This Week at the MHS

Edes Family Tea Party Punch Bowl

This porcelain bowl belonged to journalist and publisher Benjamin Edes of Boston. On the afternoon of 16 December 1773, a group of men assembled in the parlor of the Edes’s home on Brattle Street. Edes, who was closely involved in the deliberations surrounding the arrival of the tea, had recruited his guests to help plan and carry out an audacious attack on the East India Tea Company’s three ships moored in the harbor.

While waiting for evening to fall, the party enjoyed Edes’s hospitality and punch served in the bowl. Edes’s son, Peter, later recalled the evening’s events in a letter to his grandson in 1836. He wrote that after dark, Edes and his guests joined others on Griffin’s Wharf, and within a period of three hours, had dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor.

View the punch bowl up close here.

MHS News

Opening 5 October

“The Dye is cast”: Interests & Ideals That Motivated the Boston Tea Party

In 1773, Boston was on the verge of revolution. Bostonians were not united in their opinions about, or even their interest in, what took place on the evening of 16 December. This exhibition delves into this pivotal moment in American history through the perspectives of six individuals from diverse backgrounds and features a remarkable collection of artifacts and documents from the MHS collection. The exhibition is open 5 October 2023 through 29 February 2024.

Learn more about the exhibition and explore items from our collection related to the Tea Party.

Four New Sets Added to HistorySource.org

We’ve added four new sets to HistorySource.org, a primary source portal for K–12 teachers and students. In preparation for the upcoming 250th commemoration of the Revolutionary War, the new sets explore multiple perspectives surrounding events leading up to the Revolution in Massachusetts and include Massachusetts Loyalists: Revolution and Exile; Investigating Multiple Perspectives on the Boston Massacre; The Evolving Legacy of Crispus Attucks, 1770–1863; and Boston 1773: The Destruction of the Tea.

View the new sets on the History Source.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, 3 October | 5:00 PM

Venture Smith & the Island of Slavery

John Wood Sweet, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, with comment by Manisha Sinha, University of Connecticut. This is part of the Pauline Maier Early American History Seminar series.

Wednesday, 4 October | 5:30 PM

“The Dye is cast”: Interests & Ideals That Motivated the Boston Tea Party

This in-person exhibition reception is open only to MHS Members and invited guests.

Members Register here.

Monday, 9 October, 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM: Opening Our Doo rs. Join us for walking tours of the Fenway neighborhood at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM, and explore our latest exhibition.

Tuesday, 10 October, 5:00 PM: El Teatro Campesino as Intellectual Forum: Farmworker-Actors in the Fight for Environmental Justice with Erik Wallenberg, Miami Center for Racial Justice, with comment by Sarah Kanouse, Northeastern University.

Wednesday, 11 October, 6:00 PM: Speculation Nation: Land Mania in the Revolutionary American Republic with Michael Blaakman, Princeton University.

Thursday, 12 October, 5:00 PM: Citizens First & Soldiers Second: The January 1946 Army Mutinies with Aaron Peterka, Northeastern University, with comment by Christopher Capozzola, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Tuesday, 17 October, 5:00 PM: American Dark Age: Racial Feudalism & the Rise of Black Liberalism with Keidrick J. Roy, Harvard University, with comment by Kallie Carter Jackson, Wellesley College.

Tuesday, 17 October, 6:00 PM: Writing History: Celebrated NPR Host & Author Steve Inskeep with Steve Inskeep, cohost of NPR's Morning Edition, Ryan Woods, American Ancestors Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, and Catherine Allgor, MHS President.

See full calendar.

Looking for More?

Registration and Events

Visit www.masshist.org/events for more information and to register.

Interested in Past Programs?

If you missed a program or would like to revisit the material presented, please visit www.masshist.org/video.

Click below to view the video, Henry David Thoreau: Thinking Disobediently, with Lawrence Buell. Enjoy more videos by subscribing to the MHS YouTube channel after you view the video.

Exhibition and Library Hours

Our galleries and library are open Monday and Wednesday through Friday, from 10:00 AM to 4:45 PM, and Tuesday from 10:00 AM to 7:45 PM (the galleries and library open at 12:00 PM the second Tuesday of the month). Please note that the last admission is 45 minutes prior to closing.

Please check our hours and admissions for hours, building closings, and other events.

An advance appointment is strongly encouraged for all researchers. Please visit our Appointment Request Form to select your preferred visit dates.

Set up an appointment via Zoom or live chat with a member of our reference staff.

Learn more at www.masshist.org/library.

The MHS Fund and Membership

Our Members make it possible for us to offer an array of complimentary services including admission to our exhibition galleries and library, online access to our collections and digital editions, and onsite and remote reference services for all. Membership begins with a fully tax-deductible contribution of $250 or more to the MHS Fund. All Members enjoy a full year of social, cultural, and educational experiences, including invitations to our annual Holiday Party, FREE program registration, and Member Week perks. Learn more and join today!

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