Guided Tours

A guided tour in the Longfellow House parlor.

NPS Photo/Sam DiMatteo

Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters is currently closed to public tours and will reopen for the season on May 26, 2023. Please check our calendar for ongoing special events, and find information below on summer tour schedules.

 

Summer 2023

Guided tours of the house's interior are offered Friday through Monday, May 26-October 30, 2023.
Entrance to the house is by guided tour only, and all tours are free of charge. Before entering the house, your guide will help you store any bags, backpacks, jackets, and other bulky items in a locked closet in the Visitor Center. Learn more about site accessibility.

Tour Name	Day	Time	Duration	Description	Reservations
Hourly Tour	Friday-Monday	Hourly, 10:00 AM-3:00 PM	50 mins	What does a home reveal about its occupants, and about our shared history? For 200 years, the inhabitants of this house shaped American history, culture, and identity. This tour explores the different eras of the site’s history through its remarkable collections.	Walk in. Same-day reservations accepted; call 617-876-4491.
Express Tour	Friday-Monday	4:00 PM	30 mins	Short on time? Experience the highlights of the Longfellow House collection on this quick, informal exploration of American history, culture, and identity.	Walk in. Same-day reservations accepted; call 617-876-4491.
Kids Tour	Saturday & Sunday begins 6/23	11:30 AM	30 mins	This scavenger hunt-style tour is specially designed for families with kids ages 5-10. Kids and adults work together to explore the lives of young people in this house in the 1800s. (Families are always welcome on Hourly tours, too.)	Call 617-876-4491 to reserve space. Walk ins welcome.
Art Experience	Friday begins 6/23	2:30 PM	50 mins	What does the art in our lives reveal about who we are? Explore the Longfellow House through its unique 17th-20th century art collection on this informal and conversational tour.	Call 617-876-4491 to reserve space. Walk ins welcome.
Deep Dive: Slavery & Freedom	Saturday begins 6/23	2:30 PM	50 mins	Cuba, Dinah, Malcolm, William, James and two “small boys.” These seven people were enslaved at 105 Brattle Street prior to 1775. This tour engages visitors with ongoing research into their experiences of slavery, journeys to freedom, and legacies of community activism.	Call 617-876-4491 to reserve space. Walk ins welcome.
Deep Dive: Queer 105 Brattle Street	Sunday begins 6/23	2:30 PM	50 mins	Encounter the Queer past through three generations of Longfellows and changing cultural understandings of Queer relationships and identities. Rediscover the Longfellow House as a site of Queer community, and a space to envision a more inclusive future.	Call 617-876-4491 to reserve space. Walk ins welcome.
Deep Dive: Washington Reexamined	Monday begins 6/23	2:30 PM	50 mins	Why does George Washington’s memory loom so large? While in Cambridge, Washington – a lifelong enslaver – took the national stage in the fight for American liberty. This tour explores Washington’s apparent contradictions, and the lives of enslaved and free people at Headquarters.	Call 617-876-4491 to reserve space. Walk ins welcome.

 

Mask Use

When the COVID-19 Community Level is LOW or MEDIUM in Middlesex County, MA based on data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), individuals are not required to wear masks. People may choose to wear a mask.

When the COVID-19 Community Level is HIGH in Middlesex County, MA based on data provided by the CDC, all individuals over the age of two must wear masks, regardless of vaccination status, in all buildings.

Check COVID-19 Community Levels at COVID-19 by County | CDC.

 

Duration:

6 minutes, 25 seconds

Curious what's upstairs? Join Ranger Kate for a peek inside the private spaces of 105 Brattle St.