The sanctuary and the crypt

The self-guided visit covers the white box-pewed sanctuary, a history exhibit, an audio guide in English or Spanish, and the crypt beneath the church, where about 1,100 people were laid to rest in 37 tombs. The site's recent work includes the restoration of 18th-century cherub murals.

The bells and the steeple

Below the steeple, the bell chamber holds eight bells cast in 1744 in Gloucester, England, which the church describes as the oldest set of change-ringing bells in the United States; Paul Revere rang them as a teenager. The steeple itself has been rebuilt twice: a gale took the original in 1804, and Hurricane Carol brought down its successor in 1954. The third, raised in 1955, is a deliberate replica of the 1740 original and carries Shem Drowne's weathervane.

Around the courtyard

The historic site extends beyond the church to the Clough House, which houses an exhibit on colonial childhood, the St. Francis of Assisi Chapel, gardens and the historic gift and candy shops. Several of Old North's early congregants were chocolatiers, and the site tells that story through its colonial chocolate program.

A church first

Because Old North is still a parish, Sunday mornings belong to the congregation: the service is at 11 a.m. and tourist hours begin in the afternoon. Photography is welcome outside worship, without flash.

Sources: Old North Church & Historic Site, visit, tickets and tours, visiting FAQs, accessibility, steeple and bell chamber, cacao and colonial chocolate, The Freedom Trail Foundation. Checked September 27, 2026.