Boston and the surrounding areas offer
a wide variety of historical, cultural, and educational museums
for those who are inclined to explore the finer things in life.
A few of the most popular are included here. The exhibits are as
diverse as they are entertaining.
The Museum of Fine Arts, located
on 465 Huntington Avenue, showcases both contemporary and ancient
artwork including those of American, European, African, Asiatic,
and Oceanic backgrounds. Open since 1876, the museum began in Copley
Square, only to relocate in its current location in 1909. Although
it is closed on a few major holidays, the museum is open daily.
Guided tours are available in addition to paid admissions.
The museum includes nearly 450,000
pieces of original artwork including those of Pablo Picasso, Claude
Monet, Paul Gauguin, Perre Auguste Renoir, James McNeil Whistler,
Rembrandt, and John Singleton Copley. In addition to paintings,
the museum houses drawings, photographs, prints, musical instruments,
and more. In fact, the Ancient World Collection includes mummies,
jewelry, sculpture, coins, and ceramics.
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum,
located at 280 The Fenway, showcases a private collection of the
sculpture, paintings, furniture and textiles produced by famous
artists including Titian, Rembrandt, and Boticelli. The museum is
housed in a beautiful palazzo that features a courtyard garden.
Although it is closed on Thanksgiving
and December 25, the museum is open daily. Guided tours are available
on Tuesdays through Fridays in addition to the offered entrance
by paid admissions.
The John F. Kennedy Presidential
Library and Museum, housed in a glass and concrete building
of dramatic presence, is located at 220 William T. Morrissey Boulevard
near the campus for the University of Massachusetts. This tribute
to the nation's 35th president offers 25 exhibits that take visitors
through the life of this man. The museum is open daily during the
day and includes waterfront views.
The Harvard Museum of Natural History,
located at 26 Oxford Street in Cambridge, is actually three individual
museums- the Museum of Comparative Zoology, the Mineralogical Geological
Museum, and the Botanical Museum. The exhibits range from mammals
to birds to fish to plants to minerals to gemstones to agates. Although
it is closed on Thanksgiving, December 24, December 25, and January
1, the museum is open daily during the day.
The Concord Museum, located
at 200 Lexington Road in Concord, houses 13 art galleries along
with several period rooms including the contents of Ralph Waldo
Emerson's study and a collection of Henry David Thoreau's personal
possessions including his bed, chair, and desk.
The Peabody Essex Museum is
located at 161 Essex Street in Salem and includes over two million
magnificent works of architectural and cultural art. Twenty-four
historic buildings are open to the public along with exhibits of
folk art, portraits, photographic works, furniture, and more. The
collections include examples of maritime art as well. The museum
is open daily during the day with the exception of Thanksgiving,
December 25, and January 1.
The New England Aquarium is
located on the waterfront at Central Wharf. It showcases over 20,000
specimens, an outdoor seal tank, and a coral reef exhibit. The inhabitants
of the aquarium include penguins, tropical fish, Australian sea
dragons, moray eels, and more. Open daily during the day, the museum's
hours vary so call ahead for specific times.
The Museum of Science, located
at 1 Science Park in Boston, offers more than 500 exhibits including
topics such as astronomy, technology, physical science, medicine,
and natural history. The museum also features a butterfly garden,
cinema, and food concessions. It is open daily into the early evening
with the exception of Thanksgiving and December 25.- Susan M. Keenan
Check out the Freedom
Trail for some walking fun or the Boston
Common
