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The Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands is an all volunteer membership organization whose mission is to inspire stewardship and respect for the islands through educational and interpretive programs. The organization encourages public use of the islands, balanced with the need to protect their fragile ecosystem and historic environment. Our group of spirited volunteers has worked on behalf of islands for 46 years!
The Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands is an independent organization founded in 1979 that is now affiliated with Boston Harbor Now. |
JOIN - RENEW - DONATE TO THE FRIENDS OF THE BOSTON HARBOR ISLANDS
Upcoming Events with national parks of boston
- Art in the Park – Georges Island
June 16 – September 1, 11:15 am – 3:00 pm, FREE
Unleash your creativity with a variety of art activities designed to enrich your island experience.
Test your hand at watercolors, write and illustrate nature haikus, learn to decode signal flags, and explore sun printing. All ages and abilities welcome
- Science in the Park: Participatory Science – Spectacle Island
June 17 – August 26, 2025, FREE
Science in the Park will offer educational activities and hands-on learning about topics in science, stewardship, nature, and sustainability.
Tuesdays – explore the islands at your own pace and collect data through participatory science
Wednesdays – join a guided nature walk
Fridays – visit the Exploration Station for hands-on activities
- Wellness Wednesday – Spectacle Island
June 18 – August 27, 2025, 11:00 am – 4:30 pm, FREE
Stop by the Wellness Station, where you’ll find hand weights, stretch bands, and other equipment to enhance your outdoor wellness.
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Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
- Art-in-the-Park Host
Now – October 31, 2025
Spend your summer sharing the gift of art with visitors and supporting your public lands by volunteering as an Art-in-the-Park Host on the Boston Harbor Islands! No experience necessary. Materials and trainings for all of the activities will be provided.
- Bunker Hill Week: America 250 Event Volunteer Ambassador
6/10/2025 - 6/18/2025
The main role of an American 250 Ambassador is to enhance the visitor experience during special events commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States. In-person training will be provided on the evening of June 10th.
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- Trail Safety Volunteer
5/12/2025 - 5/11/2026
The main role of a Trail Safety Volunteer is to provide support to Park Rangers conducting Freedom Trail and Black Heritage Trail tours. Volunteers will also offer visitors friendly guidance and ensure a positive experience along the trails. A commitment of a minimum of four hours per week is expected.
- Park Photographer
5/12/2025 - 5/11/2026
Park Photographers donate their time and talents to capture shots of our park. The main role of a Park Photographer is to document, capture, and provide visual information for the following: Faneuil Hall, Freedom Trail tours, Black Heritage Trail tours, and Education Center programming.
- Visitor Services – Multiple Sites
Bunker Hill Monument & Museum/Charlestown Navy Yard Visitor Services Assistant
Faneuil Hall Visitor Services and Events Assistant
In all locations, volunteers will be responsible for answering questions from the public and providing verbal and printed information as needed; providing visitors with clear instructions on how to plan their trip to Boston; informing visitors about programs and events; facilitating programs and events and giving general park orientation.
PEDDOCKS ISLAND CAMPING RESERVATIONSOpen now – The 2025 camping season runs from June 18 – October 13. Reservations can be booked up to four months before date.
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The 2025 ferry schedule is available
Ferry service will run May 16 – October 13.
A Boston Harbor Islands Adventure: The Great Brewster Journal of 1891
FBHI volunteer authors at book launch, June 2023.
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A Boston Harbor Islands Adventure: The Great Brewster Journal of 1891. This book is the result of intense work by FBHI volunteers, led by Stephanie Schorow, author of East of Boston: Notes from the Harbor Islands.
From the back cover: In 1891, four intrepid women from Lowell, Massachusetts, sailed to a remote island in Boston Harbor for a 17-day escape from New England and prim and proper society. Calling themselves the Scribe, the Aristocrat, the Acrobat and the Autocrat, the women stayed in a cottage on Great Brewster Island, reveling in the chance to shed their identities of wife, mother and daughter. Relive their sojourn through their remarkable journal – which is in the collection of Harvard University – filled with observations, illustrations, photography and poetry. Order from History Press here OR GO TO YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE. To book an illustrated lecture on this amazing book, email sschorow@comcast.net |
You’ll find the article "Chasing History" about the FBHI book project in the 2024 summer issue of Ranger, the magazine of the Association of National Park Rangers. The article is on pages 14-15.
our history – digitized!
We've been able to have some of our history preserved - our Tidings Newsletters from 1985-1987 have been digitized, and we've just uploaded our eTidings from 2014-2023 as well! Click here to see them!
you can vISIT THE islands online year-round with many photos of cathleen stone, calf, graves light station, rainsford and outer brewster islands
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Can't make it out - or interested in seeing what you might see on one of our trips? Visit the islands online via photos by some of our Friends - Click on the island names below to start your journey!
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A Personal account of visiting three Harbor islands in three days"Offshore Escape" by Dorian Fox is about his visit to Georges, Peddocks and Spectacle Islands. By clicking here you'll open the article on National Parks Conservation Association's website in a new window.
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