Golden Ball Tavern Museum

05/25/2026

Declutter with a purpose! Are you cleaning space for the summer season, moving or downsizing?

The museum is now accepting donations for our 59th Annual Barn Sale - held in September! We gladly accept any of the items shown below. Please email the museum at [email protected] to make arrangements (photos appreciated) or call 781-894-1751. Your donations are tax deductible!

Items we accept:

• Antique & contemporary furniture
• Oriental rugs
• Crystal, art, pottery, and jewelry
• Vintage & modern porcelain
• Original artwork & photography
• Kitchenware, holiday decor,, household goods, and much more!

05/25/2026

On this Memorial Day, we pause to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to the United States. At our Revolutionary‑era historic house and tavern, we are reminded that the freedoms they defended trace back to the earliest struggles for independence—debates held in colonial taverns and meeting houses, courage forged in uncertain times, and ordinary people who chose extraordinary sacrifice.

05/23/2026

DONATIONS WANTED!

Getting ready for summer? Clearing out unwanted or unneeded things? We are now taking donations for our 59th Annual Barn Sale, held on Saturday, September 26th.

We gladly accept donated items to sell in our Barn Sale including:

• Antique & contemporary furniture
• Oriental rugs
• Crystal, art, pottery, and jewelry
• Vintage & modern porcelain
• Original artwork & photography
• Kitchenware, holiday decor,, household goods, and much more!

Please email the museum at [email protected] to make arrangements (photos appreciated) or call the museum at 781-894-1751. Your donations are tax deductible!

05/20/2026

We’re OPEN for tours this Thursday — and every Thursday — from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Step inside the Golden Ball Tavern and explore one of Weston’s most remarkable historic treasures. Built in 1768 by Isaac Jones, the house has been home to six generations of the Jones family for nearly 200 years. Many of the items listed in Isaac Jones’s 1813 bedroom inventory are still in the room today, offering a rare and authentic window into the past.

Your visit includes stories of the Revolutionary War, the people who lived here, and the events that unfolded within these walls.

While you’re here, spend time in our yearlong exhibit, “Lost Liberties: Broken Promises”. This exhibit highlights the experiences of enslaved, Indigenous, displaced Loyalists, and Weston veterans whose stories have too often been overlooked.

05/15/2026

The Golden Ball Tavern Museum is sponsoring a demonstration of 18th Century Dance by the Lincoln Minute Men at this weekend's Celebrate Weston event! You will find them on the Town Green (from 1:20 - 1:50).

The demonstration will include public participation and a bit of Weston History!

Come join the Colonial Dancers of the Lincoln Minute Men for their demonstration of 18th-Century Dance with a bit of Weston history and a chance to join in on the dancing!

05/13/2026

🚪 Step back in time with us — we’re OPEN for tours every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.!

Explore nearly 200 years of history inside our historic home and tavern where six generations of the same family lived from 1768–1963. Discover original furnishings, fascinating artifacts, and stories from the Revolutionary era — including visits from General Gage’s spies, Paul Revere’s men and the Weston Tea Party.

Pictured here is our front entry hall, stretching from the front to the back of the house. From the front door, you can glimpse the original tap room, while the bedroom of Isaac Jones sits at the rear — each room filled with remarkable stories from the past.

Come experience history where it actually happened!

05/06/2026

Here’s another sneak peek of what you’ll find at the museum during our Thursday tours 9 am to 4 pm. This is our original taproom which played a role in the revolutionary era events leading up to the first shots fired on April 19th 1775.

Join us to learn more about the house, the tavern and the legacy that Isaac Jones built!

05/06/2026

Defeat Made Him Famous—But That’s Only Half the Story 🇬🇧⚔️

Join us on Zoom | May 12 at 7:00 PM for a fascinating deep dive into one of the most Interesting - and extraordinary - figures of the 18th century: John Burgoyne.
Presented by author Norman Poser, this talk uncovers the many lives of the man best known for his dramatic surrender at the Battles of Saratoga in 1777.

📖 More Than a Military Defeat
Yes, Burgoyne lost at Saratoga—but that’s not the whole story. You will learn about a man who was not only an ambitious general but also as a brave, talented, humane man.

🎙 About the Speaker
After distinguished careers in finance and law, Norman Poser turned to non-fiction historical writing. His work includes acclaimed biographies and gripping historical accounts, praised for their depth and storytelling.

✨ Why Attend?
Because history is never as simple as victory or defeat—and this is your chance to see it through a new lens.

👉 Reserve your spot and explore unknown elements of Burgoyne’s eventful life.

🙏 This program is made possible by the Weston Cultural Council with support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

05/05/2026

On this day, 160 years ago, on May 5, 1866, Ellen Garrison, together with Mary J. C. Anderson, took a seat in a Baltimore train station waiting room—and was dragged out. Just weeks after the Civil Rights Act became law, her act put its meaning to the test. .... Learn more about Ellen Garrison in our talk with The Robbins House Executive Director, Jen Turner - you can find it by hopping over to our website goldenballtavern.org and navigating to our YouTube channel where all our recorded webinar lectures can be found!

Today, 160 years ago, on May 5, 1866, Ellen Garrison, together with Mary J. C. Anderson, took a seat in a Baltimore train station waiting room—and was dragged out. Just weeks after the Civil Rights Act became law, her act put its meaning to the test.

Ellen is possibly one of the first persons in American history to test the Civil Rights Act in court. She had written: “I feel as though I ought to strive to maintain my rights — it will be a stand for others.”

Learn about Ellen Garrison (her married name was Jackson) and the incident at the Baltimore Train Station 160 Years ago and about the many others that followed her in history on our blog: https://www.robbinshouse.org/standing-firm/

Their stand still resonates today.