Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum Admission
4.6

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum Admission

By Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
Recommended by 91% of travelers
91% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Gain admission to the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum and learn how this significant event of 1773 kick-started the American Revolution. A live-guided tour is included with your ticket to one of Boston’s top-rated museums. Be sure to explore one of the famed tall ships, and don't miss your chance to throw the fated tea into Boston Harbor.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 3-99
Duration: 1h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Written guide
Print or digital reading material such as a guide, map, brochure, etc.
: Arabic, German, Norwegian, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Portuguese, Japanese, English, Italian, French, Spanish
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Highlights
  • Admission and live-guided tour of the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum
  • Family-friendly experience includes entry to both of the tall ships
  • Centrally located near public transportation in Boston

  • Live Narrated Guided Tour
  • Entry/Admission - Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
  • Guaranteed to skip the lines
What's not included
  • Gratuities
  • Museum closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and subject to closures for private events.


Start:
  • 306 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210, USA
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Stroller accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • Infants must sit on laps
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5650TEA

    • Most travelers can participate
    • ALL guests must check in on-site 15 minutes prior to your tour time. Anyone not checked in within 15 minutes of their tour time may be considered a no-show and their seats may be re-allocated.
    • MUSEUM CLOSED ON THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS DAY
    • SKIP THE LINE
    • The Museum will be closed for maintenance January 27th through February 5th
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5650TEA

    From
    $35.00
    per adult
    Select date and travelers

    Similar experiences

    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
      4.6 of 5 bubbles7,079
      Boston, Massachusetts
    • markwC1913JM
      0 contributions
      2.0 of 5 bubbles
      Overpriced melodrama
      Very expensive. More melodrama than historic. A wast of time. Hard to hear. Rushed through due to timing of next tour. Worst thing I did in boston.
      Written October 1, 2024
    • Birgitta-Kenneth
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A different experience
      It is interesting but it is also really well done as an experience in a different way with new ways to interact and present the story. You wont regret doing this I assure you
      Written September 18, 2024
    • jerrylD6254XD
      0 contributions
      1.0 of 5 bubbles
      Our colonial woman clearly partook in the pernicious weed
      To all who find this, my family and I took a tour with a missus, madame (?) Skullay. It was clear throughout the whole tour that she was high out of her mind. It was clear she also stank. Such a disappointment for our trip and are of money for the kids. The colonial characters in charge of the tours seemed to be picked at random, so just hope that you don’t get stuck with her.
      Written September 10, 2024
    • JohnD10667
      0 contributions
      2.0 of 5 bubbles
      Be careful which browser you use when booking online
      Unfortunately, the website is not fully compatible with all browsers, Firefox specifically, such that booking is impossible using it, and when phoning to ask for assistance, you get transferred and then the line goes dead. I've never had this much trouble when trying to hand someone nearly $200 before!
      Written July 18, 2024
    • DebbieW734
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fun way to learn a bit of our history.
      I wish history was taught like this when I was in school. It is interactive and really captures what I think the feelings of the Colonists were at that time. Factual and fun. I would recommend for families and for anyone wanting to know what happened at that time, to help us become independent.
      Written June 11, 2024
    • 934shirleyn
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Recommended visit
      A brilliant attraction, and interactive, and the café had plenty of room, lots to see and hear about the history of the Boston Tea Party
      Written March 18, 2024
    • ORP-or
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Good interactive museum
      This is a great place to learn more about how the independence war of the US started. Not only you get to interact with the staff and throw some tea to the sea, you also see a short film explaining how everything started.
      Written November 25, 2023
    • LBCdovs
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Worth a visit
      Had a really nice experience. Actors do a phenomenal job and are very humorous. The company in general does an excellent job covering the historical importance of this event and we’re able to squeeze in more than I had expected. Came here with my 6 year old which I had mixed feelings about, but we made it through and he was happy to get on the boat, explore it and throw the bag in. Would definitely recommend this for pretty much anyone.
      Written November 13, 2023
    • Anne D
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Surprisingly Fantastic
      When we approached the venue we were skeptical. However, the tour was one of our top three experiences in Boston. Our tour guide “Peter” was phenomenal. She stayed in character before, during and after the tour. You are made to feel as if you are part of that night by handing out cards with individuals names of participants of the Boston Tea Party. Highly recommended.
      Written November 8, 2023
    • SteveRainville99
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Awesome Tour!
      We took a group of 135 students and chaperones there today and had a wonderful experience! The staff there is truly dedicated to each and every tour. Our sales manager, Scott Harris, truly went above and beyond to ensure that our group had dedicated tour times and accommodated our large party with great customer service. The place itself is really cool, as it makes you step back in time to Colonial Days. The reenactments are very good, and "throwing" tea in the harbor is a great tradition. The gift shop had many great items, including all sorts of teas. The upstairs restaurant/cafeteria also has a good food option and multiple tea you can sample! Great overall experience, thanks to Scott and his dedicated team!
      Written November 5, 2023
    • Mohamed7ElNaggar
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Live the moment of December 1773
      Live the moment of December 1773. An amazing visit with an amazing show the tells the story of the first revolution steps in Boston and the whole USA. Starting from the protest against the tea taxes till Boston massacre. Staff members are very helpful and informativess
      Written October 24, 2023
    • CraigE1119
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Interesting and fun
      Fantastic experience and very interesting. The actors were great! Also really interactive, you even get a chance to throw boxes of tea into the sea.
      Written October 22, 2023
    • taraoneil
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Entertaining History
      It was entertaining history. Kids 11,8,5,3. 3 year old struggled but the rest did well and enjoyed it. There is a lot of standing so be prepared for that. A couple things that could be improved: they started talking before everyone was in the room, it felt a little rushed. Also, you didn’t get to look around very much always being scooted to the next room. I had a seat for the last movie but most of the group didn’t, I was glad I did. It was expensive which is frustrating. We did all love it though and glad we did it.
      Written October 18, 2023
    • 207RichardS
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Probably one of the best museum experiences in the world
      Wow, what an experience an interactive journey, not only about the Boston Tea Party but the history leading upto the battle of Lexington. The tour guides, in character were amazing, with group participation really made it real, finishing off with Hollywood quality films explaining the march of the British and the minutemen of Lexington. It was emotional, thought provoking and a museum experience like no other. An absolute must for Boston.
      Written October 11, 2023
    • 91maryc
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Worth a Visit
      I went to this museum today and it was fabulous. The individuals that play the roles of characters are outstanding. I especially enjoyed Sarah Hughes. The exhibits and technology used in the exhibits were very innovative.
      Written October 9, 2023
    See all 7,079 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

    Popular mentions

    4.6
    4.6 of 5 bubbles954 reviews
    Excellent
    709
    Very good
    160
    Average
    48
    Poor
    20
    Terrible
    17

    These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
    This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.

    KyleandTiffany
    Maryland827 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Toured Boston.
    Boston Tea Party Museum
    We went to The Boston Tea Party Museum and participated in the reenactment of dumping the tea overboard. This museum and guided tour were more than we expected. I learned a lot too. I didn't know it was 53 years before someone told who dumped the tea into the Boston Harbor! About 150 participants, split into 3 groups and boarded 3 ships to dump the tea and kept The Boston Tea Party a secret!!!! Shucks, nowadays 3 people can barely keep a secret for 53 minutes.

    Breaking the seal of 342 chests, shredding the compacted tea and dumping the tea took about 3 hours. It was about $1.7 million (today's equivalency) of tea.

    It was 16 months after the dumping of the tea that the Revolutionary War happened.

    A storage chest still exists and is in a protective box in the museum. It survived two centuries before it was preserved. It was used for multiple things; a cat box, a nursery for kittens, a doll house, and a storage place for show and tell. We werent allowed to photograph it or any parts of the guided tour on the bottom floor of the museum.
    Written February 7, 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! We truly appreciate your feedback and are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your time with us. Your kind words inspire us to continue providing the best experience possible.
    Written February 9, 2025
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    TomatoGirl12
    25 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I visited this attraction based on a friend’s high recommendation. It is a little pricey and I am not generally a fan of guides dressed in period costume and re-enactments for tourists, but I felt the Boston Tea Party Museum did a great job—possibly because of the excellent acting of our tour guide. I was not disappointed.

    Visitors are assigned names of Boston Tea Party participants, and go through the tour as if they are participants—from gathering together to complain about the unfairness of the Tea Tax, to throwing the tea off the ship. The Tea Museum is part of the tour and ends with a short film. I felt the tour invited active participation and was an enjoyable way to learn more about a historical event.

    I would recommend this for families with elementary-age children. It is engaging and lasts about an hour, probably just the right amount of time for them.
    Written June 19, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Wow, that is a great review! Thank you so much for taking the time to write about your experience. We love reading about our guests' experiences and sharing them with our CAST. We hope you'll come back and visit us again.
    Written June 19, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    CDTrip72
    Arlington Heights, IL260 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2024 • Family
    We were visiting Boston just for a day and the place was recommended by a colleague that lives in Boston. We were staying at the Intercontinental Hotel, and it’s so close we could see it from our hotel room. Once you check in, you become part of an interactive show to understand what things were like at the time and why the tea party took place. However, if you are shy you don’t have to worry as unless you volunteer for a couple of very minor roles, you don’t have to officially do anything. You also get a chance to toss over a box of tea in into the harbor (it’s connected to a rope, so you are not really doing anything bad but it’s still fun).

    I don’t want to give everything away, but one of the coolest items is you get to see an actual crate that was tossed into the harbor as it was saved by a family who (correctly) assumed that the time what was going on was historic and wanted to preserve the memory and it was passed from generation to generation.

    The entire presentation was only an hour or so, but you do learn a lot during that time and that still gives you plenty of time to either stick around and sample some of the teas during that period for a small fee, or go to the bigger than expected gift ship, or just go to the next destination. I would definitely recommend!
    Written July 3, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    We're thrilled to hear that your visit was enjoyable and that you had a great time exploring the exhibits. Cheers to a wonderful experience and we hope to welcome you back soon!
    Written July 4, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Raymond D
    2 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worthless!

    It's not a museum, it's a bad show supported by videos…

    The only room where any museum pieces were displayed was part of the show and you were not allowed to look longer than the tour host shouted you through it.

    39 euros per person wasted money!
    Google
    Written August 4, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Wij bieden een tevredenheidsgarantie op de klantenservicepagina van onze website, trolleytours dot com, onder het kopje "onze garantie". We offer a satisfaction guarantee located on the customer service page of our website, trolley tours dot com, under the subheading "our guarantee".
    Written August 8, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Bobbie C
    6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2025 • Couples
    I've never had a museum that had me smiling and laughing the whole way through, but this museum did it. Every worker is dressed in old colonial garb and speaks to you in the way they did in the 1770s. As a lover of Boston history, seeing how seriously they take the role of immersing the crowd into the complicated history of the time was astounding. I've never seen such a well-curated historical experience, right next to where the real event happened, which really relics of the time and extremely knowledgeable staff. They even have a tearoom that offers the exact tea the Bostonians threw overboard back in the day! This was a highlight of our trip, and I could not recommend it enough!
    Written January 23, 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! We truly appreciate your feedback and are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your time with us. Your kind words inspire us to continue providing the best experience possible.
    Written January 25, 2025
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    HerneBayCharley
    herne bay117 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Apr 2024 • Couples
    We came upon this attraction in the harbour whilst visiting Boston and had time to spare so decided to give it a go. We thought is was expensive with no reduction for elderly people which is a pity as it really is an attraction more suited to youngsters. The actors were very enthusiastic and informative but there were a lot of children in the group. They were given the speaking parts but were so quiet we could not hear what they said. It was informative and quite good fun once it got going but a lot of money for an hour and the tea in the gift shop is really expensive. I did buy a very reasonable christmas tree ornament as a souvenir though.
    Written April 29, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We would like to hear more about your experience, please contact us directly at guestrelations@historictours.com.
    Written April 30, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    michellehouse
    Evansville, IN282 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2022
    The kids had a blast and learned a lot. This is an interactive experience with actors filling the rolls and guiding you through the experience. Our actors did a great job and were very engaging and energetic. The kids really enjoyed getting to throw "tea crates" in the harbor and the townhall meeting.

    I will say during peak tourist times, you should probably pre-book tickets a few days ahead of time. We did not and the night before it was listed as "sold out" which causes a mild panic as this was the one thing our tween was excited to do. We emailed the staff at midnight and they responded very early the next morning that they do allow a certain number of walk up tickets to be sold and suggested we get there early. We arrived about 40 minutes before opening and I'm glad we did because the line was down the bridge by they time they actually opened.

    We also got tea cups from the tea room upstairs which allows you to try several varieties of tea leaves that are similar to the blends that the colonist would have had. The kids were not fans of hot tea but the adults enjoyed it.
    Written August 9, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Orkney Trike Tours
    Kirkwall, UK4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2023 • Couples
    We thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and that is what is was. You were thoroughly immersed into the whole event with the actors making us part of the whole event right from the first moment weren't in.
    Lots of novel.use of technology as well as hands on activities.
    Being British we had only a little knowledge of the actual events, countries tend to forget the wars they lost. So it was a great learning experience.
    I would recommend to anyone who is in Boston to make time to visit, make sure you pre book as each tour is a timed event with a limit to participants.
    Written October 31, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    We're so happy to hear you had a great time! Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience. We love to share comments like this with our CAST. We hope you'll come back for more next time you're in one of our other destinations.
    Written November 1, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Tara Heagele
    Hamilton, NJ1,354 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sep 2024 • Friends
    This was one of my best museum experiences ever. It is a mix of live actors, audience immersion, videos, and artifacts. The whole experience lasts an hour and you must get timed tickets. We started in a Meeting House on the eve of the Boston Tea Party. All museum goers receive a card telling us who we are that evening. These cards are based on real participants of the Boston Tea Party. I was a bookseller and my husband was a leather dresser. Some folks in the audience have a line to say as the actors take us through the meeting. We learn terminology of the time and why the Americans were so angry. We then go from the Meeting House to the ship where we get to throw "tea crates" into the harbor. Afterwards, we get more history on the events of the evening that triggered the American Revolutionary War and the battle that resulted shortly thereafter. I had a great time and I've already told everyone I know that this museum is a MUST VISIT when in Boston.
    Written September 12, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for your detailed comments! Our CAST is very proud of the work they do, and it sounds like it pays off. We're glad to know we're hitting the mark. We hope to see you again next time.
    Written September 13, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    MikeM
    Chicago, IL109 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2022
    This was one of my favorite experiences in Boston, and the best paid tour by far. Our period costume hostess, Elizabeth Bradley (Katie), performed her part with incredible gusto and humor, and really made the experience come alive. Really, she was a natural actress, and made it a special experience for everyone.

    The tour begins at a town hall meeting, where Elizabeth told us about her life, her family, and briefed us on the events of the day. After a rousing speech by her friend Samuel Adams, our "mob" lined up to storm onto the ship, or, as Elizabeth put it, as she pumped her fist into the air, "Safety first, treason second!! Huzzah!"

    The replica of the ship was very good, and several of the younger guests had the opportunity to dump bales of "tea" into the harbor, which was good fun. Elizabeth and the other staff were extremely knowledgeable and well briefed, more like National Park Ranger than attraction operators. I don't know who trains them, but Huzzah!

    After exiting the ship, we made our way into a small museum, where we got to see several interesting historical artifacts, including a tea chest from the fateful night, and some tea. There were two more presentations, which Elizabeth/Katie interacted with in a way that made it quite lively and fun.

    If you have children, or adults who are at all interested in history, I'd highly recommend this attraction. The staff excels at conveying historical information in a lively and interesting way, and they truly make history come alive. I think being a private attraction, they are freed from the need to be stodgy and serious, and make it great fun for everyone. It's much more of an experience that transports you back to 1773, and not at all like the museum trip all grade schoolers dread.

    At the end of the tour, we were invited to buy ourselves a tea sampler in Abagail's tea room, or the gift shop, "where everything is heartily taxed, but in a fully representative way. Huzzah!" Sorry, but I love that joke, and I loved The Boston Tea Party.

    Thank you, BTP Museum, and thank you, Miss Elizabeth Bradley, for making my trip so much fun, and good luck to you and your brothers in all of your adventures.
    Written February 23, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

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