Celebrate Independence Day on Saturday, July 4 at 7:00 PM with Lexington History Museums at the Lexington Depot (13 Depot Square). This special event offers a moment of reflection and renewal on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in a community central to the Revolutionary story. The program will conclude […]
Lexington has heroes in every century, as change-seekers have made their mark on the town. Through building community, working for social change, pioneering in their fields, and pursuing creative passions, Leading Lexingtonians keep Lexington on the map as a historic place. This lecture series highlights their accomplishments, which are also displayed on a rotating basis […]
Where is the Parker boulder? Is there a weathervane on the Belfry? What happened at the Harrington House? No matter how long you've lived in Lexington, there is still plenty for your kids to discover! Have them test their clue-solving and observation skills with a Revolutionary-themed scavenger hunt that takes them to sites around the […]
John Adams was a powerhouse politician long before he became president: trial lawyer for soldiers in the Boston Massacre, delegate to the Massachusetts and Continental Congresses, Commissioner to France - he and his wife Abigail made history every day for decades! Join living historians Steve and Hannah Carlson for an interactive presentation bringing John and […]
Before Lexington was Lexington, Indigenous communities have lived in this area for thousands of years. Today, we celebrate them with a free open house at the Lexington Depot to learn more about Native American culture. 9:00 - 10:00 AM, join science educator Fran Ludwig for a guided walk of the Lexington Paint Mine, a nature […]
Stereotypes about the British military during the American Revolution are countless, and often contradictory. Did England possess the most professional fighting force in the world, or did they bumble through New England, clinging tightly to outdated tactics while shrewd farmers rewrote the rules around them? Historian Andrew O’Shaughnessy untangles this web by following several prominent […]
Local artist Kit Collins has been hard at work all summer beautifying the columns behind the Depot into a colorful mural of Lexington’s history past and present. Join LHM and the town for a ribbon cutting and special discussion with the artist to discover the stories represented in the art! Free!
Best known for his iconic painting Washington Crossing the Delaware, German-American artist Emanuel Leutze also painted other scenes of the American Revolution. One of these, The News of Lexington (1852), portrays local townsfolk receiving word of the battle that launched the Revolution. Recently conserved with support from the Wyeth Foundation of American Art, the painting […]
This dramatic presentation, created by Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area, aims to find out how our local towns read and reacted to the Declaration of Independence. Across the colonies, and particularly in Massachusetts, towns debated what freedom meant to them, and grappled with the grievances aired in the official Declaration. What did the words in […]
When most people—especially in Lexington—hear the name Henry Wadsworth Longfellow today, they probably think of his 1860 poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride.” But what about the man behind the famous verses? In his personal life, Longfellow was surrounded by people we would today consider members of the LGBTQ+ community, including friends, siblings, children, and grandchildren. For […]
Where is the Parker boulder? Is there a weathervane on the Belfry? What happened at the Harrington House? No matter how long you've lived in Lexington, there is still plenty for your kids to discover! Have them test their clue-solving and observation skills with a Revolutionary-themed scavenger hunt that takes them to sites around the […]
Our museums are open on a special schedule for April 19th! We will be open early to accommodate visitors in town for the big reenactment, and will be closing early to coincide with the afternoon parade. Please see exact hours below. Buckman Tavern: Walk-through tours 6:00 - 8:00 AM Regular audio tours with special exhibition […]