Date of tip: 10 January 2010

Source: Wes Ullrich, w.ullrich@lse.ac.uk 

Location: 1154 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02215-3695, USA

How to get there: Public Transport is best, (you don’t have to park if you have a car). See http://www.mbta.com/

Logan Airport: http://www.massport.com/logan

Link to archive: http://www.masshist.org

Language: English

Getting started: It is recommended to contact an archivist before you visit, as many holdings are held offsite and 24 hours notice is needed for them to arrive at the building. You will have to show Government photo ID (passport, US drivers license, etc.) and fill out a short application. The whole process takes less than 20 minutes. You will have to leave all bags, coats, etc in a locker. Pencils and paper provided in the reading rooms, you may only bring your own in after showing it the archivist.

Opening Hours: 9:00am - 4:45pm Mon., Tues., Wed., Fri; 9:00am - 7:45 pm Thurs; 9:00am - 4:00 pm Sat; Closed Sundays.

General working conditions: Beautiful building of typical Boston architecture, quiet, very helpful archivists.

Consultation: No.

Policy on technology: Laptops allowed. Cameras are allowed, but you will have to record each document you photograph if using the originals. No restrictions on photographing from microfiche or microfilm.

Photocopy policy: 50 cents/US per page.

Particularities: No food on site, but it is next the Berkeley College of Music, so there are a number of cheap places to eat and a number of options for coffee and tea.

How to apply for classified files: N/A

Other Info: The MHS holds the papers of John Adams, Abigail Adams, John Quincy Adams, Henry Cabot Lodge (Senior and Junior), selected papers of Thomas Jefferson, Leverett Saltonstall, Paul Revere and John Winthrop. It also holds a wealth of pamphlets, newspapers and broadsides from the Colonial Period to the present.

General Information: http://www.masshist.org/about/hours.php Online Catalogue: http://www.masshist.org/library/abigail.cfm

Contact information for archivists:

Reference Librarian Massachusetts Historical Society 1154 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02215 Phone: (617) 646-0509 Fax: (617) 859-0074 E-mail: library@masshist.org

Places to Stay: The Boston Hostelling International is only about 200 metres away for those on a low budget. In the summer it is possible to find rooms in one of the many Boston universities as well. No shortage of hotels of all price-ranges. http://www.boston.com/travel/boston/

Forms: Can be found here: http://www.masshist.org/library/visit.cfm

Funding: For the latest listings see: http://www.masshist.org/fellowships/