Boston Guildhall Museum

About the museum

Boston Guildhall was built in the 1390s for the Guild of St Mary, a wealthy religious fraternity founded in 1260 whose members made their fortunes in the wool trade. The guild paid beadsmen to pray for the souls of its members, and the brick hall with its banqueting room became the centre of its feasts. The guild was dissolved in the 16th century and the building passed to the new Corporation of Boston in 1545, when it began a long second life as the seat of the borough, a court room and a prison.

Cells in the building held people awaiting trial, among them the group of separatists who were arrested in 1607 when they tried to escape to the Netherlands; they are remembered today as the Pilgrims. In the Second World War the kitchens served the town as a British Restaurant. The rooms keep medieval features such as the tracery window and Georgian panelling.

A museum opened in the town's Municipal Buildings in 1926 and moved to the Guildhall in 1929, building a collection that includes art, local history and objects connected with the guild. The Guildhall closed in 2001 for restoration and reopened in 2008, and the museum holds full Accreditation. Boston Borough Council runs the building, which also houses the town's tourist information centre and is used for weddings and events.

Highlights

• Medieval banqueting hall with tracery window
• Courtroom and cells where the Pilgrims were held in 1607
• Display on the Guild of St Mary and its inventory
• Council Chamber with Georgian decor and a linenfold cupboard
• Exhibition on Boston's links with Australia

Permanent exhibitions

• The Guild of St Mary – Displays in the chapel and banqueting hall on the wealth of the guild, its inventory of belongings and the beadsmen who prayed for its members.
• The Pilgrims in Boston – The story of the separatists who were arrested in the town in 1607, told in the courtroom and the cells where they were held.
• Australian Connections – An exhibition on the links between the Guildhall, the town and Australia.

Founded

1926

Operated by

Boston Borough Council

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission to the museum is free. Charges apply for guided tours, activities and visits outside normal opening hours; prices are not published on the site.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Level entry through the side gate with double doors, a wide staircase and a lift between the ground and first floors, and a unisex accessible toilet on the ground floor. Car parks with disabled parking are nearby. An accessibility guide is published on the VisitEngland website.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations

Sandpit boxes in the chapel let children dig for hidden treasures like young archaeologists, and school and group visits are welcome.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

The building also houses Boston Tourist Information Centre. There are no kitchen facilities on site.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 80 guests.

The Banqueting Hall seats 80 people with 20 more standing and is licensed for weddings; the Council Chamber seats up to 30 and is also licensed for weddings. The whole building or the Banqueting Hall can be hired for exclusive use, with a projector, screen and tea and coffee available; food must be brought in by an outside caterer as there is no kitchen.

Plan your visit