Children take on the roles of Paul and Rachel Revere and other historical characters during the Revere House's Midnight Ride Storytelling program.

Field Trips

The Paul Revere House offers interactive educational programs designed to acquaint students with Boston's long and colorful history. Built in the 1680s for a wealthy merchant, the house became home to silversmith and famous midnight rider Paul Revere during the Revolutionary era. In the 19th century, landlords divided the structure into cramped apartments for immigrant families. Containing remnants of many periods, the house provides a perfect setting in which to explore everyday life from colonial times to the early 20th century.

Reservations

Must be made at least two weeks in advance by contacting the Education Department, Paul Revere House, 19 North Square, Boston, MA 02113; 617-523-2338. If you are planning a visit in April, May, or June, we encourage you to make reservations several months in advance as these are popular times for field trips to the museum. We begin accepting reservations for the current school year the day after Labor Day.

Tours of the Paul Revere House ("site visit") and hands-on school programs are described in detail below.

Site Visit

For groups walking the Freedom Trail or on a whirlwind tour of Boston, this is the perfect option. Outside the Revere House, a member of the museum staff tells the story of Revere's ride and presents a brief history of his home. Inside the building, museum staff provide a fascinating glimpse into everyday life for the Revere family, describing the intriguing furnishings and personal artifacts on display. Plenty of time is available for questions. Pre-visit materials provided.

Time: 30 - 45 minutes
Grades: 1st - 12th
Class Size: Up to 50 people at a time.
Larger groups may reserve consecutive times.
Fee: 75 cents per student, $2.50 per adult.

The Man Behind the Myth

During a short slide presentation, children find out what really happened on Revere's midnight ride. In small groups, students examine letters, advertisements and reproduction artifacts, looking for clues about the man behind the myth. Intriguing details emerge about Revere's personality, contributions to the Revolution, large family and many business ventures. An interactive tour of Revere's house completes the program. Pre-visit materials provided.

Time: 1 1/2 hours
Grades: 4th - 7th
Class Size: Up to 22 students.
Two programs may be scheduled concurrently.
Fee: $120

One hour version available for classroom presentation. Fee: $125.

Paul Revere's Midnight Ride: Storytelling Program

Students wend their way through the North End, reenacting the dramatic events of April 18, 1775.

Find out what really happened during Paul Revere's midnight ride. Watch a short slide show which separates the facts from the myths surrounding the ride, then retrace Revere's route from his home in North Square towards the Charles River. Children don hats and carry props as they go, taking on the roles of Paul and Rachel Revere, their children, British soldiers, rowers, Samuel Adams, John Hancock and many others. Pre-visit materials provided. Time: 1 1/2 hours Grades: 1st - 3rd Class Size: Up to 22 students Fee: $120 One-hour version available for classroom presentation. Fee: $125.

Walking Tour: Paul Revere's Boston

Explore the neighborhood where Paul Revere lived and worked. This tour includes stops at the locations of Revere's silversmith shop and foundry, Boston's waterfront, Copp's Hill Cemetery and outside the Old North Church. As they explore the North End, students gather details about Revere's life by inspecting prints and reproduction artifacts, and discover how Revere used Boston's geography to his advantage. Price includes a tour of the Revere House and pre-visit materials.

Time: 1 1/2 hours
Grades: 3rd - 12th
Class Size: Up to 20 students per tour. Two tours may be scheduled concurrently.
Fee: $120

The Revere Children and the Siege of Boston

After his midnight ride, Paul Revere couldn't return to Boston. What became of his family as patriot forces besieged the city, trying to expel the British troops? Children find out as they take on the roles of Sarah, helping her mother pack to flee the city, and Paul Jr., left behind to guard the house against marauding soldiers. Pre-visit materials provided.

Time: 1 1/2 hours
Grades: 3rd - 6th
Class Size: Up to 22 students.
Two programs may be scheduled concurrently.
Fee: $120

One-hour version available for classroom presentation. Fee: $125.

Boston's North End: The Immigrant Experience

Paul Revere's North End changed dramatically in the 1800s as Irish, Eastern European and Italian immigrants settled in the colonial dwellings in enormous numbers. At the City of Boston Archaeology Lab, students examine 19th-century personal care items, toys and kitchen utensils excavated at the Revere House. Each artifact provides fascinating clues about the families who lived and worked in the Revere House when it was a boarding house. On a walking tour through the North End's twisting streets and alleyways students hear accounts of children who grew up in the nearby tenements, discovering how they helped support their families by working as "newsies," trooped to the local bath house with little brothers or sisters in tow, played stickball, and helped tend rooftop gardens. Pre-visit materials provided.

Time: 1 1/2 hours
Grades: 3rd - 12th
Class Size: Up to 22 students per tour.
Two tours may be scheduled concurrently.
Fee: $120

Something Special

If you would like to develop a field trip emphasizing an aspect of the past not covered by the programs described in this brochure, please contact the Education Department. We are delighted to help you find the resources necessary to design a program which will best complement your curriculum.

Outreach Programs

What teachers have said about Revere House programs:

"I don't think (my students) will ever have a trip that is more interesting or educational."
1st Grade Teacher, Vining School, Billerica, MA

"I like the way the material was presented and the way the children were involved. We all learned a lot and it fit right in with our curriculum... The (pre-visit) booklet sent in the mail was filled with good ideas."
3rd Grade Teacher, John Eliot School, Needham, MA

"The (students) loved it! They actually got to see what they were learning about (in school) and it made it real."
Special Education Teacher, Phinneas Bates School, Roslindale, MA

"The kids learned a lot about Paul Revere and, what is most important, what kind of person he was! He was taken off the pedestal... and respectfully brought to life."
7th Grade Teacher, Shoreham Wading River Middle School, Shoreham, NY

"The guide was superb! He was able to tell the history in both languages for my bilingual class. He was energetic and showed a great deal of enthusiasm."
4th/5th Grade Bilingual-Spanish Teacher, William E. Russell School, Boston, MA

"Role-playing the actual characters was awesome - it made the whole day seem 'alive'... It was the best field trip that I've been a part of."
6th Grade Teacher, Deerfield Community School, Deerfield, NH

Programs for Summer Camps

Hands-on programs developed for children attending area day camps. Three program options give groups the choice of participating in a storytelling program about Paul Revere's midnight ride, an herb garden scavenger hunt or a program on everyday life for the Revere children.