Museum sights in Boston
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Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology
The centerpiece of the Peabody is the impressive Hall of the North American Indian, which traces how native peoples responded to the arrival of Europeans from the 15th to the 18th centuries. As such, it addresses how these cultures have adapted to European influences and how they have maintained their own traditions and customs. Other exhibits examine indigenous cultures throughout the Americas, including a fantastic comparison of cave paintings and murals of the Awatovi (New Mexico), the Maya (Guatemala) and the Moche (Peru). Founded in 1866, the Peabody Museum is one of the world’s oldest museums devoted to anthropology. The price of admission includes entry to the Harv…
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Harvard Museum of Natural History
This esteemed institution is famed for its botanical galleries, which feature more than 3000 lifelike pieces of handblown glass flowers and plants. At the intersection of art and science, the collection of intricately crafted flora is truly amazing. Kids and casual science buffs might prefer the more modern exhibits, like Arthropods: Creatures that Rule, which uses innovative multimedia presentations to explain how insects and arachnids have evolved into such a dominant phylum. The zoological galleries house an unbelievable number of stuffed animals and reassembled skeletons, as well as an impressive fossil collection. And the mineralogical and geological galleries conta…
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Salem Maritime National Historic Site
The witch phenomena obscures Salem’s true claim to fame: its glory days as a center for clipper-ship trade with China, started by Elias Hasket Derby. The Salem Maritime National Historic Site comprises the customhouse, the wharves and the other buildings along Derby St that are remnants of the shipping industry that once thrived along this stretch of Salem. In all, the site comprises ten different historic locations within a two-block area. Start at the visitors center to pick up a map and to see the informative film To the Farthest Ports of the Rich East. Of the 50 wharves that once lined Salem Harbor, only three remain, the longest of which is Derby Wharf. Visitors ca…
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Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum
On the cold night of December 16, 1773, a group of fiery colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians burst from the Old South Meeting House and headed to Griffin’s Wharf, where they clambered aboard the three ships harbored there. Outraged by the taxes that the British imposed on tea and other imports, the colonists, armed with axes and hatchets, destroyed 342 crates of British tea, defiantly dumping the precious cargo into the sea. Today, the Boston Tea Party Ship remembers this spirited rebellious act. Artifacts include the Robinson Tea Chest, which was retrieved from the harbor on the morning after the Tea Party. At the time of research, the museum was closed for rebuilding …
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Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center
Visit Gloucester’s working waterfront and see the ongoing restoration of wooden boats, watch the operation of a marine railway that hauls ships out of the water, and compare the different kinds of fishing boats that were used over the years. Sea Pocket Lab is a hands-on outdoor aquarium with exhibits on local marine habitats. It is a great chance for kids to get down and dirty with sea stars, sea urchins, snails, crabs and seaweed. The Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary Exhibit is an excellent introduction for whale-watchers heading out on an excursion. From the Grant Circle rotary, take Washington St to its terminus then turn left on Rogers St to Harbor Loop. Be sure not…
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Mayflower II
If Plymouth Rock tells us little about the Pilgrims, Mayflower II speaks volumes. Climb aboard this replica of the small ship in which they made the fateful voyage, where 102 people lived together for 66 days as the ship passed through the stormy North Atlantic waters.
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Custom House
Begun in 1837, the lower portion of the Custom House resembles a Greek temple. But the federal government decided something grander was in order, so in 1913 it exempted itself from local height restrictions and financed a 500ft tower. Thus Boston’s first skyscraper was born. At first Bostonians were aghast, but they have since grown to love it. The 22ft illuminated clock makes this gem the most recognizable structure of the city skyline. The old Custom House now contains a Marriott hotel. But that doesn’t mean you have to dole out big bucks to stay here to appreciate the building’s history and aesthetics. The 1st-floor rotunda, a work of art in itself, also houses a small…
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Essex Shipbuilding Museum
This unique museum was established in 1976 as a local repository for all of the shipbuilding artifacts of the local residents. Most of the collections of photos, tools and ship models came from local basements and attics, allowing Essex to truly preserve its local history. Most of the collections are housed in the town’s 1835 school house (check out the Old Burying Ground behind it). The historical society also operates the Waterline Center in the museum shipyard, a section of waterfront property where shipbuilding activities have taken place for hundreds of years. The historic Essex-built schooner, Evelina M Goulart, is moored here. From Rte 128, take exit 15 and turn …
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Whistler House Museum of Art
In 1834 Anna Mathilda (McNeill) Whistler, wife of the local agent for the Locks and Canals Corporation, gave birth to future artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834–1903). The coming of the railroad made locks and canals less important, and the Whistlers moved away from Lowell in 1837. Young James went on to become one of America’s greatest 19th-century painters. Whistler’s birthplace, built in 1823, is now the home of the Lowell Art Association. It contains a permanent collection of the artist’s works, and hosts exhibits of works by his contemporaries and modern New England artists. Outside, an 8ft bronze statue of the artist, completed by sculptor Mico Kaufm…
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Battleship Cove
‘You sank my battleship!’ This cry was ne’er heard aboard the mighty USS Massachusetts, a hulk of a craft that survived 35 battles in WWII, gunning down almost 40 aircraft and never losing a man in combat. Today, this heroic ship sits in a quiet corner of Mt Hope Bay known as Battleship Cove. This beaut – longer than two football fields and taller than a nine-storey building – is only one of eight historic ships that visitors can explore at Battleship Cove. The USS Joseph P Kennedy Jr, named for President John F Kennedy’s older brother, did battle in the Korean and Vietnam Wars and is now a museum. The USS Lionfish is a WWII submarine still in full working con…
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New England Sports Museum
Nobody can say that Bostonians are not passionate about their sports teams. The New England Sports Museum is not the best place to witness this deep-rooted devotion (try Fenway Park for that), but sports fans might enjoy the tribute to the retired Boston Celtics or the dramatic stories of Red Sox Century. The exhibits are strong on photographs and jerseys and not much else, though they do cover all of the major professional sports. The highlight is the penalty box from the old Boston Garden. This museum is actually in the concourse area of the Garden’s box seats. The good news is that if you go on a game day, you may see the Celtics or the Bruins warming up. The bad news …
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Charlestown Navy Yard
Besides the historic ships docked here and the museum dedicated to them, the Charlestown Navy Yard is a living monument to its own history of shipbuilding and naval command. Most of the buildings are not open to the public, but you can wander around the dry docks and see how the ships were repaired while resting on wooden blocks. The oldest building in the yard is the imposing Federal-style Commandant’s House, dating to 1805. Other interesting buildings on the grounds include the 1000ft-long Ropewalk, where all the Navy’s rope was made for 135 years. Next door, in the forge shop, metal workers hammered out ‘die-lock’ chains which eventually put the ropemakers out of busin…
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New Bedford Whaling Museum
A 66ft skeleton of a blue whale and a smaller skeleton of a sperm whale welcome you to the New Bedford Whaling Museum. This excellent, hands-on museum occupies seven buildings situated between William and Union Sts. To learn what whaling was all about, you need only tramp the decks of the Lagoda, a fully rigged, half-size replica of an actual whaling bark. The onboard tryworks (a brick furnace where try-pots are placed) converted huge chunks of whale blubber into valuable oil. Old photographs and a 22-minute video of an actual whale chase bring this historic period to life. Exhibits of delicate scrimshaw, and the carving of whalebone into jewelry, knick-knacks and beautif…
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Tall Ship Friendship
Of the 50 wharves that once lined Salem Harbor, only three remain, the longest of which is Derby Wharf. Visitors can stroll out to the end and peek inside the 1871 lighthouse. The most prominent building along Derby St is the Custom House, where permits and certificates were issued and, of course, taxes paid. Other buildings at the site include warehouses, the scale house, and Elias Hasket Derby’s 1762 home. Stop by at the West India Goods Store, a working store with spices and other items similar to those sold two centuries ago. You can also board the replica of the tall ship Friendship to see how the sailors lived.
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Adams National Historic Park
The Adams family sights are accessible by guided tours, which depart from the Adams National Historic Park Visitor Center. Every half-hour, trolleys travel to the John Adams and John Quincy Adams Birthplaces, the oldest presidential birthplaces in the United States. These two 17th-century saltbox houses stand side by side along the old Coast Rd, which connected Plymouth to Boston. The houses are furnished as they would have been in the 18th century, so visitors can see where John Adams started his law career, started his family, and wrote the Massachusetts Constitution (which was later used as the basis for the US Constitution).
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Larz Anderson Auto Museum & Park
Larz and Isabel Anderson, a high-society socialite couple, bought their first automobile in 1899: a Winton Runabout. It was the first of 32 autos that they would purchase over the next 50 years. When one car would become obsolete, it would retire to the carriage house, forming the foundation for ‘America’s oldest motorcar collection.’ Fourteen of the 32 originals are a part of the current collection, which is still housed in the carriage house on the grounds of the estate (now Larz Anderson Park). A walking tour of the park allows visitors to discover what these grounds were once like. Take bus 51 from the Forest Hill or Reservoir T station.
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Ancient & Honorable Artillery Co of Massachusetts
The brick colonial building – topped with the beloved grasshopper weather vane – was constructed in 1740 at the urging of Boston benefactor and merchant Peter Faneuil. In 1805 Charles Bulfinch enlarged the building and enclosed the 1st-floor market, and designed the 2nd-floor meeting space, where public ceremonies are still held today. It’s normally open to the public, who can hear about the building’s history from NPS rangers. On the 3rd floor the Ancient & Honorable Artillery Co of Massachusetts, which was chartered in 1638, maintains a peculiar collection of antique firearms, political mementos and curious artifacts.
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Abbott Hall
Every American is familiar with The Spirit of ’76, the patriotic painting (c 1876) by Archibald M Willard. It depicts three American Revolution figures – a drummer, a fife player and a flag bearer. The painting hangs in the selectmen’s meeting room in Abbott Hall, home of the Marblehead Historical Commission. The red-brick building with a lofty clock tower is the seat of Marblehead’s town government, and houses artifacts of Marblehead’s history, including the original title deed to Marblehead from the Nanapashemet Native Americans, dated 1684.
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Nichols House Museum
This 1804 town house might be your only opportunity to peek inside one of these classic Beacon Hill beauties. Attributed to Charles Bulfinch, it is unique in its merger of Federal and Greek Revival architectural styles. Equally impressive is the story told inside the museum – that of the day-to-day life of Miss Rose Standish Nichols, who lived here from 1885 to 1960. Miss Rose was an author, pacifist and suffragette. The museum has reconstructed her home, furnished with art and antiques from all over the world, as well as some impressive examples of her own needlepoint and woodwork.
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Boott Cotton Mills Museum
Five blocks northeast along the river, the Boott Cotton Mills Museum has exhibits that chronicle the rise and fall of the industrial revolution in Lowell, including technological changes, labor movements and immigration. The highlight is a working weave room, with 88 power looms. A special exhibit on Mill Girls & Immigrants (978-970-5000; 40 French St; admission free; 1:30-4:30pm) examines the lives of working people, while other seasonal exhibits are sometimes on display in other historic buildings around town.
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Ether Dome
On October 16, 1846, Thomas WG Morton administered ether to the patient Gilbert Abbott, while Dr John Collins Warren cut a tumor from his neck. It was the first use of anesthesia in a surgical procedure and it happened in this domed operating room in Mass General Hospital. The dome looks like a typical, old-fashioned hall used for lectures and medical demonstrations, up to and including the skeleton hanging in the corner. The dome is still used today for meetings and lectures, so it is sometimes closed to the public.
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USS Cassin Young
This 376ft WWII destroyer is one of 14 Fletcher-class destroyers built at the Charlestown Navy Yard. These were the Navy’s fastest, most versatile ships. Cassin Young participated in the 1944 Battle of Leyte Gulf, as well as the 1945 invasion of Okinawa. Here, the ship sustained two kamikaze hits, leaving 23 crew members dead and many more wounded. These days she has been completely refurbished, as you can see during a free, 45-minute tour, or if you choose to wander around the main deck on your own.
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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
The magnificent Venetian-style palazzo that houses this museum was home to ‘Mrs Jack’ Gardner herself until her death in 1924. A monument to one woman’s taste for acquiring exquisite art, the Gardner is filled with almost 2000 priceless objects, primarily European, including outstanding tapestries and Italian Renaissance and 17th-century Dutch paintings. The palazzo itself, with a four-story greenhouse courtyard, is a masterpiece, a tranquil oasis which alone is worth the price of admission. Free admission always if your name is Isabella.
In 2009, the Gardner Museum announced that it had received approval for a highly controversial restoration and expansion project,…
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Wampanoag Homesite
The Wampanoag Homesite replicates the life of a Native American community in the same area as the Plimoth Plantation during the 1600s. Homesite huts are made of wattle and daub (a framework of woven rods and twigs covered and plastered with clay); inhabitants engage in traditional crafts while wearing traditional garb. Unlike the actors at the English Village, these individuals are not acting as historic characters, but are indigenous people speaking from a modern perspective.
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Mayflower Society Museum
As New England’s oldest European community, Plymouth also has its share of fine old houses, one of which is the Mayflower Society Museum.
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