What used to be an abandoned parking lot beneath the interstate is now an 8-acre playground and art space. The main draw is the fantastic mural project,…
Getty Images/iStockphoto
South End & Chinatown
Chinatown, the Theater District and the Leather District are overlapping areas, filled with glitzy theaters, Chinese restaurants and the remnants of Boston’s shoe and leather industry (now converted lofts and clubs). Nearby, the Victorian manses in the South End have been reclaimed by artists and the LGBTIQ+ community, who have created a vibrant restaurant and gallery scene.
Explore South End & Chinatown
- UUnderground at Ink Block
What used to be an abandoned parking lot beneath the interstate is now an 8-acre playground and art space. The main draw is the fantastic mural project,…
- SSoWa Artists Guild
The brick-and-beam buildings along Harrison Ave were originally used to manufacture goods ranging from canned food to pianos. Now these factories turn out…
- AAlpha Gallery
Once a Newbury St staple, this venerable art gallery is one of many that have relocated to SoWa. Presenting the work of some headline-grabbing artists …
- MMills Gallery
Besides several performance spaces, the main venue for visual arts at the Boston Center for the Arts is the Mills Gallery, which hosts cutting-edge art…
- BBromfield Art Gallery
The city’s oldest cooperative, this South End gallery hosts solo shows by its members, as well as occasional visitors, with an emphasis on New England…
- BBoston Sculptors Gallery
This unusual cooperative gallery has been going strong for over 25 years. The innovative gallery, dedicated to 3D art in all media, is run by three dozen…
- CChinatown Gate
The official entrance to Chinatown is the decorative gate (paifong), a gift from the city of Taipei. It is symbolic – not only as an entryway for guests…
- CCathedral of the Holy Cross
When this neo-Gothic cathedral was built in 1875, it was America’s largest Catholic cathedral, as big as London's Westminster Abbey. It serves as the main…
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout South End & Chinatown.
See
Underground at Ink Block
What used to be an abandoned parking lot beneath the interstate is now an 8-acre playground and art space. The main draw is the fantastic mural project,…
See
SoWa Artists Guild
The brick-and-beam buildings along Harrison Ave were originally used to manufacture goods ranging from canned food to pianos. Now these factories turn out…
See
Alpha Gallery
Once a Newbury St staple, this venerable art gallery is one of many that have relocated to SoWa. Presenting the work of some headline-grabbing artists …
See
Mills Gallery
Besides several performance spaces, the main venue for visual arts at the Boston Center for the Arts is the Mills Gallery, which hosts cutting-edge art…
See
Bromfield Art Gallery
The city’s oldest cooperative, this South End gallery hosts solo shows by its members, as well as occasional visitors, with an emphasis on New England…
See
Boston Sculptors Gallery
This unusual cooperative gallery has been going strong for over 25 years. The innovative gallery, dedicated to 3D art in all media, is run by three dozen…
See
Chinatown Gate
The official entrance to Chinatown is the decorative gate (paifong), a gift from the city of Taipei. It is symbolic – not only as an entryway for guests…
See
Cathedral of the Holy Cross
When this neo-Gothic cathedral was built in 1875, it was America’s largest Catholic cathedral, as big as London's Westminster Abbey. It serves as the main…
Guidebooks
Learn more about South End & Chinatown
Uncover the heart of travel and be inspired to see new sights with one of Lonely Planet’s in-depth, award-winning guidebooks.