This project, completed in 2025, represents a first-of-its-kind transformation for Historic New England: the sensitive adaptation of a 17th-century structure to enable access for visitors of all abilities. Extensive accessibility improvements are not standard historic preservation projects, and Pierce House, built in 1683, is not a typical house museum. The site is the centerpiece of our youth education program, providing space and context for children to explore local and national heritage through high-quality, interactive curricula. This atypical project was completed with minimal impact on the building’s historic integrity, owing to a thoughtful and inclusive project planning process that bolstered our staff’s capacity for advancing similar work across Historic New England’s collection of thirty-eight historic house museums.
Project accomplishments:
- The project team engaged a local disability advocacy non-profit, Partners for Youth with Disabilities, to evaluate the site and provide a report of recommendations on how best to incorporate Universal Design principles at Pierce House
- The existing entrance vestibule at the building’s rear entry was removed, and a new, accessible entrance was built to eliminate steps and grade changes
- A first-floor restroom was enlarged and updated
- Historic New England’s carpentry crew piloted a solution for widening 17th-century doorways that is effective, reversible, and sensitive to the house’s historic fabric
- Accessible pathways were added to the site’s landscape in coordination with the new building entrance to ensure a smooth transition into the house
About Pierce House
Pierce House is one of the last surviving examples of seventeenth-century architecture in the city of Boston. Lived in by ten generations of one family, the house documents the building practices and tastes of the Pierces over three centuries. Family members expanded and adapted their house to meet demands for space, function, comfort, and privacy. The Pierce family’s story highlights key aspects of social, local, and New England history. Today, Pierce House is open year-round for school and youth programs.
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This work was supported by generous donations from more than fifty Historic New England members and major grants from:
Become a member of Historic New England or donate to the Preservation Maintenance Fund to support the ongoing care of Pierce House and all Historic New England sites!
