Hours, Facility, Directions and Map
Hours
The Archives is open to the public for research:
- Monday-Friday: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
* Vault materials:
Cannot be paged after 4:00 pm
Must be returned by 4:15 pm
* Appointments must be made in advance for viewing architectural plans. Appointments are available in two segments: 8:45 am to 11:45 am and 2:15 pm to 4:00 pm. Please call for further information (617-727-2816).
The Archives Facility
The Massachusetts
Archives is located on a 4.5-acre site on Columbia Point in the Dorchester
section of Boston. The building houses the Archives, the Commonwealth
Museum, a branch of the Judicial Archives, the Massachusetts Historical
Commission, and the State Record Center.
The 100,000-square-foot building, opened to the public in 1986, was designed to resemble the early forts on the surrounding shoreline. The building is equipped with computer-monitered climate control systems, fire detection and supression systems, twenty-four-hour security, a photolab, eight paper storage vaults, an artifact storage vault, a microfilm vault, and a conservation laboratory. Public areas include a reading room, exhibit space, and meeting rooms, all handicapped accessible.
Directions
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Massachusetts Archives
220 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125
Telephone: 617-727-2816
Fax: 617-288-8429
Email: archives@sec.state.ma.us
By Car
From the north: Rt. 3/1-93 to Exit 15 (Morrissey Blvd./JFK Library). Turn left at the bottom of the ramp. Follow signs for UMass Boston/JFK Library.
From the west: Rte. I-90 to Rte I-93 South. Follow signs for UMass Boston/JFK Library.
From the south: Rt. 3/1-93 to Exit 14 (Morrissey Blvd./JFK Library). Continue north on Morrissey Blvd. Follow signs for UMass Boston/JFK Library.
Free parking is available.
By MBTA
Take the MBTA Red Line to JFK/UMass station; there are two shuttle buses at the station. Bus #2 stops at the Archives and the JFK Library. The bus is free and runs every 20 minutes: on the hour and 20 minutes after and before the hour from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Map
View Larger Map
Food
There is no cafeteria on the premises. Food is available at the JFK Library cafeteria and at UMass Boston.