-outs, primary sources, and images at the Old South Meeting House. You are also welcome to reenact this moment by engaging with our make-your-own-paper-boat activity. And, if you’re feeling especially patriotic and revolutionary, take a photo or video of you destroying your boat in front of the pulpit! And be sure to tag us on social media (@RevSpaces)!

July 2025 - Boston School Children Read The Declaration of Independence

In honor of Independence Day, Revolutionary Spaces is spotlighting the period when Boston high school students dressed up and read the Declaration of Independence from the balcony of the Old State House. This tradition lasted from 1910 to 1975, after which the students were replaced with members of a local civic and historical organization.

Stop by the Old State House all month long to learn more about this bygone tradition. Visitors are invited to step into that role by donning similar attire and reading a passage aloud—then reflecting on how identity, voice, and representation shape one’s connection to the American origin story. And if you’re feeling especially patriotic, take a photo or video of your Declaration reading and be sure to tag @RevSpaces!

Who do you think should read the Declaration of Independence today?

August 2025: 260th Anniversary of the Stamp Act Protests

Revolutionary Spaces is spotlighting the 260th anniversary of the Stamp Act Protests, which took place in Boston on August 14, 15, and 26, 1765. The protests were a response to the Stamp Act, a law passed by Parliament in 1765 that placed a direct tax on virtually all paper goods, from law degrees to playing cards. In Boston, opposition eventually turned violent. They hung effigies of government officials from the Liberty Tree and attacked and destroyed the homes of multiple royal officials, including Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hutchinson!

Visit the Old State House all month long to use our (tax-free) cards and dice to play colonial-era games. Instructions will be available on site or ask a member of our staff how to play. If you take a photo of your game, be sure to tag @RevSpaces on Facebook, Instagram, or X!

September 2025 - Celebrate Sam Adams' Birthday

In honor of his 303rd birthday this month, Revolutionary Spaces is spotlighting one of Boston’s most important and radical revolutionaries: Samuel Adams. In addition to being the “Father of the American Revolution,” Adams served in both the colonial House of Representatives and as Lieutenant Governor and Governor of the newly-independent Massachusetts in the Old State House!

Visit the Old State House

On March 6, 1770, the day after the Boston Massacre, Samuel Adams and others met with Governor Thomas Hutchinson in the Council Chamber of the Old State House. In a tense exchange, Adams presented Hutchinson with the demand from the people of Boston to remove the troops that had been occupying the town for a year and a half.

Visit the Old State House all month long to reenact this conversation by reading lines from a play that was performed in the Council Chamber dramatizing this very moment. Feel free to put on a red jacket or tricorn hat to help you get into character. Take a photo or video of your performance and tag @RevSpaces in your dramatic reading for a chance to be featured on our social media!

Visit the Old South Meeting House

On December 16, 1773, Samuel Adams joined thousands of fellow colonists in the Old South Meeting House to decide what to do about the tea sitting on three ships in Boston Harbor. Toward the end of the meeting, Adams allegedly shouted, "This meeting can do nothing more to save the country!” This phrase may have been the secret code some were waiting for to board the ships and destroy the tea, which they did during the Boston Tea Party. Reenact this moment by making your own paper tricorn hat, donning some costume pieces, and reciting Adams’ famous line in the same room he did over 251 years ago! And if you’re feeling especially patriotic, take a photo or video of your dramatic reenactment—be sure to tag @RevSpaces!

October 2025 - Banned Books & Censorship

This October, Revolutionary Spaces is spotlighting Banned Books Week all month long.

Stop by the Old South Meeting House to learn more about the 19th-20th century “Banned in Boston” movement that saw a strict censorship of books, theatre, and film across the city.

Learn about censorship in Boston with copies of 19th-20th century newspapers reporting on censorship, take part in a hands-on bookmark-making craft, browse a curated info deck on both past and present banned books, and explore how the Old South Meeting House has helped amplify voices throughout history.

Share your bookmark on social media and tag us @RevSpaces for a chance to be featured on our page!

November 2025 - The Great Fire of 1872

This November, Revolutionary Spaces is spotlighting one of Boston’s most devastating disasters: the Great Fire of 1872.

The fire raged through the business district for over 12 hours from November 9–10, claimed up to 30 lives, destroyed 776 buildings across 65 acres, and cost around $75 million in damages. The inferno spread all the way up Milk Street and nearly claimed the Old South Meeting House in its wake.

Stop by the Old South Meeting House all month long to learn more about this horrific event through historic images, primary sources, and items related to the fire. We'll also have a "save Old South" knock-em-down game!

Share your experience by tagging us on social media @RevSpaces.

December 2025 - The Boston Tea Party

This month, Revolutionary Spaces is spotlighting one of the most important events of the American Revolution: the Boston Tea Party.

On December 16, 1773, the Boston Tea Party began at the Old South Meeting House. The men involved destroyed 46 tons of East India Company tea, worth around £10,000. This event resulted in severe punishment from Parliament and placed Boston and America on the road to independence.

Explore the Old South Meeting House this December and dive into one of the most iconic moments in our nation’s history. Browse historic images and original documents connected to the Boston Tea Party, and take part in an exciting Tea Party–inspired hands-on experience.

Monthly Spotlight Series

The People, Places, and Ideas
that Shaped a Nation

Current Monthly Spotlight