Student Programs

To request a reservation for your group of 10 or more people please use our page on Explorable Places. The calendar for the 2024-2025 school year will open on September 3, 2024. Our Education Department is available via phone (617-523-2338) and email (education@paulreverehouse.org) as well. Thank you!

Field Trips, In-School Experiences and Extracurricular Enrichment

Visit us or save the cost of a bus by having the Revere House come to you! Or do both! Discounts are available for Boston Public Schools, Title I schools, and certain geographic areas and low-income groups. We can also provide transportation for Boston Public Schools groups. Please ask if you think your class might qualify.

Don’t See What you Need?

If you would like to develop a field trip emphasizing an aspect of the past not covered by the programs described here, please contact the Education Department. We are delighted to work with you to design a program to complement your curriculum.

Please note that we continue to offer virtual programming which is infinitely adaptable to your group’s interest and needs. We welcome your input as we plan an experience to suit your circumstances.

Site Visits

Virtual

Step right in the front door of Paul Revere’s house, virtually, as a trusted guide leads you through the oldest building in downtown Boston, interpreting the spaces, telling stories, and answering questions in real time. The incredible technology allows participants a 360 degree perspective of each room, offering opportunities to see inside fireplaces, look up at the original beams in the ceilings as though you were in the room, and get better, closer views of objects than you can while visiting in person! The virtual guided tour of the Paul Revere House led by an experienced museum educator can be customized for students who are using their own devices or for a teacher projecting onto a screen in a classroom. This program features a brief review of the mythology around the ride that made Revere famous along with plenty of time for questions and answers. This remote presentation can be made via Zoom (or other platforms) in conjunction with the unique virtual tour made possible to us through Rtangent’s Guided platform.

Time: 45-60 minutes
Grades: 1st – 12th
Class Size: Up to 30 people at a time (we can only accomodate one class at a time, but are happy to arrange multiple classes in a day)
Fee: $100 per program, $50 for Title 1 schools, free for BPS schools

In Person

For groups walking the Freedom Trail or on a whirlwind tour of Boston, this is the perfect option. Outside the Revere House, museum staff tell the story of Revere’s ride and present a brief history of his home. Inside the building, 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.

Time: 30 – 45 minutes
Grades: 1st – 12th
Class Size: Up to 30 people at a time.
Larger groups may reserve consecutive times (30 minutes apart).
Fee: $1.00 per child 5-17, $5.00 per college student or senior over 62, $5.50 per adult (with reservations made at least two weeks in advance)

Group Programs

The Man Behind the Myth

Virtual

Led by an experienced museum educator, students will explore the facts and fiction surrounding the story of Paul Revere’s midnight ride before analyzing primary source documents relating to other aspects of Revere’s long and interesting life. Each original document will be shown with its transcription and discussed as a group. Reproduction objects connected to each primary source will be analyzed to determine their material and function. This program can be presented remotely to a group of students who are on individual devices or in a classroom together.

Time: 1 hour
Grades: 4th-7th
Class size: Up to 30 students (we can accommodate one classroom at a time)
Fee: $100 per program, $50 for Title 1 schools, free for BPS schools

In Person

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.

Time: 1 1/2 hours
Grades: 4th – 7th
Class Size: Up to 22 students.
Two programs may be scheduled concurrently.
Fee: $175 per program, $75 for Title 1 schools, free for BPS schools

In School Version:
Time: 1 hour
Grades: 4th-7th
Class size: Up to 22 students (A minimum of two and maximum of three programs can be scheduled per day)
Fee: $230 per program, $115 for Title 1 schools, free for BPS schools
For travel to schools beyond Route 495 an additional travel fee will be charged.

Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride: Storytelling Program

Find out what really happened during Paul Revere’s midnight ride. Separate 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 others.

Time: 1 1/2 hours
Grades: 1st – 3rd
Class Size: Up to 22 students
Two programs may be scheduled concurrently.
Fee: $175 per program, $75 for Title 1 schools, free for BPS schools

In School Version:
Time: 1 hour
Grades: 1st – 3rd
Class size: Up to 22 students (A minimum of two and maximum of three programs can be scheduled per day)
Fee: $230 per program, $115 for Title 1 schools, free for BPS schools
For travel to schools beyond Route 495 an additional travel fee will be charged.

Walking Tour: Paul Revere’s Boston

Explore Paul Revere’s home and neighborhood. 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.

Time: 1 1/2 hour
Grades: 3rd – 12th
Class Size: Up to 20 students per tour.
Two tours may be scheduled concurrently.
Fee: $175 per program, $75 for Title 1 schools, free for BPS schools

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.

Time: 1 1/2 hours
Grades: 3rd – 6th
Class Size: Up to 22 students.
Two programs may be scheduled concurrently.
Fee: $175 per program, $75 for Title 1 schools, free for BPS schools

In School Version:

Time: 1 hour
Grades: 3rd-6th
Class size: Up to 22 students (A minimum of two and maximum of three programs can be scheduled per day)
Fee: $230 per program, $115 for Title 1 schools, free for BPS schools
For travel to schools beyond Route 495 an additional travel fee will be charged.

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 large numbers. During this program students will discover why as well as what it was like to live in one of the most densely populated communities on earth. Students tour the Paul Revere House discussing immigrants in each room – from the Puritans and enslaved Africans through to the last Italians to roll cigars upstairs. The program continues with 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.

Time: 1 1/2 hours
Grades: 3rd – 12th
Class Size: Up to 22 students per tour.
Two tours may be scheduled concurrently.
Fee: $175 per program, $75 for Title 1 schools, free for BPS schools

Fun and Games in the 1700s

Introduce young children to life in colonial Boston through games popular in the Reveres’ era. Inside the Revere House, students search for beans, thimbles, a bed wrench and other household items colonial families incorporated into pastimes. Students then try their hands at games such as Snail, Button-Button, Jackstraws, Beast-Fish-Fowl, and Ninepins. Fascinating details emerge about many aspects of daily life.

Time: 1 1/2 hours
Grades: PreK-1st
Class Size: Up to 22 students.
Two programs may be scheduled concurrently.
Fee: $175 per program, $75 for Title 1 schools, free for BPS schools

In School Version:

Time: 1 hour
Grades: PreK-1st
Class size: Up to 22 students (A minimum of two and maximum of three programs can be scheduled per day)
Fee: $230 per program, $115 for Title 1 schools, free for BPS schools
For travel to schools beyond Route 495 an additional travel fee will be charged.

Extracurricular Experiences for Summer Camps, After-school, and Vacation Programs

Explore life in colonial Boston through fun, hands-on programs developed for children attending summer day camps, after-school programs, and school vacation programs. All programs include an interactive tour of the Paul Revere House and conclude with a snack. Programs can also be adapted for pre-school classes. Fee waivers available for groups serving low income households and target neighborhoods. Please call to find out if your group qualifies.

Fun and Games in the 1700s

How did families amuse themselves two hundred years ago? Find out as you tour the Revere House looking for beans, a bed wrench, thimbles, and other common household items that colonial children incorporated into simple games. Following the tour, play both indoor and outdoor games including Ninepins, Snail, Button-Button, Jack Straws, and Hunt the Thimble.

Time: 1 1/2 hours
Ages: 6-10
Class Size: up to 15 children
Fee: $100

Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride

Find out what really happened during Paul Revere’s midnight ride. After a short introduction, participants retrace Revere’s route through the North End. Children don hats and carry props as they go, taking on the roles of Paul and Rachel Revere, their children, Robert Newman, British soldiers, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and many others.

Time: 1 1/2 hours
Ages: 6-8
Class Size: up to 15 children
Fee: $100

Herb Garden Scavenger Hunt

Explore the Revere House garden and find out about the wide variety of plants colonial women grew to flavor food, improve memory, ward off pesky bugs, scent bath water, and treat ailments. During this program, participants work in pairs to identify plants by their textures, tastes, and smells. After discovering the unique uses of each herb, children taste an herbal tea and prepare bunches of plants to dry at home.

Time: 1 1/2 hours
Ages: 8-10 years
Class Size: up to 15 children
Fee: $100

The Revere Family at Work

As you explore the Revere House, look for clues that will tell you what chores Mr. and Mrs. Revere and their children had to complete in each room. Then try your hand at engraving copper sheets as Paul Revere did in his shop, and preparing an herbal headache remedy.

Time: 1 1/2 hours
Ages: 8-11
Class Size: up to 10 children
Fee: $100

Tricks of the Trade – Earning a Living in Early Boston

What could you buy from Ann White, the mantua maker? Why would you hire James Barnard, the housewright? Find out as you take on the roles of trades men and women in early Boston. Design a shop sign, examine reproduction tools, then discover which colonial trades are still practiced in the North End today as you play “business bingo.”

Time: 1 1/2 hours
Ages: 8-11
Class Size: up to 10 children
Fee: $100