The 15 Museum Visits in Boston That Earn the Afternoon

1.Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum Admission

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,512 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $35Our pick

Guided Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum tour with restored ships, tea dumping, the Robinson tea chest, and a film with Paul Revere.

“This was my 3rd time as I take out of towners here all the time. They all love it. It’s really wonderful as it sets the stage of much of the revolutionary war started. So you are learning something as you are entertained. Best value for the money and the actors are wonderful! It’s partly outdoors so if you go during a colder time dress appropriately.”

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2.Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum Interactive Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,926 reviews · 1 hour · from $35

Interactive Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum tour: mohawk role-play, throw tea crates, 3D holograms, and replica ship exhibits.

“It was great experience to know the history behind it of how it was like to be there in person of how they used to live like. Best part was we had to throw the tea bags away on the water!!!”

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3.Salem Witch Museum Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 417 reviews · from $18

Step into Salem Witch Trials reenactments and a guided exhibit on how the word witch evolved, with translations in eight languages.

“Your was engaging and guide was clearly well prepared. Parking was a challenge.”

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4.Real Pirates Salem Museum General Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 263 reviews · 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $21.50Top rated

See real pirate artifacts from the Whydah shipwreck at Real Pirates Salem, with hands-on exhibits, a discovery lab, and photo moments.

“Wonderful experience. Great story. Would definitely recommend. Love history and love learning about pirates I didn’t know about”

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5.Museum of Fine Arts Boston General Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 106 reviews · 1 day (approx.) · from $30

Prebooked general admission to Boston’s MFA with fast entry, a free audio guide on your device, plus coat check. Explore at your pace.

“You should ensure you show up to the van Gogh exhibition on time. Also anticipate that this Boston Fine Arts museum is very big with a lot of nooks and crannies but worth investigating all. Was indeed a great experience.”

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6.Pirate Museum with Authentic Treasures Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 88 reviews · 1 day · from $21

A one-day Salem pirate museum ticket centered on Black Sam Bellamy and the authenticated Whydah Gally treasures, plus lab finds and photos.

“Captain Carl was our guide & was very knowledgeable, patient, kind, & very personable. It was amazing to learn about recovered objects of a shipwreck located in the northeast US during my lifetime. This was my first time back to Salem in 20 yrs & I’m really glad I booked this tour for our trip. This experience definitely left a lasting impression. We really enjoyed it.”

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7.Lexington & Concord 250th Birthday Tour with Concord Museum Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 83 reviews · 8 to 9 hours (approx.) · from $159

Ride from Boston to Lexington and Concord for the 250th anniversary, with a local guide, Battle Road Trail walk, and Concord Museum entry.

“Coach, our tour guide, did an excellent job on our van tour. He has a wealth of knowledge that he shares along the drive through Cambridge, Lexington & Concord. He would pull over to share facts all along the way. We also walked around many historical sites on this tour. We stopped to have lunch in Concord’s cute downtown.”

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8.Real Pirates Salem Museum with Guided Directors Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 47 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $30

A guided director-style tour through Real Pirates Salem, featuring Sam Bellamy, rare artifacts from the Whydah, and bonus audio and photo takeaways.

“This was one of the highlights of our trip! We did the Director's Tour. It was interesting and informative. We had plenty of time to examine the exhibits and our tour guide answered our questions. Worth your time and money!!”

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9.Museum of Ice Cream Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 45 reviews · 1h 30m · from $34

Boston Museum of Ice Cream visit: 9 interactive rooms, unlimited ice cream, the Sprinkle Pool, and Hall of Freezers in about 90 minutes.

“It didn’t really have any story attached to it. The ice cream was very sweet and sickly. Would recommend for toddlers but nothing older”

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10.Salem Witch Tour from Boston by Train with Museum Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 42 reviews · from $85

Take the train from Boston to Salem for a guided walking tour, witch trial memorial stops, and museum time with no stress logistics.

“Our guide was amazing! She lives in Salem and had all the best tips for us. The sights and shops she showed us were perfect. We could have done without the Salem witch museum. Otherwise we had an awesome time!”

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11.Old State House/Old South Meeting House Museum Combo

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 35 reviews · 1 day · from $15Best value

One ticket for Old State House and Old South Meeting House on Boston’s Freedom Trail, linking royal rule to the Boston Tea Party.

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12.USS Constitution Museum Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 29 reviews · from $15

USS Constitution Museum entry in Boston with hands-on exhibits, sailor-life activities, Navy crew video stories, and a LEGO ship build for $15.

“When the patrons are lining up for the experience, they need to be told that each group can only accommodate 40 people. There needs to be better coordination of getting people in line. When we went today, there was a tour group of 50 elderly people in the waiting area eating their bag lunch. They were there before us. We would have liked to have been told that we would will have to wait extra time, instead of finding it out after waiting for 30 minutes. Just better coordination of getting people lined up needs to happen. Otherwise, great tour.Read more”

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13.Back Bay Chocolate and Art Galleries Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $65

Back Bay chocolate and art galleries in Boston: hot chocolate, desserts, and two gallery stops on a small-group 2.5-hour walk.

“We had a great time, and our tour guide (Adam) was absolutely awesome! Very knowledgeable about the area, and the exposure to art and chocolate was a great combo.”

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14.Boston’s Old State House & Old South Meeting House Museums

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 23 reviews · 30 minutes to 2 hours (approx.) · from $15

Boston’s Revolution story in two nearby museums. Self-guided with a mobile ticket, photo stops, and easy downtown access.

“My family and I did the freedom trail. We stopped at Boston’s old state house and old south meeting house. The staff was super friendly. It’s very well kept. Packed full of historical facts. Would definitely recommend stopping here.”

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15.Museum of Ice Cream Boston Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★2.5 · 21 reviews · 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $44

Museum of Ice Cream Boston ticket for interactive rooms, unlimited ice cream, and the iconic sprinkle pool, delivered by mobile entry.

“It was amazing! It reminded me of Willy Wonka! I thought the ice cream when we first got there was awesome! I ate it while we went into the next room!”

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