The Old State House (US$10 per adult) is one of the important stops on the Freedom Trail in Boston. Here you will find a very good American Revolutionary Museum which spells on in good detail the events leaving up to the American Revolution, including the infamous Boston Massacre which happened just outside this building. Opening Hours are 9-5pm daily.

The Old State House was built in 1713, making it one of the oldest standing and functioning buildings in the United States. This was original seat of power colony of New England's, a national landmark and another nice example of Georgian period architecture that you can see in this area of Boston.

Within the Old State House, you will find a gift shop with a large collection of Freedom Trail souvenirs, similar to what you will see at the Faneuil Market. You then visit the rooms which house the American Revolutionary Museum collection.

The museum collection is a comprehensive set of displays which detail events as they occurred and led to the American Revolution from the British Crown. There are historical items, paintings and furniture on show as well, helping bring the information to life. You can browse the displays that are of interest and see all in 20-30 minutes or give more attention to them and easily find yourself here for an hour or more.

We found the upstairs rooms, decorated with period furnishings to be particularly interesting. There are a couple of rooms with interactive and hands-on experiences which children will enjoy more than the traditional museum inclusions at the Old State House.

Note: There are free tours of this historic building every 30 minutes starting on the ground floor. Attending one of these might be a good way to experience the Old State House if you don't fancy an independent visit as much.

In the end, we felt the $10 entry fee was steep for this attraction but having saved a bit by purchasing the Freedom Trail combo ticket (see below), we didn't mind. The museum collection helps visitors build up an understanding of New England during the American Revolutionary period, something that is important when it comes to getting the most of your visit to the Freedom Trail attractions.

Note: At the Old State House, you can buy a combo ticket ($16 per adult) that includes entrance into the Old South Meeting Hall and the Paul Revere House, giving you a $3 savings compared to buying each ticket individually.