ArtsThursdays: Revolutionary Teas
When:
Thursday, Feb 26, 2026 5:00p -
9:00p
Thursday, Feb 26, 2026 5:00p -
9:00p
Where:
Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge
Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
Admission:
FREE
Hosted by:
Categories:
Art, Classes, Date Idea, History
Event website:
https://hmsc.harvard.edu/calendar_event/artsthursdays-revolutionary-teas/
Free In-Person Special Event
ArtsThursdays: Revolutionary Teas
Thursday, February 26, 5:00–9:00 pm RSVPs encouraged
Enter at Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge
Join us for a free, fun evening at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology—perfect for a date night, a friends’ outing, or meeting new people.
This special edition of ArtsThursdays explores the revolutionary era in the United States through one of its defining symbols and flashpoints: tea.
From 6:00 to 7:00 pm, tea historian Bruce Richardson will present the illustrated talk, “Five Teas that Launched a Revolution.” The presentation will trace the history of five Chinese teas that were tossed into Boston Harbor in 1773—teas that came from the very same East India Company warehouses that supplied the tea caddies of fashionable homes in London and Bath.
While the world knows how Britain’s love of tea has inspired countless “tea things,” Richardson will remind us that residents of colonial Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Charleston shared a similar passion for fine furniture, silver, and porcelain devoted to their own tea rituals. Their daily cup became a ceremony—a gathering that helped spark a party, a revolution, and the birth of a nation. All this commotion over a simple cup of tea!
During the evening, visitors can:
- Sample historic teas enjoyed in 1773 Boston.
- Purchase copies of A Social History of Tea (Benjamin Press, 2013) by Bruce Richardson and participate in a book signing.
- Enter a free raffle to win museum gifts and membership.
- Explore the Peabody Museum galleries from 5:00 to 9:00 pm, including Resetting the Table, an exhibition about food, power, status, and cultural identity.
Free and open to the public. Let us know you are coming! RSVPs are encouraged, but walk-in visitors are always welcome. Free event parking at the 52 Oxford Street Garage 4:30–9:30 pm.
Presented by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology and the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture.
ArtsThursdays is a university-wide initiative supported by Harvard University Committee on the Arts.
This event is presented to mark the 250th Anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.
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