250 years later, the birthplace of the revolution keeps evolving

2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and Boston is already celebrating. Shiny modern amenities combine with the patina of the past to create a city that welcomes visitors to reflect on where we've come from while refusing to sit in the past. In that sense, Boston remains a rebel, even 250 years after the Revolution.

The newest neighborhood has a storied past

Perhaps it is the city's rabble-rousing past that makes it so willing to throw away convention and imagine what could be. Despite its pivotal role in the lead-up to the revolution, Boston's newest neighborhood, Seaport, shouldn't even exist at all.

A set of commercial fishing piers until recent decades, Seaport is now a glitzy mixed-use neighborhood with upscale shopping, waterfront parks and immersiv