Find a factory to tour for fun and learning!

Boston, Massachusetts factories to visit and tour

Boston, Massachusetts has factories to visit and tour. Below, first are the active, working factories. The next section has historical operations which often have demonstrations or renactments. These incluse both large and small operations, from several person chocolate factories and cheesemakers to large manufacturers making paper towels, wood products, beverage cans and bottles, are open to the public with real tours, exhibitions and fun education.

In some cases, such as a manufacturing process that is no longer in use, the only way to see it and learn about it is a museum or living history center. So, we also provide information about engineering facilities and museums, dinosaur digs, even government facilities, like NASA, astronomy oberservatories and more that are open to the public on certain days and times. And if there is some place that is just plain fun to visit, we add that, too!

These are perfect for homeschooling, for STEM and for fun! Kids love visiting these places! They're learning and getting an education without even realizing it. And most of these are either free or under $10! What's better then fun, entertaining, good for children and families, educational and free?

Here are some of the top factory tours in Boston, Massachusetts and contact information and tips about visiting them.

Factories, Engineering, Museums and other fun demonstrations and exhibits to visit in Boston, Massachusetts

  1. Boston Public Library - Established in 1848 as the first publicly supported municipal library in America;
    700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116. Phone: 617-859-2216. Email: tours@bpl.org. Open: Public Art & Architecture tours are free of charge and run at the following times: Mondays at 2:00 pm, Tuesdays at 2:00 pm, Thursdays at 6:00 pm, Fridays at 11:00 am, Saturdays at 11:00 am. Tours start in the McKim Building Vestibule. Tours last approximately one hour and start in the McKim Building Vestibule, just through the Dartmouth Street entrance. Tours are subject to guide availability. The following guide is available to those experiencing the Central Library's art and architecture outside of a group: Art and Architecture of the Central Library in Copley Square (Virtual Booklet). This historic building is an Italian-Renaissance building; courtyard, sculpture, and paintings; murals by John Singer Sargent and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes; exhibits; tours highlighting architecture and history. Two fine restaurants recently opened. The landmark Central Library in Copley Square features notable architecture spanning three centuries, as well as treasured art and decorative installations within. A summary of key points of interest can be found on our Art & Architecture page.Unauthorized guides are not permitted to lead tours within the library. When planning your visit, please make note of days when the library will be closed due to holidays; inclement weather may also affect opening hours.Public tours are currently limited to 25 people per tour guide, and we ask that individual parties larger than five people refrain from joining the public tours so as not to overcrowd the group. They do not take reservations. To claim your spot on the tour, when you arrive at the library, head to the McKim Building Welcome Desk (which is right through the library entrance on Dartmouth Street). There, a staff member can give you and each member of your party a sticker to wear to signify you as a member of the tour group. Staff will start handing these stickers out an hour before the tour starts, and on a first-come, first-served basis.
  2. Bully Boy Distillers - distillery
    44 Cedric St Roxbury, MA 02119. Phone: (617) 442-6000. The Bully Boy Distillers Tour is for ages 21+ and lasts about 45 Minutes. This is Boston's first distillery since Prohibition. Over the course of the tour they'll teach you about the history of our company and how they have been making whiskey, gin, vodka, rum and more right here for over 10 years. The tour will include a complimentary spirits sampling, and finishes in our Tasting Room where guests will have a chance to enjoy cocktails from our seasonally rotating menu. This experience is only for those 21+
  3. Faneuil Hall - Deserves it's on listing! There is a walking tour throughout the property and original artifacts in Historic Faneuil Hall. Then grab some food in the many restaurants. Taste the area's specialties like Boston Baked Beans, New England clam chowder, Indian Pudding, clam chowder, lobster rolls, oysters on the half shell at the world-famous Food Colonnade.
  4. Fenway Park Tours - baseball stadium
    4 Jersey Street, Boston, MA 02215. Phone: 617-226-6666. Email: tours@redsox.com. Open: Ballpark tours are available daily, year-round, during rain, snow and sunshine. Online tour tickets are available for purchase up to 30 days prior to each date. Last tour departs at 5 p.m. on non-game days. On game days the last tour departs THREE hours before game time. Winter Hours of Operation: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (November 1 through March 31). Available year-round. Public Tours depart at the top of each hour. They offer a variety of tours for individuals, groups, any type of occasion and premium experiences. Read about our different tours and the pricing on their website: Public Tours, Fenway in Fifteen, Group Tours, The Pregame Tour, Day Game Premium Tour, "Ultimate" Birthday Package, Take Me to Fenway, Educational Tours/Learning Lab, Red Sox history at Fenway Park. Tours daily on the hour.
  5. Old Sturbridge Village - 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, Massachusetts. This popular destination is a living history museum that re-creates life in early 1800's New England . There are over40 authentic historic homes, craft shops, stores, mills, and farm buildings moved to this 200-acre site. People dressed in the period's attire demonstrate daily tasks of the town's folk. There is even a working farm and garden with livestock and heirloom plant varieties.
  6. Samuel Adams Brewery - Beer brewery
    30 Germania St Boston, MA 02130. Phone: (617) 368-5080. They offere several different tours, in 20223, from $10 to $50.
    SAM SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE, 45 MINUTES, in 2023, $10
    Learn about the brewing process and our Research and Development program for Samuel Adams innovation. Tour our brewhouse and taste with us. Some walk-in availability.
    BEYOND THE BREWHOUSE, 45 MINUTES, in 2023, $25
    Looking to dive deeper into our company's rich history and brewing processes? Join us on this excursion as one of our guides leads you through all of our brewing spaces including our Brewhouse, Bier Keller and Sour Barrel aging facilities, all while you enjoy three samples of fresh beer.
    Tours are for ages 21+. They are a two-block walk from the Stony Brook stop on the Orange line, and the address is 30 Germania Street, Boston, MA for your GPS.

Boston, Massachusetts Historical Forts and Sites, Famous buildings, Active Federal facilities to tour, Geology: like fossils and volcanic areas

  • Freedom Trail - Most of what you will want to see is along this path! Boston's Freedom Trail is a walking trail you follow through the city to see the most famous Colonial America landmarks. It is easily identified by the red brick line and brass medallions set in the pavement. The trail starts at the Visitor Center in the Boston Common and goes 3 miles to
  • Boston Common and Public Garden Swan Boats - Famous since Victorian times!
  • Harvard University - 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts. The U has historic buildings and excellent museums and a thriving local community of shops, restaurants, cafés, and bookstores. Museums worth seeing include:
    The Harvard Art Museums, Fogg Art Museum (Italian early-Renaissance art), the Busch-Reisinger Museum (German and northern European Expressionist art), the Arthur M. Sackler Museum (Asian antiquities and Jade art), the Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology, the Mineralogical Museum, the Museum of Comparative Zoology, and the Botanical Museum.
  • The Museum of Fine Arts - 465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts
    Staying on the Museum theme here's an excellent fine arts museum.
  • Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum - 280 The Fenway, Boston, Massachusetts.
  • Old Sturbridge Village - 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, Massachusetts. This popular destination is a living history museum that re-creates life in early 1800's New England . There are over40 authentic historic homes, craft shops, stores, mills, and farm buildings moved to this 200-acre site. People dressed in the period's attire demonstrate daily tasks of the town's folk. There is even a working farm and garden with livestock and heirloom plant varieties.
  • Norman Rockwell Museum - 9 Route 183, Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Norman Rockwell lived here for the last 25 years of his life, painting and become a common figure in the town. Famous for his Saturday Evening Post covers depicting every day American life.
  • Whale Watching at Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary - The Stellwagen Bank is considered one of the top whale-watching locations in the world, you can also see white-sided dolphins, harbor porpoise, seals, and other marine life. Hop on board a whale watching tour boat in Boston, Gloucester or Provincetown. . See this NOAA page to find a whale watch company to view a complete list of vessels that view whales in the sanctuary. Make the most of your whale watching experience by following the suggestions on the Tips for Whale Watching page.
  • Boston National Historical Park:, Boston, MA. The Old State House, is here in the heart of the city which could be the Cradle of Liberty, site of the first major battle of American Revolution, and home to many who espoused that freedom can be extended to all. Colonial Boston Map, Faneuil Hall and the Charlestown Navy Yard skyline
  • Boston African American National Historical Site:, Boston, MA.

    Centered on the north slope of Beacon Hill, the African American community of 19th century Boston led the city and the nation in the fight against slavery and injustice. These remarkable men and women, together with their allies, were leaders in the Abolition Movement, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, and the early struggle for equal rights and education.

    The Battle of Fort Wagner
  • Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation area:, Boston, MA.

    . . . where you can walk a Civil War-era fort, visit historic lighthouses, explore tide pools, hike lush trails, camp under the stars, or relax while fishing, picnicking or swimming-all within reach of downtown Boston. Youth programs, visitor services, research, wildlife management, and more are coordinated on the park's 34 islands and peninsulas by the Boston Harbor Islands Partnership.

    Lush vegetation on the top of Spectacle Island's North drumlin dominates the foreground. Boston's skyline can be seen in the distance. The park's logo with tag line minutes away, worlds apart empashises the stark contrast between the city and islands.

Boston, Massachusetts State historic sites and parks

These are state-run parks, museums and historic sites that present the history of some manufacturing process, industry, or living settlement

Many DCR facilities have a parking fee. Massachusetts residents pay lower fees than non-residents. Resident and non resident status is determined by the vehicle license plate. Some parks only charge fees during certain times of the year. Click the link below to view the most recent parking fees schedule for every state park.

Parking fee locations and schedule

Annual Parking Pass

You can save money on park visits by getting an annual ParksPass. A ParksPass waives the daily parking fee for most DCR parks. The parking pass costs $60 for Massachusetts residents.

Senior ParksPass

Massachusetts residents aged 62 and older can buy a lifetime parking pass. The lifetime Senior Parks Pass costs $10. Senior Parks passes may only be bought in person or by mail.

Learn how to get a lifetime Senior ParksPass

Boston, Massachusetts Seasons, bugs, topography and climate

Massachusetts is mainly a humid continental climate, with hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters and plenty of precipitation. The state does have extreme temperatures from time to time with 100 °F or 37.8 °C in the summer and temperatures below 0 °F or −17.8 °C in the winter not being unusual. Bugs... near stagnant lakes and marshes black flies, no-see-ums and mosquitos.

Camping in Boston, Massachusetts

If you're looking to save money on your trip, camping may be a fun alternative to hotels and motels, especially, if you already have the gear, or are looking to get some. BTW, this websites ( https://RoadTrippingAndCamping.com ) explains everything you need to know about camping gear and where to the best gear at the lowest prices.

Massachusetts has accessible tent sites, too, with hard-packed level ground, pedestal grills, and accessible picnic tables. All our accessible sites are marked on Reserve America with a figure in a wheelchair.

You'll always find accessible restrooms in the same loop as accessible sites, though there usually isn't an accessible pedestrian route between the sites and the restrooms. Before you make a reservation, you should contact the park to see if their cabins, yurts, or tent sites fit your specific needs. Also, be sure to learn about DCR campground regulations before you reserve your campsite.

If you have questions about accessible camping in general, please contact the Universal Access Program.

There are both state parks and private campgrounds in Boston, Massachusetts.