Through the Keyhole Exhibit at the Old State House

The Bostonian Society Presents

Through the Keyhole

An all-new exhibit at the Old State House featuring the door from the Hancock House, residence of Governor John Hancock

June 20, 2018 – December 28, 2018, Open 7 days 9-6 pm

The Bostonian Society presents Through the Keyhole, an all-new exhibition at the Old State House exploring how the objects we preserve shape the stories we remember. For the first time in decades, the front door of the Hancock House, John Hancock’s Beacon Hill home, will be displayed to the public, newly set in a meticulous recreation of its original surrounding entryway crafted by students from the Preservation Carpentry program at North Bennet Street School. The exhibit will also feature additional items from The Bostonian Society’s collection, which relate to the Hancock home and its inhabitants, including oil paintings, the Hancock family bible, and wooden mementos made from the timbers of the original house. 

Through the Keyhole will run from June 20 through December 28, 2018 at the Old State House, 206 Washington Street, Boston, MA, 02109.  Open 7 days a week from 9-5; from Memorial Day through Labor Day open 9-6.  The public can preview the exhibition starting on Sunday, June 3rd.  For more information see www.bostonhistory.org or call 617-720-1713.

Enhanced by specialized tours, original programming, and community events, the Hancock House door serves as a gateway for visitors to re-examine the national narrative. The demolition of the Hancock House in 1863 caused a massive public outcry and launched a preservation movement in New England that saved countless buildings and artifacts from destruction. Through the Keyhole will challenge visitors to think about the objects we preserve, and how they form our perceptions of who we are as Americans.  What barriers do we create by choosing one story over another? And what doors are yet to be opened?

New Immersive Theatrical Event!
Cato & Dolly – a new play by Patrick Gabridge commissioned for the Old State House
Premiering Friday, July 6th, running nine times per week through September 29th

Visitors to Through the Keyhole will be treated to a new work by Playwright Patrick Gabridge, whose powerful site-specific play Blood On The Snow had a sold-out run at the Old State House and was called “electric and alive” by WGBH’s Jared Bowen. Gabridge’s new 20-minute live play titled Cato & Dolly has been created specifically for this exhibit, and will give visitors a glimpse of everyday life behind the Hancock door through the eyes of those who lived there:  Dolly Hancock, wife of John Hancock and First Lady of Massachusetts; and Cato Hancock, an enslaved person in the Hancock household.

Cato & Dolly travels through some of early America’s most pivotal events, giving new perspective to the American narrative. Two actors will inhabit these roles as well as other Revolutionary-era figures whose lives intersected at the famous Hancock House over the course of 50 years. Unlock the forgotten stories of the past and step over the threshold of history to experience the lives of those who witnessed the dawn of American Independence. Cato & Dolly premieres on Friday, July 6th and will run Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 11 am, 12:30 pm, and 2 pm through September 29, 2018. The play is included in the price of admission. 

Attend Through the Keyhole

Through the Keyhole will run from June 20 – December 28, 2018 at the Old State House, 206 Washington Street, Boston, MA, 02109.  Open 7 days a week from 9-5; from Memorial Day through Labor Day open 9-6.  All daytime Through the Keyhole programming is included with admission.  Adults $10.00, discounts apply for seniors and students. Youth ages 6-18, Massachusetts Teachers, EBT Cardholders, US Military and Veterans are admitted free.  Located on the MBTA Blue/Orange line to State Street.  For more information see www.bostonhistory.org or call 617-720-1713.