A historic society in Beacon Hill has begun hosting monthly open houses, giving visitors a chance to see the inside of its headquarters, a house dating back to the early 1800s with plenty of artifacts of the commonwealth’s past.

The Colonial Society of Massachusetts dates back to 1892 and is now looking to leverage its property at 87 Mount Vernon Street in Beacon Hill to drum up further interest in the commonwealth’s past. The open house on February 6th isn’t the first the organization has held but will be the start of regular showings on the first Sunday of every month.

Robert Allison, president of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, said he first noticed the interest in the building when the society thought to put up a sign commemorating the historic building.

“We put up one of the historic plaques from the 1980s, and almost immediately anyone walking up Mount Vernon St. made a beeline for it just to see what was up,” he said. “I’m surprised at the number of people in Beacon Hill who have never been inside the house. This is an opportunity for neighbors to come see.”

Past open houses have attracted around 20 to 50 people. It’s a relaxed affair, with guests enjoying refreshments while guides show them around the house and tell them about the architecture and objects within.

“We were fortunate back in the 1950s to get this home built way back in 1806,” said Allison. “Back in the 1950s people were leaving the city, and the children didn’t want the big old furniture of their parents. So not only did we get the house but a bunch of other people donated furniture to us.”

It’s something of a departure from the organization’s usual programming.

The society is largely a historical organization, documenting historical artifacts and hosting academic presentations for the area's history buffs, appealing to a member base of around 300 professionals and hobbyists. Once per year the society holds a forum for graduate students.

Even those regular events are starting to appeal to a broader audience.

The society has increasingly streamed its programming online, giving access to residents who might be interested but are unable or unwilling to commit to the trip in person.

“We want to be good neighbors, and give people who don’t normally show up to events a chance to see what we do,” said Allison.

The next major event will be on February 16, headlined by Cornelia Dayton. That meeting’s focus will be Phillis Wheatley Peters, a Massachusetts slave who became the first African-American to publish a book of poetry.