Discover Boston's top experiences without breaking the bank.
Free Things To Do in Boston
The Boston area offers an abundance of free and fun activities for everyone. See what's happening in Boston below!
Festivals
Back to Top of List- First Baptist Church
- Recurring daily
Come see the only holiday projection show in Boston! The JP Holiday Light Show will run every evening from 5:00 – 9:00pm, from Saturday, December 7 until Saturday, January 4, 2025. Shows will occur on the hour and half hour. Music is available through your mobile device…
- SoWa Art + Design District
- Recurring weekly on Sunday
Spend a Sunday afternoon at 450 Harrison Ave, and meet the artists directly. Family friendly and free event. Plenty of parking is available. SoWa Artists Guild Facebook/SoWa Artists Guild Instagram/SoWa Artists Guild
- Boston Common - Near Park Street Station
Join the Chabad of Downtown Boston for their 41st annual Menorah lighting on the Boston Common. All are welcome! Here's what to expect: The Lighting of a Giant 22' Menorah- one of New England's Tallest Menorahs! Greeting from dignitaries, local elected officials, and community…
- Seaport Blvd next to the Icon Theater
Join us for our Grand Seaport Menorah Lighting & Spectacular LED Show at the Seaport. All are welcome! Here's what to expect: Kindling the giant 9' Menorah Live music Chanukah treats & more! Fun for the whole family Great holiday venue RSVP (appreciated) Click here
- City Hall, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, the Rose Kennedy Greenway, and more
Since 1976, Boston’s First Night has been a New Year’s Eve celebration of artistic performances, the wonders of the season, and the beginning of a new year. In keeping with this fantastic Boston tradition, the First Night celebration will open 2025 with an array of performances…
Museums & Exhibitions
Back to Top of List- 1 Faneuil Hall Sq Ste 4
- Recurring weekly on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Located on the top floor of the historic Faneuil Hall, the Military Museum and Armory displays uniforms, medals, and weaponry from The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts, among other, more modern military artifacts. Learn about the soldiers of the Ancient…
- 855 Commonwealth Ave
- Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
The BU Art Galleries host a variety of ongoing exhibitions in three locations on the University campus focused on national and regional artistic endeavors. Tours Availability: Tuesday – Sunday (closed on holidays recognized by the school) Gallery Hours: 11 pm - 5 pm
- 43 Monument Ave
- Recurring daily
The Bunker Hill Museum’s exhibits and dioramas tell the stories of the Battle of Bunker Hill, the construction of the Monument, and the history of the Charlestown Neighborhood. The museum is housed in the old Charlestown branch of the Boston Public Library. Guests can request…
- 685 Commonwealth Ave
- Recurring weekly on Wednesday
This astronomical observatory owned and operated by Boston University. It's located on the roof of the College of Arts & Sciences and offers free public hours on Wednesday nights. • Although it won’t cost you a dime, you do need to obtain tickets ahead of time because there…
- Commonwealth Museum
- Recurring daily
The Commonwealth Museum brings history alive through exhibits and educational programs. Changing exhibits interpret artifacts and documents that illuminate Massachusetts history. The exhibits featured are typically focused on the work and words of men like John Hancock, Samuel…
- Harvard Art Museums
- Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Discover an array of artworks that transcend borders and spotlight the complexities of modern German identity. Made in Germany? Art and Identity in a Global Nation takes an unprecedented look at German art since 1980. Featuring artists from different generations and diverse…
- Massachusetts Historical Society
- Recurring daily
Founded in 1791, the Massachusetts Historical Society is the nation's oldest historical society. The collections bring alive the stories of America's past through a series of changing exhibitions and public programs that are free to the public. Availability: Monday…
- McMullen Museum of Art
- Recurring daily
If you’re in the mood for a different kind of art, this museum houses collections loaned from institutions and art collectors all over the globe. Due to their reliance on loans, their exhibitions change quite frequently. In the span of a year, you could see pieces from China…
- MIT List Visual Arts Center
- Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
The MIT List Visual Arts Center offers visitors a dynamic program of temporary exhibitions in the galleries, as well as renowned permanent and public art collections located across the Institute making it an excellent location to discover unique artistic visions. Availability…
- Dorchester Brewing Co.
- Recurring daily
MOBA is the world's only museum dedicated to the collection, exhibition, and celebration of art that would not be welcomed to any traditional art museum. Our collection includes sincere art in which something has gone wrong in a way that results in a compelling, interesting…
- Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
- Recurring daily
On the Gardner Museum’s Anne H. Fitzpatrick Façade, Mickalene Thomas uses photographic collage to immortalize her first muse: her mother. On view from October 1, 2024 – February 17, 2025, Sandra, She’s a Beauty, 2009 is an homage by a daughter, an aspirational mirror, and…
- Paul S. Russell, MD Museum of Medical History and Innovation at Massachusetts General Hospital
- Recurring weekly on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
The Paul S. Russell, MD Museum of Medical History and Innovation tells the rich story of Massachusetts General Hospital's two centuries of history. Visit us to learn about the hospital's important contributions to the medical field and see how these discoveries and advancements…
- USS Constitution Museum
- Recurring weekly on Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Old Ironsides is one of the most famous ships in the history of the United States. Learn about the legacy of the USS Constitution ship, the world's oldest commissioned warship, at the USS Constitution Museum. The museum of this historic vessel is open to the public for free…
- Waterworks Museum
- Recurring daily
The Waterworks Museum interprets unique stories of the country's first metropolitan water system through exhibitions and educational programs on engineering, architecture, social history, and public health. Located along the Chestnut Hill reservoir, the Waterworks Museum…
- Rose Kennedy Greenway
- Recurring daily
The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy today announced the commission and upcoming installation of the next Dewey Square mural from artist Jeffrey Gibson next month. Gibson, a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and of Cherokee descent, is celebrated globally for his…
- Institute of Contemporary Art
- Recurring weekly on Thursday
The ICA is free for all visitors every Thursday from 5 to 9 PM. Tickets for Free Thursday Nights will be available at icaboston.org/tickets at 10 AM on that Thursday morning. Beginning May 29, in line with the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and…
- 344 Congress St
- Recurring weekly on Saturday
The Boston Fire Museum houses some of the oldest devices used to fight fires in Boston. In addition to buckets, trumpets, and fire grenades, you will also see some of the earliest examples of fire engines – some dating back to 1793. Tour Availability: Saturday Saturday…
Family Friendly
Back to Top of List- First Baptist Church
- Recurring daily
Come see the only holiday projection show in Boston! The JP Holiday Light Show will run every evening from 5:00 – 9:00pm, from Saturday, December 7 until Saturday, January 4, 2025. Shows will occur on the hour and half hour. Music is available through your mobile device…
- The Substation, Roslindale
AFC invites you to join us for a free family concert in downtown Roslindale at the Substation. The first hour of the event, families with young kiddos are invited to enjoy a short, participatory, kid-focused musical presentation, after which the musicians will take a break and…
What are two must-have ingredients to create holiday cheer? You’re right — caroling and cocoa. Find that unbeatable combination at Prudential Center this December! Just as the weekend arrives, get in the spirit with a cup of hot cocoa and a holiday a cappella quartet by Songful…
- Boston Common - Near Park Street Station
Join the Chabad of Downtown Boston for their 41st annual Menorah lighting on the Boston Common. All are welcome! Here's what to expect: The Lighting of a Giant 22' Menorah- one of New England's Tallest Menorahs! Greeting from dignitaries, local elected officials, and community…
Join us for our indoor Chanukkah celebration at Faneuil Hall Quincy Market Place. All are welcome! What to expect: Kindling the giant Menorah Spectacular show Live music Chanukah treats & more! Children's A&C Fun for the whole family Great holiday venue
- Seaport Blvd next to the Icon Theater
Join us for our Grand Seaport Menorah Lighting & Spectacular LED Show at the Seaport. All are welcome! Here's what to expect: Kindling the giant 9' Menorah Live music Chanukah treats & more! Fun for the whole family Great holiday venue RSVP (appreciated) Click here
- City Hall, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, the Rose Kennedy Greenway, and more
Since 1976, Boston’s First Night has been a New Year’s Eve celebration of artistic performances, the wonders of the season, and the beginning of a new year. In keeping with this fantastic Boston tradition, the First Night celebration will open 2025 with an array of performances…
Performing Arts
Back to Top of ListPianist Evren Ozel ('25 AD) joins the NEC Philharmonia and conductor Hugh Wolff for Bartók's Piano Concerto No. 3. The program opens with Schoenberg's Begleitungsmusik zu einer Lichtspielscene (Accompaniment to a Film Score) and closes with Mahler's Symphony No. 4, Jingdan Zhang…
Hailed for creating diverse, timely and relevant opera, activist opera company White Snake Projects (WSP) hosts the third installment of Let’s Celebrate!, an annual holiday tradition presenting brand-new operas that celebrate the diversity of the Boston area and the myriad…
The Pipes on the Plaza organ concert series continues at the Christian Science Plaza for 2024. Experience the glorious sounds of one of the world’s largest pipe organs at our upcoming organ concert at The Mother Church, featuring Ross Wood, Associate Organist at Parish of All…
- First Church, Cambridge
Join us for a free community concert at First Church, Cambridge on January 26, 2025 Jenny Ahn and Ala Jojatu, violins Cathy Basrak, viola Christine Lee, cello KORNGOLD String Quartet No. 2 in E-flat, Op. 26 BEETHOVEN String Quartet No. 7 in F, Op. 59, No. 1, Razumovsky
- Arlington Street Church, Boston
Powerhouse vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist Nadia Washington makes her Celebrity Series debut as a headliner with her Quartet after performing in Jazz Along The Charles and Code Listen in the past. Share an afternoon of heartfelt original music that effortlessly traverses…
Films / Movies
Back to Top of ListA Bigger Vision Films is very excited for you to join for a Special Preview Impact Screening of Beyond the Bridge: A Solution to Homelessness, hosted in Boston's South End, on Wednesday, December 11st at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, in collaboration with the Corporation…
Classes / Lectures
Back to Top of List- The First Church of Christ, Scientist
- Recurring daily
You’re warmly invited to participate in festive and uplifting Bible-themed Christmas celebrations at The Mother Church Reading Room! Feel the joyous embrace of the Christmas season at your local Christian Science Reading Room. There will be Bible-themed events each day at 1 p.m…
- Boston Area Spanish Exchange (BASE)
- Recurring weekly on Friday
Join us for ¡Viernes Feliz!: Free open-level Spanish informal conversation workshops Bring a good vibe and a story or news to tell with these informal conversation opportunities guided by a talented BASE instructor. All levels welcome! Space is limited, and seats are reserved on…
- Goethe- Institut Boston
Artists in the Archive: A Round Table Discussion with Carmin Wong and Monthati Masebe Castle of our Skins invites you to a round table discussion led by Carmin Wong (poet, playwright, digital humanist, and Creative-in-Residence at Castle of our Skins) and Monthati Masebe…
Nevin Aladağ’s ongoing portrait series Best Friends documents similarly dressed friends in cities worldwide. Focusing on friends Aladağ photographed in Germany, curatorial fellow Peter Murphy will discuss how unspoken elements such as clothing and body language express both…
Tours & Trails
Back to Top of List- Cambridge
- Recurring daily
This tour provides an opportunity to visit and interact with the spaces that influential Black women in Cambridge inhabited during the 19th century. These historical figures include Harriet Jacobs, Charlotte Hawkins Brown, Alberta V. Scott, Pauline Hopkins, Maria Baldwin, Mary…
- 256 Commonwealth ave.
- Recurring daily
In honor of the 20th Anniversary of the Boston Women’s Memorial, special recordings have been created for the statues of prominent women's rights advocates, enabling the statues to speak! This memorial, which is also one of the stops on the Boston Women's Heritage Trail…
- Recurring daily
Take a self-guided tour of Grove Hall and Nubian Square. Download the mobile app by visiting the Google Play or Apple app store · Download the 'Distrix' app · Make sure location is on · Select Roxbury Memory Trail · Have fun!
- The First Church of Christ, Scientist
- Recurring weekly on Sunday, Friday, Saturday
Join us for free tours of the original Romanesque church (The Mother Church Original, 1894) and the Byzantine-Renaissance extension (The Mother Church Extension, 1906), which houses one of the world’s largest pipe organs. Friday: 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. Saturday…
- Faneuil Hall Marketplace
- Recurring weekly on Saturday
Join us for a free tour of Quincy Market's history, geography, and architecture. The guided tour occurs on Saturdays at 11am. Meet your tour guide, Linda Perlman, in front of Starbucks at 8 North Market.
Outdoor Fun in Boston
From ice skating to outdoor markets, Greater Boston has plenty of ways to get outside this holiday season.
Parks in Boston
With almost 300 in Boston and Cambridge, there's space for you to get outdoors in Boston.
Guide to the Holiday Season in Boston
Stroll the Holiday Lights Trail, score tickets to a holiday performance, go ice skating on the Common, or book a festive hotel package - here's your guide to the holiday season in Boston.
Great Deals
Find discounts on attractions, restaurants, theatre tickets, tours, and more with our Great Deals.