Massachusetts

The Massachusetts State House is one of the oldest state capitol buildings still in operation and the second stop on the Boston Freedom Trail in downtown Boston. It overlooks Boston Common, the beginning of the Freedom Trail and the nation’s oldest public park.

Learn more about the Massachusetts State House history or plan your visit.

Important Transportation Information

This state capitol building is the most challenging to get to by car. If you are adventurous, skilled at driving Boston streets, or are fine with repeat visits to Boston’s many body shops, you can park at the Boston Common Parking Garage.

I will drive almost anywhere, and I refuse to take my car into Boston. I STRONGLY suggest using Boston’s public transportation system, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, to get around Boston and the surrounding area. The Park Street Subway Station on the Red Line is right in front of Boston Common and a short walk to the Massachusetts State House.

MBTA transport is efficient and reasonably priced. If you feel you will return to Boston, I recommend getting a reloadable CharlieCard, which you can purchase and load at station kiosks.

My Visits

My first visit to the State House and Freedom Trail was with my oldest nephew when he was a boy. This was long before I started my quest to visit all the state capitols.

My sister goes to a national convention for work every other year, and I used to accompany them to take my nephew places during the day while my sister was busy. These trips remain some of my fondest memories of him as a boy. This time, we walked the entire Freedom Trail except Bunker Hill because thunderstorms came through as we toured the U.S.S. Constitution.  

In 2023, as part of the mid-Atlantic and New England road trip with my uncle, we took a day trip into Boston and Salem. We stayed in Rhode Island and took the commuter train into Boston after visiting the Rhode Island State House earlier in the day. The gallery images below are from this visit.

Enter the State House through the gate with the General Joseph Hooker statue at the crosswalk at Park and Beacon Streets. The front entrance is only used for ceremonial visits. Its golden dome was originally made of wood, later overlaid with copper by Paul Revere’s company, and eventually gilded in gold leaf. It shines over Boston Common like a beacon—which feels appropriate, given its address on Beacon Street.

The Massachusetts State House is home to the Massachusetts Governor and the legislature, known as the Massachusetts General Court, consisting of the Senate and House of Representatives. Designed by noted early American architect Charles Bulfinch, the State House is considered a masterpiece of Federal architecture.

The interior is highly ornate, with marble corridors. The Massachusetts State House contains statues of historically significant Bay Staters and murals depicting Massachusetts’ rich history.

For more detail, the Online Tour provides a closer look, whether you’re planning a trip or exploring from home.

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