Dreams of Freedom
Dateline: 08/09/00
Did you know that historically Boston is second only to Ellis Island as a gateway to America for immigrants? The city's newest attraction, a multimedia museum called Dreams of Freedom, celebrates Boston's legacy as a place where so many Americans and their ancestors first set foot on U.S. soil.
The new multimedia Dreams of Freedom pavilion, located on Boston’s
Freedom
Trail, opened on August 1, 2000.
It is situated at One Milk Street in Downtown Crossing, across the street from the historic Old South Meeting House. One
Milk Street is the birth site of Benjamin Franklin and home to the International
Institute of Boston (IIB), a Boston non-profit human service agency and cultural agency that provides comprehensive
services to nearly 7,000 refugees and newcomers from 60 countries annually. The
new exhibit is sponsored by Citizens Bank.
Dreams of Freedom occupies two floors of the historic Newspaper Row buildings. Visitors are invited to
embark on a “virtual journey through time” as they explore 350 years of Boston
history and the Massachusetts capital's role as a gateway to America. Visitors
of all ages will enjoy this multimedia, multisensoral experience that takes them
on board ship, into the home of the first Kennedys, and into the courtroom of Sacco and Venzetti. The trials of gaining status and
citizenship are told in rap songs and games.
Families can also add to the oral history collection by sharing
their personal stories of “coming to America.”
Dreams of Freedom is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. through December. Adult
admission is $7.50, and children’s passports are $3.50. The museum is
wheelchair accessible. Allow about an hour for your visit. Information
for visitors, including directions
to the museum and parking
information, is available at the Dreams of Freedom Web site or by calling (617) 338-6022.
If you can't make it to Boston, you can take a "virtual tour" of the Dreams of Freedom Museum and even visit the gift shop online.
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