Massachusetts Historical Society Day Trip

Join American Ancestors experts at Massachusetts Historical Society for a day of genealogical research! MHS was founded in 1791 and is home to an invaluable manuscript collection containing letters, diaries, newspapers, photographs, and more. The MHS collections also includes records for many institutions that your ancestors may have interacted with during their lives, including churches, almshouses, banks, associations, and societies.

This program includes:

• 30-minute virtual consultation via Zoom, scheduled prior to the day trip
• Tour and orientation by Massachusetts Historical Society staff
• Lunch
• Research assistance by American Ancestors experts while at the repository

Please note: registration does not include transportation to or from the repository.

Please also note: Massachusetts Historical Society is a different repository from the American Ancestors Research Center. Massachusetts Historical Society is a separate organization that is hosting our group for this special day trip.

Resources

Guide to Massachusetts Historical Society (Made specifically for our group by Massachusetts Historical Society Staff)

Browse the MHS Manuscript Collection Guides

Read MHS Subject Guides

Photo by Roberto Farren, courtesy of MHS

Friday, May 12, 2023

10:00 a.m.: Tour and Orientation by Massachusetts Historical Society Staff

11:00 a.m.: Personal Research

12:00 p.m.: Lunch (provided)

1:00 p.m.: Personal Research

4:45 p.m.: Massachusetts Historical Society closes

Directions courtesy of the Massachusetts Historical Society website:  

View Larger Map for parking options. The map will open in a new window and has a blue marker to indicate the MHS

Massachusetts Historical Society
1154 Boylston Street
Boston, Massachusetts  02215
Tel: 617-536-1608
Fax: 617-859-0074

Directions

Conveniently located where the Back Bay meets the Fenway in the heart of Boston, the Massachusetts Historical Society is accessible from the city's major highways and by public transportation via train, subway, or bus.

By MBTA (subway)

The MHS is a short walk from the Hynes Convention Center stop which is accessible by every Green Line trolley (except E / Heath Street) and the #1 bus. Once you have arrived at the Hynes MBTA stop, exit the station at the Massachusetts Avenue door and turn left onto the street (walk over the bridge crossing the Massachusetts Turnpike). If you are traveling by bus from Cambridge, turn right on Massachusetts Avenue towards Boylston Street. At the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Boylston Street, turn right onto Boylston Street. Proceed on Boylston passing Hemenway Street. The MHS is on your left at the end of the next block. For more information on the MBTA visit: www.mbta.com.

By Car

From the North (I-93)

Take I-93 to the Storrow Drive exit. Follow Storrow Drive to the Fenway exit. Take the exit on the left toward Fenway and merge onto Charlesgate. Keep left at the fork and continue through two sets of lights onto Boylston Street.The MHS will be on the right.

From the West

From Rte. 90, Massachusetts Turnpike: Take Exit 133 (Prudential Center), which empties onto Huntington Avenue. The Prudential Center will be on your right. Take the first right at the lights onto Belvidere Street. Continue on Belvidere Street to the intersection with Massachusetts Avenue. Cross Massachusetts Avenue at the light, which takes you onto Haviland Street. Haviland ends at Hemenway Street, where you must turn right. At the intersection of Hemenway and Boylston streets, turn left. The MHS is on your left at the end of the block.

From Rte. 9

Proceed east on Route 9, which becomes Huntington Avenue when you enter Boston from Brookline. Follow Huntington to the intersection after the Christian Science complex and just before the Colonnade Hotel; turn left onto Belvidere Street (it is West Newton Street on your right). Continue on Belvidere Street to the intersection with Massachasetts Avenue. Cross Massachusetts Avenue at the light, which takes you onto Haviland Street. Haviland ends at Hemenway Street, where you must turn right. At the intersection of Hemenway and Boylston streets, turn left. The MHS is on your left at the end of that short block.

From the South

Take I-93 Exit 15A and turn left onto Southampton Street. Stay in the right-hand lane, and take a right onto Massachusetts Avenue. Turn left onto Haviland Street. Haviland ends at Hemenway Street, where you must turn right. At the intersection of Hemenway and Boylston streets, turn left. The MHS is on your left at the end of that short block