Massachusetts State House

The golden dome on Beacon Hill

Although the Massachusetts State House was completed in 1798, well after the end of the Revolutionary War, this Freedom Trail site and current seat of the Massachusetts state government embodies the self-governance ideals for which the Patriots fought.

Massachusetts State House in Boston sits high on Beacon Hill

Two famous Revolutionary War heroes, Paul Revere and Massachusetts State Governor Samuel Adams, laid its cornerstone on July 4, 1795 when construction began.  They envisioned this neo-Palladium style building on top of Boston's Beacon Hill as a temple to democracy.

Although you can see the huge golden dome and white Doric columns of the State House from many other places in and around Boston, Boston Common and Park Street (next to the Common) provide some of the best viewing locations, especially if you want to take photographs.

Native son Charles Bulfinch designed the Massachusetts State House after returning from an inspirational tour of Europe.  He was only in his twenties and the State House represented his first major building, although he went on to become one of America's most famous architects after designing many other Boston buildings as well as the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C.

Palladian window and grand staircase in Massachusetts State House

While traveling in Europe, Bulfinch fell in love with the work of Andrea Palladio, a late-Renaissance Italian architect, as well as the Neo-Classical style then popular in Europe. You can see many of these these design elements - symmetry, Doric columns, arched Palladian windows and doorways - in the State House.

Through the years, the Massachusetts State House has been expanded significantly and the interior has been almost totally redone, but the famous Bulfinch Front remains unchanged. It is the oldest building on Beacon Hill, and despite being actively used by the Massachusetts state government, it contains many museum-quality treasures inside and out.

Free Tours of the Massachusetts State House

The Massachusetts State House offers free tours Monday through Friday (except for state holidays) from 10am to 3:30pm.  Call 617-727-3676 for reservations.

In addition to getting to see fascinating historical, cultural, architectural, and art treasures, these State House tours will give you a fascinating insights about the development of American liberty.

How the "Golden Hub" came to be golden

The gleaming gold dome of the State House had a humble beginning - grayish wood. When the 50 foot diameter structure began to rot just a few years after the State House was built, Paul Revere's company covered in with copper in 1802 to preserve it and stop water leaks.

Only later in the century, in 1874, was 23-carat gold leaf placed over the copper at a cost of $2,863.  The effect was so stunning that 19th century Boston writer Oliver Wendell Holmes declared the State House "the hub of the solar system."

During World War II, the dome went dark - painted battleship gray for camouflage during the blackouts. After the war, the paint was removed. The dome had to be re-gilded in 1997 for a cost of $300,000.

The golden dome is still a joyous sight to many Bostonians - and a point of reference mapmakers. Whenever you see a highway sign that says something like "Boston 26 miles," that means 26 miles to the golden dome.

Treasures inside the Massachusetts State House

Inside the State House, you'll find treasures - sculptures, art, architectural details, historical artifacts - virtually everywhere that you look.

Collectively, these treasures represent many key people and events in America's fight for independence.

Once you pass through the security check in the lobby, you can freely explore almost all parts of the building.  You can find a free building map at the information area on the left side of the lobby.

Must-see areas include:

Doric Room

Ten enormous Greek columns dominate this magnificent reception area. Placed around the perimeters of the room, you'll see lots of busts of lots of American heroes, a huge and rather wonderful portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and statues of George Washington and others.   Kids especially love the cannons captured in the War of 1812.

Hall of Flags

This beautiful Italian marble room honors Massachusetts soldiers.   It contains a collection of over 400 flags began in 1865 when Massachusetts regiments returning from the Civil War brought back flags given them by the Governor when they departed.  This began a tradition that has continued through every war to the present time.

Hall of Flags in Massachusetts State House in Boston

Look closely, and you can see that transparent images, not the real flags, grace the walls. The real ones have been stored in environmentally controlled condition since 1987 due to preservation concerns.

Gaze up at the magnificent stained glass skylight, and you'll see seals of all the original thirteen colonies of the United States, with the Massachusetts state seal in the middle.  Save some time to look at all the enormous murals around the walls.

The Senate and House of Representatives Chambers

Massachusetts State Representatives Chambers

You'll find both Chambers on the third floor. You'll see lots of interesting statues, paintings, busts, and emblems in both of these rooms - as well as legislators if the government is in session.  Sit in the visitors galleries and watch the action.

And if you're sitting in the Visitors Gallery in the House . . . be sure to look up and see the most famous of all Massachusetts State House sights: the Sacred Cod.

The Sacred Cod and the Holy Mackerel

The 5 foot long pine carving of a cod fish is probably the most visited item in the Massachusetts State House.  It hangs over the public gallery, squarely in the view of the Representatives.

Why is the Sacred Cod so famous in Boston?

The answer begins with the past importance of the cod fishery to the state's survival and success . . . and then turns into a true fish tale.

In 1640, Massachusetts fishermen landed 300,000 cod - the colony's biggest cash crop.  According to journals kept by early settlers, cod clustered in the bay so thickly that you could almost walk across the water on them.

A carved cod has hung in Massachusetts State Houses since the early 1700s.  After a fire destroyed the first fish in 1747, a replacement cod took its place - but disappeared during the British occupation of Boston between 1768-1776.

Jonathan Rowe, a Patriot and merchant whose name lives on in Rowes Wharf, donated the current cod to the Massachusetts State House in 1784 as a reminder of "the importance of the Cod Fishery to the welfare of this Commonwealth."  State legislators carried the current Sacred Cod wrapped in a flag to the new Massachusetts State House from the Old State House in 1798.

Perils to the Sacred Cod continued in the 20th century. In 1933, members of the Harvard Lampoon staged a "cod-napping" by pretending to be tourists, arming themselves with wire cutters to clip the fish from the wall, and smuggling it out in a long flower box.

For two days, the city was in an uproar. Legislators claimed that they could not legislate without their cod, so they filled the time discussing suitable punishments for the perpetrators. Finally, acting on an anonymous tip, Harvard University police recovered the fish after a slow-speed chase.

The return of the cod to its rightful place restored the city to equilibrium and functionality.

Not to be outdone by the House, the Massachusetts Senate has its own fish - a brass fish known as the "Holy Mackerel."

The Holy Mackerel is safely embedded in the Senate's chandelier where it rests, to date, undisturbed.

Treasures outside the State House

Fallen Firefighter Memorial on east side of Massachusetts State House

You cannot miss the statues, plaques, and monuments outside of the Massachusetts State House - they're everywhere, and their numbers continue to increase.

You can see Anne Hutchinson, banned from Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638 for heresy after she questioned the authority of the Puritan ministers and suggested that women's souls had the same value as men's souls.

You can see Mary Dyer, hanged on Boston Common for being a Quaker. Although early Puritans fled England to escape persecution for their religious beliefs, the experience did not make them tolerant.

You can also see a youthful John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Boston native and 35th President of the United States. You'll also discover statues of lots of other statesmen, military leaders, and heroes.

The Great Hall, a 20th century addition, displays Massachusetts town and city flags

Insider Tips

If you enjoy architecture, history, and museum-quality murals and sculpture, you should go inside the State House. You can either do a self-guided tour (look for brochures inside the door) or go on one of the free guided tours lasting about 30-45 minutes given on most weekdays between 10am and 3:30pm.

If you have kids with you, some of the statues outside the State House provide great starting points for talking about tolerance, leadership, sacrifice, and religious freedom. 

Beacon Hill is one of Boston's "don't miss" neighborhoods. If you visited the Massachusetts Statehouse while touring the Freedom Trail, this is a great point to make a detour if you have time. When you leave the State House, turn right and walk down Beacon Street to Charles Street, the main commercial street. Walk along for a few blocks, enjoying the shops and perhaps stopping in a restaurant, and then turn right on one of the narrow side streets - Mount Vernon, which leads to the beautiful Louisberg Square, is a good choice. Enjoy the incredibly lovely 18th century architecture in this neighborhood.

Continue on Mount Vernon to Joy Street where you can catch part of the Black Heritage Trail if you turn left. If you have time, walk almost to the bottom of the hill, where you'll see the Abiel Smith School, now the Museum of Afro American History at the corner of Smith Court. This excellent small museum is well worth a visit. Afterwards, head back to Joy Street and walk right down to Beacon Street where you can re-join the Freedom Trail.

Details and Directions

Open: Weekdays excluding holidays. Free tours lasting approximately 45 minutes are available between 10am and 3:30pm. The State House Tours and Information Desk is located in Doric Hall on the second floor. Once you pass through Security after entering the building on the first floor, go to the left, where you'll see signs pointing you in the right direction.  You should call first to make reservations:  617-727-3676
Cost: Free
Location: Beacon Hill, across from Boston Common at the corner of Beacon and Park Streets.
Closest T station: Red and Green Lines/Park Street
Parking: If you must drive into the city, you can park under the Common in the Boston Common Parking Garage; entrance on Charles Street

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