Plan Your Day
Come Linger in Lexington
The Lexington Historical Society’s three Revolutionary house museums—Buckman Tavern, the Hancock-Clarke House, and Munroe Tavern—are open every day during the Society’s open season—April through October—for guided tours on a walk-in basis, or by special arrangement during the off-season.
The Society also sponsors a ninety-minute guided Walking Tour of the town center and historic sites by prior reservation.
The famous Battle Green, where the first blood of the Revolution was spilled on April 19th, 1775, the Old Burying Ground, where many of our most famous Colonials now rest in peace, and the Old Belfry are all open for visiting and exploration on your own any day before sundown.
The town’s Visitor’s Center is open daily until 5:00 (4:00 in winter), and Lexington is also home to a wide variety of delicious and fun restaurants and interesting shops.
The center of Lexington and most of its historic sites are easily walk-able. Park your car in any of Lexington’s convenient and easy parking locations: All day in the municipal lot behind the Historical Society’s Depot Building, at 13 Depot Square, for $2/day or on an hourly basis; at any of the metered spaces behind the center stores or along the side streets for up to two hours; all around the Battle Green free for up to two hours. Free parking is also available at both the Hancock-Clarke House and Munroe Tavern (a mile east of the center) during your house tours. Lexington can also be reached by public transportation (except Sundays), and the famous Minuteman Bikeway comes right through the center of town.
Come spend a day with us in historic Lexington!
9:00 a.m. Come into town early enough to savor a delicious cup of coffee and pastry at any of our many coffee shops. Or, there are several restaurants that can give you a relaxing full course breakfast.
10:00 a.m. Start your exploration of the beginning of the American Revolution with a visit to the Hancock-Clarke House (guided tours hourly starting at 10:00). You can purchase your discounted “First Shot!” ticket for tours of all three of Lexington’s historic house museums there. This elegant and beautifully restored 1737 parsonage was the destination of Paul Revere and William Dawes on their famous Midnight Ride. Your tour will begin with a fascinating and informative orientation film that will answer the question, “Why Lexington, and why April 1775?”
10:50 a.m. Walk the pretty quarter mile back up Hancock Street to the Buckman Tavern Museum Shop and browse through their ample selection of books for all ages on the Revolution and other Colonial style gift items suitable for the whole family. Be sure to ask the Shop staff for a map and guide to the sites on the Green.
11:30 a.m. Head to the museum entrance of Buckman Tavern and have a guided tour (available every half hour) to learn all about the Lexington militiamen who gathered at this public house nervously anticipating the arrival of the British Redcoats. See the huge original Tap Room fireplace and Mrs. Buckman’s beehive oven, view authentic Colonial muskets, and learn about the important role of taverns in Colonial life.
12:00 noon. Pick up sandwiches at one of our restaurants or deli’s for your picnic on the Green or on the Buckman Tavern grounds. Or stop in at any of our restaurants for a sit-down lunch. Include a stop at the town’s Visitor’s Center, right behind Buckman Tavern, for more gift items and information.
1:00 p.m. After lunch, walk out onto the famous Lexington Battle Green to stand in the place where it all happened! The town of Lexington often has costumed guides on the Green in season to answer your questions. Walk across Harrington Road and turn left in front of First Parish Church, continuing down that side of the road a short way to find the entrance to the Old Burying Ground. There, you will be able to find the gravesites of most of Lexington’s well-known Colonials who have been featured in your house tours. Spend some time noticing the wide variety of headstones and carvings. Return to the Green and walk across Massachusetts Avenue and find the path up Belfry Hill to view the replica of the old Belfry that was down on the Green at the time of the Battle.
2:00 p.m. Before heading to Munroe Tavern, you may want to check out the antique store and various shops on both sides of Massachusetts Avenue. Stop for an ice cream cone or homemade fudge.
2:30 p.m. Head out of town going east one mile, and stop in at Munroe Tavern for their 3:00 guided tour (tours hourly, last tour at 4:00). There you will hear the Redcoat side to the story and learn all about the British regular soldiers’ harrowing retreat back from Concord under heavy fire and their temporary respite at this home and tavern. Find out who was a very important guest of the Munroes at this house 14 years later.From Munroe Tavern, it is easy to get back on the highway to your evening destination.
Or spend half a day with us!
9:00 a.m. Come into town early enough to enjoy coffee and a pastry at one of our numerous coffee shops, or a relaxing full breakfast at several restaurant locations.
10:00 a.m. Arrive at the Hancock-Clarke House in time to purchase your “First Shot!” ticket for all three houses and take their 10:00 guided tour.
10:50 a.m. Walk back up Hancock Street to Buckman Tavern, and have the guided tour there at 11:00 (tours available every half hour).
11:30 a.m. Stop in at the Buckman Tavern Museum Shop to pick up some books on the American Revolution or other gift items. Be sure to pick up the guide and map to the Battle Green for a self-guided visit across the road at the famous Lexington Battle Green where it all happened! Speak with a Battle Green guide, if available.
12:00 noon. Pick up sandwiches at one of our restaurants or deli’s for your picnic on the Green or on the Buckman Tavern grounds. Or stop in at any of our restaurants for a sit-down lunch. Plan a visit to the town’s Visitor’s Center right behind Buckman Tavern for more gift items and information.
12:45 p.m. Head out of town going east one mile, and stop in at Munroe Tavern for their 1:00 half-hour guided tour on the British Redcoats. Find out who was a very important guest of the Munroes at their home 14 years later.
From Munroe Tavern, it is easy to get back on the highway to your afternoon destination.
The Lexington Historical Society’s three Revolutionary house museums—Buckman Tavern, the Hancock-Clarke House, and Munroe Tavern—are open every day during the Society’s open season—April through October—for guided tours on a walk-in basis, or by special arrangement during the off-season.
The Society also sponsors a ninety-minute guided Walking Tour of the town center and historic sites by prior reservation.
The famous Battle Green, where the first blood of the Revolution was spilled on April 19th, 1775, the Old Burying Ground, where many of our most famous Colonials now rest in peace, and the Old Belfry are all open for visiting and exploration on your own any day before sundown.
The town’s Visitor’s Center is open daily until 5:00 (4:00 in winter), and Lexington is also home to a wide variety of delicious and fun restaurants and interesting shops.
The center of Lexington and most of its historic sites are easily walk-able. Park your car in any of Lexington’s convenient and easy parking locations: All day in the municipal lot behind the Historical Society’s Depot Building, at 13 Depot Square, for $2/day or on an hourly basis; at any of the metered spaces behind the center stores or along the side streets for up to two hours; all around the Battle Green free for up to two hours. Free parking is also available at both the Hancock-Clarke House and Munroe Tavern (a mile east of the center) during your house tours. Lexington can also be reached by public transportation (except Sundays), and the famous Minuteman Bikeway comes right through the center of town.
Come spend a day with us in historic Lexington!
9:00 a.m. Come into town early enough to savor a delicious cup of coffee and pastry at any of our many coffee shops. Or, there are several restaurants that can give you a relaxing full course breakfast.
10:00 a.m. Start your exploration of the beginning of the American Revolution with a visit to the Hancock-Clarke House (guided tours hourly starting at 10:00). You can purchase your discounted “First Shot!” ticket for tours of all three of Lexington’s historic house museums there. This elegant and beautifully restored 1737 parsonage was the destination of Paul Revere and William Dawes on their famous Midnight Ride. Your tour will begin with a fascinating and informative orientation film that will answer the question, “Why Lexington, and why April 1775?”
10:50 a.m. Walk the pretty quarter mile back up Hancock Street to the Buckman Tavern Museum Shop and browse through their ample selection of books for all ages on the Revolution and other Colonial style gift items suitable for the whole family. Be sure to ask the Shop staff for a map and guide to the sites on the Green.
11:30 a.m. Head to the museum entrance of Buckman Tavern and have a guided tour (available every half hour) to learn all about the Lexington militiamen who gathered at this public house nervously anticipating the arrival of the British Redcoats. See the huge original Tap Room fireplace and Mrs. Buckman’s beehive oven, view authentic Colonial muskets, and learn about the important role of taverns in Colonial life.
12:00 noon. Pick up sandwiches at one of our restaurants or deli’s for your picnic on the Green or on the Buckman Tavern grounds. Or stop in at any of our restaurants for a sit-down lunch. Include a stop at the town’s Visitor’s Center, right behind Buckman Tavern, for more gift items and information.
1:00 p.m. After lunch, walk out onto the famous Lexington Battle Green to stand in the place where it all happened! The town of Lexington often has costumed guides on the Green in season to answer your questions. Walk across Harrington Road and turn left in front of First Parish Church, continuing down that side of the road a short way to find the entrance to the Old Burying Ground. There, you will be able to find the gravesites of most of Lexington’s well-known Colonials who have been featured in your house tours. Spend some time noticing the wide variety of headstones and carvings. Return to the Green and walk across Massachusetts Avenue and find the path up Belfry Hill to view the replica of the old Belfry that was down on the Green at the time of the Battle.
2:00 p.m. Before heading to Munroe Tavern, you may want to check out the antique store and various shops on both sides of Massachusetts Avenue. Stop for an ice cream cone or homemade fudge.
2:30 p.m. Head out of town going east one mile, and stop in at Munroe Tavern for their 3:00 guided tour (tours hourly, last tour at 4:00). There you will hear the Redcoat side to the story and learn all about the British regular soldiers’ harrowing retreat back from Concord under heavy fire and their temporary respite at this home and tavern. Find out who was a very important guest of the Munroes at this house 14 years later.From Munroe Tavern, it is easy to get back on the highway to your evening destination.
Or spend half a day with us!
9:00 a.m. Come into town early enough to enjoy coffee and a pastry at one of our numerous coffee shops, or a relaxing full breakfast at several restaurant locations.
10:00 a.m. Arrive at the Hancock-Clarke House in time to purchase your “First Shot!” ticket for all three houses and take their 10:00 guided tour.
10:50 a.m. Walk back up Hancock Street to Buckman Tavern, and have the guided tour there at 11:00 (tours available every half hour).
11:30 a.m. Stop in at the Buckman Tavern Museum Shop to pick up some books on the American Revolution or other gift items. Be sure to pick up the guide and map to the Battle Green for a self-guided visit across the road at the famous Lexington Battle Green where it all happened! Speak with a Battle Green guide, if available.
12:00 noon. Pick up sandwiches at one of our restaurants or deli’s for your picnic on the Green or on the Buckman Tavern grounds. Or stop in at any of our restaurants for a sit-down lunch. Plan a visit to the town’s Visitor’s Center right behind Buckman Tavern for more gift items and information.
12:45 p.m. Head out of town going east one mile, and stop in at Munroe Tavern for their 1:00 half-hour guided tour on the British Redcoats. Find out who was a very important guest of the Munroes at their home 14 years later.
From Munroe Tavern, it is easy to get back on the highway to your afternoon destination.
