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Boston’s LGBTQ Past

Travel in the footsteps of Boston’s 19th and 20th century gay and lesbian friends

victorian women in affectionate pose

Tour Description

Travel in the footsteps of Boston’s 19th and 20th century gay and lesbian friends.

Explore Thoreau’s walks along the Common; Charlotte Cushman’s cross-dressing roles; World War II bars and baths; and the AIDS memorial quilt project.

Learn about Boston’s flourishing gay and lesbian culture on this guided walking tour.

This tour is presented in partnership with The History Project, a nonprofit organization that documents, preserves and shares New England's LGBTQ history.

Tour Information

Public Tour Calendar

Private Tours

This tour can be scheduled as a private tour with advance notice. Call 617.367.2345 or use our private tour webform to learn more.

Starting Location

Meet your guide in front of the Massachusetts State House steps on Beacon Street, across from Boston Common.

Finding Your Guide: All guides carry an 8×11 sign that says “Boston By Foot Walking Tours.”

Nearest Accessible MBTA Station: Park Street (Red & Green Lines)

Ending Location

This tour ends in the general area of 133 Clarendon Street, by the John Hancock Building.

Nearest Accessible MBTA Stations: Copley (Green Line) and Back Bay (Orange Line & Commuter Rail)