I recently donned my passport identification card and heaviest jacket to catch a plane to Boston and feel some sort of patriotism and American exceptionalism in my veins among the city's historic sites. My greatest desire, far beyond the rest, was to see the Paul Revere House-- the man whose name and tale is a rite of passage for all American students over the years in this great nation's education system. I anxiously walked the length of the Freedom Trail, nearly trembling from my temporary abode to where history was made.

As I first saw the $6 ticket prices, I exclaimed, "What a deal!" as many other historical sites in Boston hovered around at least $10. With a wide grin, I handed over my credit card to the kind man in the ticket booth and joyfully walked in, ready to step into history I had heard so much about for decades. Upon entering, both sides of my smile dropped as I learned that no photography or video is allowed in the Paul Revere House. This was exceedingly disappointing, even anti-American: keeping the knowledge and primary source of a great American hero within the chambers of a place only seen and experienced by those who can afford it. I ended up researching online, because I found this rule ridiculously contradictory to the true American spirit I hoped to see in Boston. Apparently, the reason is that the museum does not own the artifacts of the house. I find this to be a restriction of the values of our beloved country. What kind of donors, historians, patriots, enthusiasts of great American history would want to restrain knowledge from the public eye? What is so private about Americans wanting to experience primary sources of their own history? I find it exceedingly upsetting and disappointing.

Otherwise, it was a beautiful walk through history and very engaging and interesting.