Adams National Historical Park

Adams National Historical Park Starting May 1, the Adams NHP Visitor Center and historic homes are open Wednesdays through Sundays. Park grounds are open daily sunrise to sunset.
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Plan your 2026 visit at https://www.nps.gov/adam/planyourvisit/2026-tour-season.htm. Adams National Historical Park, formerly Adams National Historic Site, in Quincy, Massachusetts, preserves the home of Presidents of the United States John Adams and John Quincy Adams, of U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain, Charles Francis Adams, and of the writers and historians Henry Adams and Brooks Adams. The na

tional historical park's eleven buildings tell the story of five generations of the Adams family (from 1720 to 1927) including Presidents, First Ladies, U.S. Ministers, historians, writers, and family members who supported and contributed to their success. In addition to Peacefield, home to four generations of the Adams family, the park's main historic features include the John Adams Birthplace (October 30, 1735), the nearby John Quincy Adams Birthplace (July 11, 1767), and the Stone Library (built in 1870 to house the books of John Quincy Adams and believed to be the first presidential library), containing more than 14,000 historic volumes in 12 languages. There is an off-site visitor center less than a mile (1.6 km) away. Regularly scheduled tours of the houses are offered in season (April 19 to November 10), by guided tour only, using a tourist trolley provided by the Park Service between sites. Access to United First Parish Church is provided by the congregation for which they ask a small donation. The church is across the street from the visitor center. There is a parking garage located on Saville Ave. just off of Hancock St. behind the Visitor Center. Please bring parking stub into the Visitor Center with you for validation of parking. Use and Guidelines:

Welcome to the Adams National Historical Park page. We hope this will become a place where fans feel comfortable sharing information and experiences about Adams National Historical Park with one another. While this is an open forum, it is also a family friendly one, so please keep your comments and wall posts clean. Please be considerate of other fan's opinions. In addition to keeping it family friendly, we ask that you follow our posting guidelines here. If you do not comply, your message will be removed. We do not allow graphic, obscene, explicit or racial comments or submissions, nor do we allow comments that are abusive, hateful or intended to defame anyone or any organization. We do not allow solicitations or advertisements. This includes promotion or endorsement of any financial, commercial or non-governmental agency. Such posts and/or links are subject to deletion. People who continue to post such content and/or links may be subject to page participation restrictions and/or removal from the page. We do not allow attempts to defame or defraud any financial, commercial or non-governmental agency. We do not allow comments that suggest or encourage illegal activity. You participate at your own risk, taking personal responsibility for your comments, your username and any information provided. Posting of external links on this site that are intended as advertising (or to drive traffic to websites unrelated to Adams National Historical Park), or do not contribute to dialog and discussions about Adams may be deleted. People who continue to post such links may be subject to page participation restrictions and/or removal from the page. External links do not constitute official endorsement on behalf of the U.S. National Park Service or the U.S. Department of Interior.

Where would you hang a portrait of a prominent person in your home? Would you save the place for someone famous, or wou...
06/17/2026

Where would you hang a portrait of a prominent person in your home? Would you save the place for someone famous, or would they have to be a family member? Dr. Joseph Warren was both to John and Abigail Adams. A lifelong friend, he was also their family doctor. Dr. Warren inoculated John from smallpox and saved a young John Quincy Adams’s finger from amputation.

Joseph Warren was an important leader and military officer during the early days of the American Revolution. He wrote the Suffolk Resolves and cared for the wounded at the Boston Massacre. Most notably, he fought and was killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. The Adamses grieved the loss of their friend.

John and Abigail Adams put the gold-framed portrait of Joseph Warren by John Singleton Copley prominently above their fireplace at Peace field. The painting was likely a gift from the famous artist.

In honor of Dr. Warren and the 251st anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, we're featuring this portrait as our June Object of the Month. Learn more at https://www.nps.gov/adam/blogs/portrait-of-general-joseph-warren.htm.

Adams National Historical Park is open for the 2026 tour season Wednesdays through Sundays through October 31. Here is s...
06/05/2026

Adams National Historical Park is open for the 2026 tour season Wednesdays through Sundays through October 31. Here is some helpful information for planning your visit:

Start your visit at the park Visitor Center, located at 1250 Hancock St., Quincy, MA 02169. The Visitor Center is open Wednesdays through Sundays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Pay for your entrance passes (entrance fees) at the Visitor Center or be prepared to show your America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes (also known as interagency passes, national park passes, senior pass, etc.). You must have an entrance pass or America the Beautiful pass to enter the historic homes.

Make your reservations for guided tours at the Visitor Center on the day of your visit. You cannot make reservations for tours in advance. You are not required to have reservations for self-guided tours at the Adams Farm at Penn's Hill.

Leave your large bags at home, in your hotel, or in your vehicle. You will not be able to take bags larger than 11" x 9" x 5" inside of the historic homes. The park does not have bag storage, and you are not permitted to leave bags unattended on park grounds or with park staff. You may not bring food, drinks (including water), or chewing gum inside of the homes.

Get the tour schedule and plan your 2026 visit at https://www.nps.gov/adam/planyourvisit/2026-tour-season.htm.

NPS Photo / S Bachan

We can only wonder what Abigail Adams was going through in November 1779 as John prepared to depart for Paris. They had ...
06/05/2026

We can only wonder what Abigail Adams was going through in November 1779 as John prepared to depart for Paris. They had already been separated by his work as a circuit court lawyer, a delegate in the Continental Congresses and a joint commissioner in France. Now, he was to travel abroad to negotiate a treaty with Great Britain.

As he was about to leave home yet again, John gifted Abigail this locket. It is a poignant symbol of the enduring love and the heartache of separation shared by Abigail and John as they both played their parts during the American Revolution.

Read more about Abigail’s Locket, our featured object for May: www.nps.gov/adam/blogs/abigails-locket.htm.

Have a background in library science and information systems Come volunteer with us at Adams National Historical Park! W...
05/21/2026

Have a background in library science and information systems Come volunteer with us at Adams National Historical Park! We are seeking an experienced Library Volunteer to assist our team in inventorying and organizing the park’s reference library. This project will take place in multiple phases, and its completion will support the broad use of the library by staff across the park.

For additional information, please visit Volunteer.gov: https://www.volunteer.gov/s/volunteer-opportunity/a09SJ00000NQSUr/library-volunteer.

Image: The Beale House serves as Adams National Historical Park Headquarters. NPS Photo.

Would you enjoy seeing a whale’s head as you ate your soup? Family tradition holds that Brooks Adams used this bowl ever...
04/28/2026

Would you enjoy seeing a whale’s head as you ate your soup? Family tradition holds that Brooks Adams used this bowl every Sunday evening with clear soup so he could still see the design.

Read more about this bowl, our featured object for April: https://www.nps.gov/adam/blogs/chinese-export-bowl.htm.

This National Volunteer Month, we recognize the contributions made by our Adams NHP volunteers. Our volunteer team has g...
04/16/2026

This National Volunteer Month, we recognize the contributions made by our Adams NHP volunteers. Our volunteer team has given both their time and energy for special events this year. They have welcomed visitors to the park, provided assistance at the historic homes, supported Visitor Center operations and more. We are grateful for all the work and energy provided by our volunteers and are excited to continue to grow our volunteer opportunities. To our volunteers — thank you for the positive impact you've made at the park!

Learn more about volunteer opportunities at Adams NHP at https://www.nps.gov/adam/getinvolved/volunteer.htm.

NPS Photo / K Haney

Join park rangers at the Adams National Historical Park Visitor Center April 20-24 for the "Spring into History" series ...
04/14/2026

Join park rangers at the Adams National Historical Park Visitor Center April 20-24 for the "Spring into History" series of child-friendly drop-in events for Patriots' Day Week. These activities are free and reservations are not required.

Monday, April 20, 12-2 p.m., Colonial Brain Teasers - Solve a Rebus Puzzle: What did people in early America do for fun? One thing to do was create and solve a type of word puzzle called a rebus. Solve a historical rebus puzzle and learn more about how people passed their time during the American Revolution.

Tuesday, April 21, 11 a.m., John Adams: The Voice Heard 'Round the World: Join author Hannah Carlson as she reads her book, "John Adams: The Voice Heard 'Round the World." Learn more about why John Adams is known as “The Architect of American Independence."

Tuesday, April 21, 12-2 p.m., 5 Senses Nature Walk at Peace field: Spend your morning outdoors on the grounds of Adams National Historical Park. Head to the grounds outside the Old House at Peace field to learn about how our grounds have changed over time and take a guided five senses nature walk around the grounds.

Wednesday, April 22, 12-2 p.m., Poetry at the Park: Celebrate National Poetry Month at Adams National Historical Park. Read selected poems written by Phillis Wheatley, a Boston resident who was the first Black woman to publish poetry in America, and write your own poetry!

Thursday, April 23, 12-2 p.m., Getting Dressed in the Revolutionary Period - Create Your Own Pocket: How would you have gotten dressed in the morning if you were living in early America? Decorate a pocket (yes, it was a separate piece of clothing!) and learn about how kids growing up in the 1700s would have dressed.

Friday, April 24, 12-2 p.m., April Showers - Abigail Adams’s Roses: Get ready for springtime by creating your own paper rose. Learn more about the roses that Abigail Adams grew here in Quincy and how you can still see them today.

Coloring pages and Junior Ranger activity books will be available for visitors throughout the week.

Patriots’ Day week is an ideal time for fourth graders to pick up their free Every Kid Outdoors pass at the Visitor Center. With this pass, fourth graders can bring all children under 16 and up to three adults to visit national parks, lands, and waters for free.

The Visitor Center, located at 1250 Hancock Street in the heart of Quincy, is currently open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The historic homes remain closed for the season and will open May 1. For information regarding tours and programming, visit the park website: www.nps.gov/adam.

NPS Photo / Y.E. Wang

250 years ago today, March 31, 1776, Abigail Adams wrote a letter to her husband, John, asking him to “Remember the Ladi...
03/31/2026

250 years ago today, March 31, 1776, Abigail Adams wrote a letter to her husband, John, asking him to “Remember the Ladies” as he worked on the new “Code of Laws” with the Second Continental Congress is Philadelphia. Her letter, written months before the Declaration of Independence, was one of many between the Adamses discussing independence, an idea which was rapidly gaining support throughout the colonies.

In the beginning of March 1776, Boston was still occupied by the British Army. It had been less than a year since the Battle of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill. The Olive Branch Petition, sent in July 1775, was unsuccessful. Thomas Paine’s "Common Sense," published in January 1776, was circulating within the colonies and building support for a war against Britain. John Adams and fellow delegates were debating the notions of war and independence.

Abigail Adams supported the idea of independence in her letters to her husband, John. She also regularly wrote about the need for educational opportunities for women. In August 1776, Abigail wrote to John, “If we mean to have Heroes, Statesmen and Philosophers, we should have learned women.” She continued to share her opinions on the emerging nation and political decisions with friends and family through the rest of her life. Her famous “Remember the Ladies” letter, and many that followed, helped cement her long-lasting legacy.

This past weekend, Adams National Historical Park commemorated the 250th anniversary of Abigail Adams’s “Remember the Ladies” letter with a full line-up of special programming, including a symposium, trolley tours, Abigail Adams performances and Revolutionary Farm at Penn's Hill self-guided tours.

Thank you to all who joined us this past weekend in celebrating and commemorating this important anniversary and honoring Abigail Adams and her legacy.

Credit: NPS Photo / Y.E. Wang

Remember the Ladies 250 at Adams National Historical Park comes to an end. We thank all of you who joined us to commemor...
03/29/2026

Remember the Ladies 250 at Adams National Historical Park comes to an end. We thank all of you who joined us to commemorate the life and legacy of Abigail Adams and the 250th anniversary of one of her most iconic moments in history.

Our Visitor Center is currently open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The tour season is expected to begin May 1. Keep an eye out on our website for the most up-to-date information about the tour season and special events for the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution: https://www.nps.gov/adam/index.htm.

We hope to see you during our 2026 season. And lastly... "Remember the Ladies!"

Credit: NPS Photo / Y.E. Wang

Address

1250 Hancock Street
Quincy, MA
02169

Opening Hours

Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+16177731177

Website

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