BEYOND THE FREEDOM TRAIL

Boston’s Freedom Trail has guided visitors through America’s history for generations.

Its red-brick path leads to famous landmarks tied to the American Revolution, from Faneuil Hall to the Old State House. But beneath those well-known stories lies another history—one that many travelers have never had the opportunity to explore.

This summer, a new augmented reality experience invites visitors to discover a different side of Boston, revealing Indigenous stories that have long been overlooked.

📱 History, Reimagined

Rather than following a traditional guided tour, visitors can explore the city at their own pace using a free augmented reality app.

The self-guided experience stretches about 1.2 miles through downtown Boston, beginning at Long Wharf and ending on Boston Common. Along the way, historical locations come alive through original music, storytelling, multimedia, and virtual performances created by Indigenous artists from Massachusetts.

It’s an experience that blends technology with history, allowing visitors to engage with the city in an entirely new way.

🪶 Seeing Familiar Places Differently

Many of the tour’s stops are places thousands of visitors already pass every day.

Faneuil Hall.

The Old State House.

Boston Common.

But instead of focusing solely on the Revolutionary War, the experience explores stories that predate the nation’s founding, highlighting Indigenous communities, leaders, and events that helped shape Boston long before many of its most famous landmarks were built.

The result is a richer, more complete understanding of the city’s past.

🎵 History Through Music

What makes this experience especially unique is its emphasis on artistic storytelling.

Each stop features an original musical performance created by Native artists, with songs inspired by the people, places, and events connected to that location. Rather than simply reading historical facts, visitors are invited to experience history through voices, music, and personal interpretation.

It’s a reminder that history isn’t only preserved in monuments—it also lives through art.

🚶 Explore at Your Own Pace

One of the best parts of the experience is its flexibility.

There’s no schedule to follow and no large tour group to keep up with. Visitors can pause for coffee, spend extra time at a favorite location, or simply sit and reflect before continuing to the next stop.

The walking route also weaves naturally through some of Boston’s most recognizable neighborhoods, making it easy to combine with a day of sightseeing.

🌎 A More Complete Story

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, destinations across the country are finding new ways to revisit the nation’s history.

This experience encourages visitors to broaden that perspective by including voices that have often been left out of traditional narratives. Rather than replacing familiar stories, it adds important context, helping travelers understand the many communities whose histories are intertwined with Boston’s past.

✨ Walk with Curiosity

The best travel experiences often change the way we see a place.

Not because the streets are different, but because our understanding of them has grown.

Whether you’re visiting Boston for the first time or returning to a city you know well, this immersive walking experience offers an opportunity to look beyond the familiar landmarks and discover stories that have been here all along—waiting to be heard.