Lowell National Historical Park
Lowell, MA Hours and Location

Learn and Explore

Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with more than 275 million visitors every year. But our work doesn’t stop there.

We are proud that tribes, local governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individual citizens ask for our help in revitalizing their communities, preserving local history, celebrating local heritage, and creating close to home opportunities for kids and families to get outside, be active, and have fun.

Taking care of the national parks and helping Americans take care of their communities is a job we love, and we need—and welcome—your help and support.

Our Mission

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I obtain a park entrance pass?

Only 118 of your 417 park sites charge entrance fees. You can obtain park entrance passes by visiting a park site that charges an entrance fee. Entrance fee sites have passes available; we recommend calling a park prior to your visit. (See the park search to locate a specific park.) There are a number of entrance passes available, including park-specific passes as well as passes that offer entrance to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites in addition to the national parks (Annual, Military, Senior, 4th Grade, Access, and Volunteer passes). Learn more about the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.

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About this location:

National Historical Park

Operating Hours & Seasons

Lowell National Historical Park

Visitor Center Open Daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. year round, except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Boott Cotton Mills Museum open 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. (March – November), 12 – 4 p.m. (December-February). Mill Girls & Immigrants Exhibit open 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Summer), 1:30 – 5 p.m. (October-November & March- May), 1:30 – 4 p.m. (December- February). Boat Tours offered daily Memorial Day – Labor Day, weekends through Columbus Day. See www.nps.gov/lowe/planyourvisit/guidedtours for a complete schedule.

Standard Hours

• Sunday:9:00 AM-5:00 PM
• Monday:9:00 AM-5:00 PM
• Tuesday:9:00 AM-5:00 PM
• Wednesday:9:00 AM-5:00 PM
• Thursday:9:00 AM-5:00 PM
• Friday:9:00 AM-5:00 PM
• Saturday:9:00 AM-5:00 PM

Additional Information View More

• Christmas Day:
• Closed

• New Years Day:
• January 1 – January 1
• Closed

• Thanksgiving Day:
• Closed

Park District

Boott Cotton Mills Museum

Hours for Boott Cotton Mills Museum (115 John Street)

Standard Hours

• Sunday:9:30 AM-5:00 PM
• Monday:9:30 AM-5:00 PM
• Tuesday:9:30 AM-5:00 PM
• Wednesday:9:30 AM-5:00 PM
• Thursday:9:30 AM-5:00 PM
• Friday:9:30 AM-5:00 PM
• Saturday:9:30 AM-5:00 PM

Additional Information View More

• Christmas Day:
• Closed

• New Year’s Day:
• Closed

• Thanksgiving Day:
• Closed

• Winter Season:
• December 1 – March 17
• 12:00 PM-4:00 PM

Fees & Passes

Entrance Fees:

• $6.00 – Boott Cotton Mills Museum
  Interpretive Demonstration fees at the Boott Mills Museum- $6 for Adults, $4 Senior (62+), $3 Student, $3 Youth (under 17), Free for 5 or under. Discounts for America the Beautiful Interagency Pass holders. Free for 4th grade holders of the Every Kid in a Park Pass.
• $12.00 – Canal Boat Tour Fee
  90 minute-2 hour Canal Boat Tours offered Memorial Day- Columbus Day. $12 adults, $10 Senior, $8 Student, $8 Youth (6-16 yrs.), Free for under 5.

About

All was expectancy. Changes were coming…nobody could guess what. – Lucy Larcom

Discover the Continuing Revolution. Lowell’s water-powered textile mills catapulted the nation – including immigrant families and early female factory workers – into an uncertain new industrial era. Nearly 200 years later, the changes that began here still reverberate in our shifting global economy. Explore Lowell, a living monument to the dynamic human story of the Industrial Revolution.

Directions

From Interstate Route 495 take Exit 35C on to the Lowell Connector. From Route 3 take Exit 30A if traveling southbound, Exit 30B if traveling northbound. • Take the Lowell Connector to Exit 5B (Thorndike Street). • Continue right on to Thorndike Street, which becomes Dutton Street. • At the third traffic light continue straight under the overpass. • At the next light turn right into the Visitor Center Parking Lot. Take a ticket at the gate and bring the ticket inside for free validation.

Visitor Centers

Visitor Center

Main Visitor Center at 246 Market Street at the Market Mills complex, with free parking at 304 Dutton Street. Offering introductory exhibits, our 16-minute orientation film presented every 1/2 hour, and information on the park, the city of Lowell, and the surrounding area.

Weather

Summer: Throughout the summer, temperatures range from the mid 60s to mid 90s during the day, with rain and thunderstorms more common in the months of July and August. Boats and trolleys operate rain or shine and are only cancelled in cases of extreme weather or the presence of thunder and lightning. Winter: Winters are typically cold with temperatures in the mid 30s and 40s (with occasional single digit temperatures) and snow storms with a few inches accumulation occur frequently throughout the season.

Permits and Reservations Information