Revolutionary history… with a difference
The Golden Ball Tavern Museum offers visitors a different perspective on the American Revolution. Our museum, housed in a historic Pre-Revolutionary home and tavern in Weston, Massachusetts, tells the other side of the story – that of the Loyalists during the War of Independence. Notably, the Museum is among only a handful of institutions in the country dedicated to bringing to life the Loyalist experience. The Tavern was opened in 1770 by Isaac Jones, a Loyalist (or Tory) who advocated compromise over conflict with Great Britain at considerable personal risk. He ultimately joined the Patriot cause and went on to make significant contributions to the new republic.
The Museum also tells the story of the six generations of the Jones family - Isaac’s direct descendants - who lived here for nearly 200 years up until the 1960s. The original house and tavern (built by Isaac 1765-1768) have been preserved in ways that allow each generation’s stories to come to light by exposing the structural layers of change specific to each time period. More than 70 percent of the items in the Museum’s collections are original to the Jones family. The Museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is entirely self-sustaining.
Our Mission:
The mission of the Golden Ball Tavern Museum is to promote, protect and preserve this rich educational resource as well as to advance the understanding of both the Loyalist experience during the American Revolutionary War and the 200-year history that was lived here by one family.
Events
Annual Events
Golden Ball Tavern Tours
Visit Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for guided tours. Last admission 3.30 p.m.
Visit during a Second Sunday Open House. These are held on the second Sunday of each month from 1-3 pm, January through November, as weather permits.
Visit during our annual Barn Sale - self-guided tours with guides in the house to answer your questions. Our Barn Sale takes place on the last Saturday in September every year.
Our Holiday Open House Event is normally held during the first week of December each year.
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