From the city guide, checked October 28, 2026.
Freedom Trail
A red line on the sidewalks, 2.5 miles long, leads through downtown to 16 nationally significant historic sites. Bostonians preserved and dedicated the route in 1951. Several sites on it are free: Faneuil Hall, the Charlestown Navy Yard, USS Constitution and the Bunker Hill Monument. Old South Meeting House, the Old State House, the Paul Revere House and Old North Church charge admission (park page on nps.gov). Comfortable shoes matter more than a map, since the line takes you from site to site.
Boston Common
The park at 139 Tremont Street was founded in 1634, and the city calls it America's oldest park. It has ballfields, a tot lot and the Frog Pond, with skating in winter and a spray pool for children in summer. Entry is free year-round, and it is an easy starting point for a downtown walk.
Public Garden and the Swan Boats
The garden next to the Common, which the Swan Boats' owners describe as the nation's first botanical garden. The Swan Boats have been family-owned and operated since 1877 and run daily from April through September. The season is closed now and reopens in April 2027; in fall and winter the garden is quiet and good for a walk.
Faneuil Hall
At 1 Faneuil Hall Square, the "Cradle of Liberty," where Bostonians have gathered to assert their rights for more than 275 years. The first floor holds a free visitor center of Boston National Historical Park. In the Great Hall on the second floor, rangers give free 15-minute talks on the building's history Wednesday through Sunday, when the hall is not closed for City events (NPS on Faneuil Hall).
Old North Church
In the North End at 193 Salem Street. On April 18, 1775, two lanterns shone from its steeple, the signal that lit the way for the American Revolution. Its first rector preached his inaugural sermon in 1723. Tourist hours are 10 am to 5 pm Monday to Saturday and 12:30 to 5 pm on Sunday; the self-guided Discovery Pass costs $10 for adults and $5 for youth, free for ages 5 and under.
Bunker Hill Monument
A 221-foot granite obelisk on Breed's Hill in Charlestown. It marks the battle of June 17, 1775, the Revolution's first major battle, and was dedicated in 1843. The top is 294 steps up a tight spiral stairway; only 25 people are allowed inside at a time, and admission is free (NPS on the monument).
USS Constitution
The world's oldest commissioned warship afloat, berthed at the Charlestown Navy Yard and open for tours Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm, free of charge. Crew members are on hand to answer questions. All visitors pass an airport-style security screening, and everyone 18 and over must show a physical federal or state-issued photo ID.
Museum of Fine Arts
At 465 Huntington Avenue in the Fenway area. Admission is $30 for adults and $14 for ages 7 to 17, free for children 6 and under. The museum is closed on Tuesdays and stays open until 10 pm on Thursday and Friday, which makes an evening visit after work easy.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
At 25 Evans Way, near the MFA. Adults pay $25, seniors 65 and over $22, students $15, and visitors 17 and under get in free. Anyone named Isabella gets free admission for life, with a reservation by phone at least 24 hours ahead. The museum is closed on Tuesdays, and popular entry times sell out, so book ahead.
Fenway Park
The Red Sox ballpark, where fans have gone since 1912. The Green Monster, the left-field wall, stands 37 feet 2 inches high. The 60-minute public tour runs year-round, leaves at the top of each hour and costs $30 for adults and $21 for children 3 to 12; from November through March tours run from 10 am to 5 pm.
Harvard University
Harvard was founded on October 28, 1636, by a vote of the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, making it the first college in the American colonies. It sits in Cambridge, across the Charles River, with campuses in Boston's Longwood and Allston neighborhoods too. Students lead a free Historical Tour through Harvard Yard for up to 10 people, booked on Eventbrite, and the free Visit Harvard app offers a self-guided version.
MIT
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology was founded in 1865 and sits at 77 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, in Kendall Square. The closest stop is Kendall/MIT on the Red Line; the Welcome Center at 292 Main Street, next to the station, is open 9 am to 4 pm on weekdays. Visitors can follow a campus walking tour or the School of Engineering audio tour, and the MIT Museum is now in its new Kendall Square home.