Upcoming Events
Celebrate Black History Month 365. Know the past, shape the future. See more events.
- Jul 4, 2026
- 10:00 am–11:00 am
- 46 Joy Street
Saturdays with Sheila: Take a Yoga Class at MAAH
Boston, MACool down indoors this July with a morning yoga session with none other than yogi Sheila Thorne! Soften this summer season and refresh your mind, body, and spirit with mindfulness and yoga.
Take a moment for yourself this July. Arrive early to secure a mat or bring one. All experience levels are welcome!
- Jul 5, 2026
- 2:00 pm–4:00 pm
- 46 Joy Street
And Freedom’s Reign
Boston, MAJoin us at the historic African Meeting House for And Freedom’s Reign, an immersive event honoring the words, legacy, and enduring spirit of Frederick Douglass.
Beginning at 2:00PM, enjoy a pre-concert reception featuring light refreshments and a reflective writing activity. Guests are also invited to explore the museum through a guided tour offered from 2:15–2:45 PM.
At 3:00 PM, the concert begins—a moving 75 minute program (no intermission) that brings Douglass’ iconic speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”, to life through a compelling live reading by DeShaun Gordon-King, interwoven with moving musical selections performed by Castle of our Skins’ String Quartet.
Presented in partnership with the Museum of African American History, with support from Mass Humanities through the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Come experience an afternoon where history, music, and reflection meet. Reserve your spot today!
- Jul 9, 2026
- 5:30 pm–7:00 pm
- 46 Joy Street
Fireside Chat with Dr. Robert Bellinger
Boston, MAWhen shots were fired in Lexington, Massachusetts on April 19, 1775, the War for American Independence began. Before that historic day people of African descent were engaged with the issues of rights and freedom. With Lexington, Massachusetts, known as the Birthplace of American Liberty, as a backdrop, this talk will look at the various ways that people of African descent in Massachusetts and New England sought liberty and freedom, and contributed to American Independence.
Join us at the African Meeting House to ask the question, “What does freedom mean in the 250th anniversary of the U.S.”
MAAH in the News
Explore the Museum & Get Connected
Celebrate Black History Month 365. Know the past, shape the future.
Connect to inspiring, authentic representations of life in the 18th and 19th centuries — in a unique place where Black communities organized and advanced the cause of freedom.
Boston Location
The African Meeting House, a registered National Historic Landmark, and Abiel Smith School on Beacon Hill were built in the early 1800s and are two of the museum's most valuable assets. Located steps away from the Massachusetts State House.
Nantucket Location
Explore our Nantucket campus, which features two historic sites, the African Meeting House and the Florence Higginbotham House. These buildings were at the center of a thriving nineteenth-century African American community on the island.
We understand the importance of remembering our history.
Welcome to The Museum of African American History! We are New England’s largest museum dedicated to preserving, conserving and interpreting the contributions of African Americans. In Boston and Nantucket, the Museum has preserved two historic sites and two Black Heritage Trails® that tell the story of organized Black communities from the Colonial Period through the 19th century. Exhibits, programs, and education activities at the Museum showcase the powerful stories of Black families who worshipped, educated their children, debated the issues of the day, produced great art, organized politically and advanced the cause of freedom.
"In every human Breast, God has implanted a Principle, which we call Love of Freedom; it is impatient of Oppression, and pants for Deliverance."
Plan Your Visit
Reserve Your Ticket
Choose a date, reserve your ticket, and learn something new every time you visit.
Experience the Museum (Virtually)
Explore exhibits, sign-up for a customized talk or schedule a tour, and discover the stories of courageous Americans on a guided walking tour of the Museum’s Black Heritage Trails®.
Leave Inspired & Empowered
Continue the conversation and share the authentic stories of New Englanders of African descent, and those who found common cause with them, in their quest for freedom and justice.
"For over 200 years, the African Meeting House has served as one of the nation’s most important and influential centers of cultural and political discourse around racial equality. Today, the Museum of African American History invokes this important history—in the very place it happened—to open new conversations around racial equity... and expand its narrative of Black and other social justice activists. … and underscore how their courage, as they united across race and class in the struggle for human rights, ushered in modern democracy."
Become a Member Today
Your vital contribution supports the Museum's education programs, research and exhibitions, and historic preservation of some of the nation's most important National Historic Landmarks throughout the year. Join us as we continue to make American history.
