'Boston Harbor a teapot tonight!' To protest unfair taxes, a gang of rebellious colonists dumped 342 chests of tea into the water. The 1773 protest – the Boston Tea Party – set into motion the events leading to the Revolutionary War. Nowadays, replica Tea Party Ships are moored at the reconstructed Griffin's Wharf, alongside an excellent experiential museum dedicated to the revolution's most catalytic event.
Visitors can board the fully rigged Eleanor and the whaler Beaver to experience life aboard an 18th-century vessel. Would-be rebels can throw crates of tea into the harbor, in solidarity with their fiery forebears.
Using re-enactments, multimedia and other fun exhibits, the museum addresses all aspects of the Boston Tea Party, as well as the events that followed. To hear both sides of the story, visitors can witness a virtual debate between Sam Adams and King George III (though in reality they never met). The museum's one actual artifact – a tea crate known as the Robinson Half Chest – is highlighted with an audio presentation.
Tickets are expensive, considering it's a small museum. Save a couple of dollars by purchasing tickets online.
