Lexington Visitors Center Lexington, Massachusetts

The Visitors Center in Lexington was constructed in 1966 for tourists and residents alike to learn about the historic and contemporary resources in this important birthplace of the American Revolution. Located adjacent to the Battle Green, where the first shots were fired between British Regulars and Minutemen, this facility welcomes and orients over 125,000 people annually.

Mills Whitaker Architects was retained to study an expansion or replacement of the building due to its inability to adequately serve its myriad functions. Working with input from sixteen stakeholder committees, all agreed that the most effective way to address the facility’s shortcomings was to replace it with a new building. Opened in 2020, the construction was sandwiched between successive Patriot’s Day battle reenactments. This Net-Zero facility meets LEED v4 Silver standards for energy efficiency and sustainability. The new building showcases events surrounding the conflict of April 19, 1775, and better commemorates five “USS Lexington” naval vessels named in recognition of that inaugural battle.

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