Old North Illuminated Launches Children's Audio Tour Narrated by Beloved Church Cat

BOSTON – For years, Prince was a fixture at Old North Church Historic Site, wandering the historic box pews, greeting visitors, and occasionally turning up in the church's crypt. The beloved black cat served as an unofficial ambassador to one of Boston's most storied landmarks until his death in 2016. Now, Prince is back, and he has a story to tell.

Old North Illuminated, which stewards Old North Church Historic Site, has launched "Prince's Revolutionary Tale," a new children's audio tour designed for visitors ages 7 to 12 and their families. The 20-minute tour invites young visitors to experience the history of Old North Church through Prince's eyes, from the events of April 18, 1775, to the stories of the congregation members who lived through the American Revolution.

The tour arrives as the nation prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence, and as families increasingly seek out historic sites that offer meaningful, age-appropriate experiences. Old North Church was the site of a pivotal moment at the onset of the American Revolution. On April 18, 1775, allies of Paul Revere climbed the church steeple and held high two lanterns to signal that British troops were traveling “by sea” across the Charles River to seize military supplies the colonists had stockpiled in Concord. That signal helped ignite a revolution, and it is that story, told from fresh and varied perspectives, that Prince now brings to life for a new generation.

Narrated by Prince, a “cat with nine lives” who has lived in Boston’s North End for centuries, the tour uses age-appropriate language to guide children through Old North's history, introducing them to figures whose stories are rarely centered in traditional historical accounts. These include Paul Revere, Jr, the teenage son of Paul Revere, Rebecca Byles, the daughter of the Loyalist Old North minister who was forced into exile, and Cato, the man enslaved by the Loyalist Byles family who was forced to leave his wife and children behind when the family evacuated Boston. The tour is available in both English and Spanish.

"History comes alive when you see it through someone else's eyes," says Nikki Stewart, Executive Director of Old North Illuminated. "Prince had a way of making everyone who walked through these doors feel welcome and curious. It felt right to give him a voice, and through that voice, to give children a way into this history that feels genuinely their own. What students read about in their textbooks, they can now experience firsthand, together with their families, at the very place where it happened."

The tour was developed in partnership with Tourmate, leaders in the field of audio guide production. The development of the tour was funded in part by Massachusetts 250, the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, and the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati.

As the 250th anniversary sparks a banner year along Boston’s Freedom Trail, visitors from across the country and around the world can step inside Old North Church Historic Site, which is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Holiday hours may vary. For more information, visit: www.oldnorth.com.

About Old North Illuminated / Old North Church Historic Site

Established in 1991 as the Old North Foundation, Old North Illuminated is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is responsible for historic site operations and interpretative, educational, and preservation programs at the iconic Old North Church Historic Site. A secular organization that is independent of Christ Church in the City of Boston, Old North Illuminated welcomes approximately 500,000 visitors annually while overseeing the preservation of an enduring symbol of American independence. Old North Illuminated serves a wide audience by creating meaningful experiences through educational outreach, site-specific programming, and historical analysis. ONI works collaboratively with the City of Boston, the U.S. National Park Service, the Freedom Trail Foundation, and other partners to foster educational and interpretive programs for students and visitors while engaging the public in Old North Church’s history and its role in inspiring liberty and freedom. In 2024, Old North Illuminated was presented with a Leadership in History — Award of Excellence from the American Association for State and Local History, the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of American history. The award-winning project, “Expanding History at Old North Church,” encompassed a new exhibit, audio guide, and online video series. For more information, visit: www.oldnorth.com.

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