Bunker Hill Museum

The Bunker Hill Museum stands at 43 Monument Square in Charlestown, Boston, Massachusetts, across from the Bunker Hill Monument. Operated by the National Park Service as part of Boston National Historical Park, it opened in 2007 and interprets the Battle of Bunker Hill, fought on 17 June 1775, as well as the story of Charlestown. The battle was fought mostly on Breed's Hill, where colonial militia had built earthworks overnight. British troops under General William Howe made three assaults and took the position after the Americans ran low on powder, but suffered more than 1,000 casualties, about 40 percent of those engaged. The town of Charlestown was burned in the fighting. The museum presents the battle through a chronological and immersive approach. A large-scale diorama with models, a 360-degree painted cyclorama by artist Louis Giuseppe Sebastiani depicting the battle and displays of artifacts including weapons and equipment convey the events. Exhibits also trace how the monument came to be built, with the cornerstone laid by the Marquis de Lafayette in 1825 and the 221-foot granite obelisk dedicated in 1843, and they discuss the memory of the battle through the 19th century. The monument itself, a short walk across the square, has 294 steps to the top, and the Daniel Webster oration at its dedication in 1843 is part of the history. The museum building is a contemporary design that sits in the historic square, and rangers give talks and lead short programs. The preservation of the battlefield area is overseen by the National Park Service, and the monument has undergone masonry repairs and structural work. A visit takes about 45 minutes for the museum and an extra 30 minutes for the climb. The museum and monument are on the Freedom Trail.