Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum in Boston, MA

Where is the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum located?

It is located at Congress Street Bridge in Boston, Massachusetts, on the same beautiful harbor where the Boston Tea Party occurred over two centuries ago. The address is 306 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210.

What are the hours of operation?

The Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum is open Thursday through Monday. Operating hours vary by season. In season (April – October). First tour: 10:00 AM. Last tour: 5:00 PM. Thursday through Monday. Off season (November – March). First tour: 10:00 AM. Last tour: 4:00 PM. Thursday through Monday. They are closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Is parking provided?

No, however, parking is available at Farnsworth Street Garage and Stillings Street Garage. Parking fee discounts are available for visitors of the museum: Farnsworth Street Garage: 17 Farnsworth, St Boston, MA 02210. Stillings Street Garage: 11 Stillings Street, Boston, MA 02210.

How long does a tour of the museum take?

In Season: 1 hour and 15 minutes. Off Season: 1 hour.

Can guests tour the museum on their own?

No, tours are lead in groups by a guide, and guests must stay with their group.

If I pay admission and take the tour, can I take it again on the same day without paying another admission fee?

No, each ticket is only good for one tour.

Is the tour available in other languages?

Yes. The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum has a translation guide available to download as a PDF as a hard copy or on your mobile phone in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish.

Are pictures/video permitted on the tour?

Pictures/video are only permitted in meeting rooms, on the ships and on the back deck.

Is the museum handicapped accessible?

Both the Retail shop and Abigail’s Tea Room are fully accessible. Mobility Issues: Tours on the museum's East Side (typically the tours that start on the top and bottom of each hour), are a bit easier for people with limited mobility due to the gangway on that ship being a slight grade ramp. Since these are 18th Century replica ships, going below deck is difficult for people with limited mobility but they have a video on the top deck which people can watch that shows what is below. The rest of the tour experience on both the East and West sides are exactly the same. Depending on the tides, if one gangway looks a bit too steep for people with limited mobility, you can request to use the elevator to get down. Same goes at the end of the tour, you can request, from your tour host, use of the elevator from the theater to the main floor. The tour is extensive, one hour and much of it is walking to get from each aspect to the other, so they also have wheelchairs on site that you can request to assist you during your tour. Hearing impaired: The tour experience is a unique combination of live actors, interactive participation and technology. Some components of the experience require listening to a voice over a video and films. They have some scripted materials to guide you through the program. In addition, museum staff are happy to provide ASL interpreters. However, they require a two-week advance notice to secure those from an outside agency.

What is the stroller & carriage policy?

Carriages aren’t allowed inside the museum due to the physical structure and nature of the site; gangways, stairways, narrow and confined spaces and graduated seating can all be found on the tour. Instead, we ask that you park your stroller or carriage in our dedicated carriage parking area. Neither The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum nor its employees assume responsibility for the loss of, or damage to, personal property.

What is the baggage policy?

For security reasons, we cannot hold or check any bags or baggage. For similar reasons, no unattended bags are allowed on site at any time. Purses and bags of standard carry-on size and below are permitted on tours provided that they are carried and attended by their owners at all times.