Thought you had to go to the National Archives in D.C. to see the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights? WRONG! The Massachusetts Archives has one of the original 14 printed Declarations and one of the original Bill of Rights. Yes, D.C. still has the illegible original signed copy by all the signers but the Massachussetts Archives is the only place besides D.C. that has an original printed and signed Declaration and an original Bill of Rights on public display. The archive room is open 9 am-1 pm and the best part - No lines! The security guard was a super friendly Boston guy who was telling me and a friend how these documents are kept in higher tech cases than D.C. (not sure I believe that after seeing "National Treasure 1") and he also explained how the cases are 4 inches larger than any door in the archives so that theft is impossible.
The Archives also has an interactive museum for kids or grown up kids such as myself. Originally, I wasn't going to go here but was going to go to the JFK library. However, decided to go to the archives once I saw the $10 + price at JFK. Massachusetts Archives = Free admission! To get here, simply ride the Red line to JFK/UMass and take the #2 Bus.
Also amazing, you can take the Red "Braintree" line to Quincy Center for a tour of the John Adams' Birthplace houses (dating from the 1600s) and Peacefield, the final home of John Adams and an Adams family landmark. The cost is $5 for all three home tours and a free trolley is included to take you to the sites. Peacefield is a beautiful home with a lovely garden and the first presidential library in the side yard.
Who knew that there could be so much history just off the Red line?
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| Massachusetts Archives |
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| John Adams' Birthplace |
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| John Quincy Adams' Birthplace |
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| Peacefield |
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| Abigail Adams planted the lilacs growing on the porch |
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| Adams Library, garden, and house |
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