The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum is a rather small museum. Not just because it covers only one small incident, but because there’s so little physical “stuff” left over from the Tea Party. Heck, they aren’t even sure where it actually happened (not that it would matter much, given the amount of land that has been added to the Boston Neck since the 1770s). So putting it on “Griffin’s Wharf”, right off the Congress Street Bridge in the middle of the Fort Point Channel is as good a location as any.

Especially since it lets you dock a pair of period-appropriate replica merchant ships alongside.

Outside the museum are a couple of informational signs, giving you the necessary background information to understand and appreciate the reasons behind the targeted destruction of property. Of special note is the first one, which shows a map indicating that the British wanted the Colonies to end at the Appalachians, leaving the lands west of that range to the natives….

You can, of course, visit the Gift Shop and Abigail’s Team Room without getting the full tour. I sprung for the tour.

The tour is conducted by costumed re-enactors, who assume the characters of people involved in the incident. Tourgoers are randomly assigned identities of other Tea Partiers, and are asked to “attend” a “Special Town Meeting” to discuss the unfair tax policies of the British government.

I became Thomas Porter, a merchant. Very, very little is known about him – but at least I got a speaking part! Only one line – “Parliament not only taxed our paper and ink, they even taxed our playing cards and dice!” – but I did it well enough to get a whispered “Well done” from one of the re-enactors.

After that, it was on to one of the ships, where kids we allowed to “toss” replica tea chests “overboard”. Meanwhile, the adults got some info on shipboard life and the tea trade. Then we were briefed about Britain’s response, and got to see the Robinson Tea Chest – the only surviving artifact of the Tea Party. Then it was off to see a short film about the “Battle” of Lexington – the start of the War of Independence. I was pleased to find that the re-enactors stayed in character throughout, even when they didn’t need to.

In addition to snacks in Abigail’s Tea Room, you can buy some of the same varieties of tea that wound up in Boston Harbor on that December night (Bohea, Congou, Souchong, Hyson, and Singlo) to drink – or get some from the gift shop to brew at home. Just thought I’d mention that.

This December marks the 250^th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. You bet there will be some special events going on!