Sports | Museums| Nightlife Theological | General Tours | Daytrip | Historic Art Museums | History Museums | Natural History Museums Science & Technology Museums | Theaters & Concert Venues Art Museums Harvard University Art Museums - 32 Quincy Street / Cambridge / 617-495-9400 / Fogg Art Museum - The gallery’s focus is on Western art from the medieval period to present times, with a large collection of Impressionist works. Busch-Reisinger Museum - The museum houses the largest collection of Bauhaus and early 20th century German art located outside Germany. Arthur M. Sackler Museum - Opened in 1985, the Sackler primarily houses a world class collection of ancient Asian art comprised of pieces from India and the Near East. The museum has smaller galleries of ancient Greek, Egyptian and Etruscan art. / $ Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) - 955 Boylston Street / Back Bay / 617-266-5152 / $ Founded in 1936, the Institute is one of the oldest non-collecting arts groups in the country. The gallery exhibitions are always changing as the contemporary art forms change with the times. Housed in a renovated Romanesque brick and stone structure, the presentations are geared towards a more international interpretation of modern art. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum - 280 The Fenway / Boston / 617-566-1401 / $ The Venetian-styled palazzo with its amazing covered courtyard is a Boston icon of mega proportions. Isabella Stewart Gardner left her palatial home with its superb collection of art to posterity, among the works housed here are the first Matisse to be added to an American collection, paintings by James McNeill Whistler, John Singer Sargent and a multitude of European masters. Museum of Fine Arts - 465 Huntington Avenue / Boston / 617-267-9300 / $ The largest museum in New England, this is a great place for the whole family to explore the arts. Ever changing shows and permanent works fill the galleries, hands-on activities are scheduled throughout the year. Performance arts, lectures and films are also part of the mix to be experienced in one of the nations greatest art showcases. Museum of Afro-American Artists - 300 Walnut Avenue / Boston / 617-442-8614 / $ A national center for African American artists, the museum has a permanent collection and offers traveling exhibitions, lectures, films and musical concerts to promote black artists. The Stevens - Coolidge Place - 139 Andover Street / North Andover / 978-682-3580 / $ Several collections of American furnishings and Chinese porcelain are featured at this country estate house museum. Peabody Essex Museum - East India Square / Salem / 978-745-9500 / $ Undergoing a major $100 million renovation, the Peabody Essex is adding new galleries and gardens to it’s collection of art and architecture. Comprised of 30 galleries and historic homes, the museum explores all aspects of art from all over the world. History Museums Adams National Historic Park - 135 Adams Street / Quincy / 617-770-1175 / $ The ancestral home of four generations of the Adams family including Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, and of course the home of First Lady Abigail Adams. Boston National Historical Park- Charlestown Navy Yard / Boston / 617-242-5601 /Headquarters for the National Park Service When visitors come to Boston, they often ask to see “Old Ironsides” in the historic Charlestown Navy Yard. Within a short walk from Bunker Hill, is the USS Constitution, the world's oldest commissioned warship, close by is the World War II destroyer, USS Cassin Young. Both ships are open for tours as is the 1805 Commandant's House. Boston Tea Party Ship and Museum - Congress St. Bridge / North End-Waterfront / Boston / 617-338-1773 / $ Every thirty minutes re-enactors recreate the tea party events by boarding a working replica of the Brig Beaver II, one of three ships that were boarded during the original event. The museum provides the evidence of the economic reasons for the boycott and tossing of the tea, the ship is open for exploration. Commonwealth Museum & Massachusetts Archives - 220 Morrissey Boulevard / Boston / 617-727-2816 / Free Archival library, educational programs and historic items bring Massachusetts history to life. Special programs are ongoing. Concord Museum - 200 Lexington Road / Concord / 978-369-9763 / $ Explore the galleries that show the life and times of Concord from the native Americans to the turbulent beginnings of America’s fight for Independence. Other exhibits deal with the literary wealth of the region including authors Emerson, Thoreau and Louisa May Alcott. Dreams of Freedom - Immigration Museum - International Institute of Boston - One Milk Street / Boston / 617-338-6022 / $ Immigration is explored in this museum which lets the visitor experience the hardships and difficulties as well as hopes of those who came. Grab your passport and take a journey with those who came before. Also offered are historic walks with famous figures in area history including benjamin Franklin, Abigail Adams and Sophie Tucker! Heritage Plantation of Sandwich - 67 Grove Street / Sandwich / 508-888-3300 / $ The Museum is composed of a diverse collection of Americana including antique cars, a 1912 carousel, an art and military collection. Open daily at 10 am to 5 pm from mid-May to late October. In July the annual Vintage & Classic Car Show is held. John F. Kennedy Library & Museum - Columbia Point / Boston / 617-929-4523 / $ The presidential library of John F. Kennedy, the museum houses exhibits and presentations honoring the legacy and life of this young American President. Longyear Museum - 1125 Boylston Street / Brookline / 617-278-9000 / The museum honors the life and writings of the founder of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Mary Baker Eddy. Museum of Afro American History - 46 Joy Street / Beacon Hill / Boston / 617-725-0022 / $ The largest museum about African Americans in New England, the museum developed the Black Heritage Trail® and also maintains three national historic sites dating back to the 1800s. The major focus is on the history of free blacks in New England and the white abolitionists who worked to change the course of American history. Museum of Our National Heritage - 33 Marrett Road / Lexington / 781-861-6559 / Free Old South Meeting House - 310 Washington Street / Boston / 617-482-6439 / $ (nominal fee) A Puritan church built in 1729, the structure was the towns largest during that period and used for town meetings. The Sons of Liberty met here and planned an infamous “tea party” in 1773. The British turned the building into a stable and tavern during the Revolution. Old State House - 206 Washington Street / at State & Washington Streets / Boston / 617-720-1713 / $ Nominal Fee One of the most revered buildings in the city, the Old State House overlooks the site of the Boston Massacre and is the place where delegates of the original 13 colonies signed the Declaration of Independence. The seat of the British colonial government from 1713 to 1776, the symbol of that government, the Lion & Unicorn still decorate the eastern facade. Just below those symbols from the eastern balcony, the citizenry first heard the words that declared the country’s freedom. Rooms in the building have been restored to the appearance of their colonial-era functions taking visitors back in time to America’s Revolution. Old Sturbridge Village - 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road / Sturbridge / 508-347-3362 / $ A re-created village from the 1830s, Old Sturbridge Village encompasses 200 acres with over 40 buildings open for exhibit. As one of Americas well-known living history museums, visitors are immersed into the early 19th century rural life of New England where artisans, craftsmen and re-enactors demonstrate the skills needed to survive in an agrarian society. Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology - 11 Divinity Avenue / Cambridge / 617-495-3045 / $ America’s first museum devoted to anthropology, the Peabody was founded in 1866 and now houses several million artifacts including 500,000 photographs from around the world. Involved in some of the earliest research dealing with native American sites, the collections on north and central American pre-Columbian cultures are extensive and informative. Plimoth Plantation - The Living History Museum of 17th Century Plymouth - Route 3 / Exit 4 / Plymouth / 508-746-1622 / $ Founded in 1947 with one house from the historic village, the “Plantation” is now a recreation of the whole village as it was in 1627. A living museum, the Plimoth Plantation, Inc. also encompasses a recreated Hobbamock Wampanoag Indian Homesite and a rebuilt Mayflower II. Salem Witch Museum - Washington Square / Salem / 978-744-1692 / $ The whole story is told in this museum about the witch trials, accusations and executions. Life-sized figures and venues puts the visitor into the scenes as they happened. Open daily in July and August. Sports Museum of New England at The Fleet Center - The Fleet Center / Causeway Street / Boston / 617-624-1234 / $ The rich history of sports in New England is covered in this state of the art museum. Interactive exhibits, video footage and memorabilia trace the teams, sportsmen and players who made their mark in local and national sports. Natural History Museums Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University - 125 Arborway / Jamaica Plain / Boston / 617-524-1718 / Over 260 acres of forest with 3500 varieties of trees, a great place to picnic after taking a tour. Harvard Museum of Natural History - 26 Oxford Street / Cambridge / 617-495-3045 / $ The Harvard Museum of Natural History is actually three separate museums, with collections housed in the Mineralogical and Geological Museum, the Museum of Comparative Zoology and the Botanical Museum. From dinosaur bones to huge geodes, the collections are impressive. However one of the museums rarest exhibits is the Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants known as the glass flowers, over 3,000 life-sized and detailed models are in the collection. Science & Technology Museums Children’s Museum - 300 Congress Street / Downtown Boston / 617-426-8855 / $ Look for the giant milk bottle at the entrance and you’ll know you have found the Children’s Museum. Hands-on learning experiences and role playing are designed to inspire kids from 0 to 10 years. Expect a great time for the whole family! MIT Museum - 265 Massachusetts Avenue / Cambridge / 617-253-4444 / $ Along with the Hall of Hacks (a collection of practical jokes that have appeared on the Great Dome), the museum has an amazing collection of holograms as well as many other unique collections of technology. Museum of Science - 1 Science Park / Boston / 617-723-2500 / $ Housing over 400 hands-on exhibits, this exploratory center offers field interest in several science areas including astronomy, physics, life science, technology and zoology. Large Omni screen shows special feature films for extra fee. New England Aquarium - Central Wharf / Boston / 617-973-5200 / $ Inside there are over two thousand species of fish from the touch tank to large sharks, plus sea turtles, seals, penguins and sea otters. The aquarium also offers whale watching excursions and marine science adventures outside the boundaries of the city, reservations for those events are recommended. Theaters and Concert Venues Boston Hatch Shell - Storrow Drive / west of Beacon Hill / 617-727-5215 / $ depending on program Situated along the banks of the Charles River, this outdoor venue hosts the annual Fourth of July spectacular with the Boston Pops. Concerts and community gatherings are held here beginning in the late spring and throughout the summer. Colonial Theatre - 106 Boylston Street / Theater District / 617-426-9366 / $ for Concerts & Performances In the 1920s Zeigfield premiered his Follies in the Colonial before heading to New York. One of the city’s oldest surviving theaters in continuous operation under the same name, the Colonial opened in 1900. The Rocco styled theatre was the debut site for several pre-Broadway shows for Rodgers and Hammerstein and Irving Berlin. NOW OPEN! Opera House - 539 Washington Street / Theater District / 617-259-3400 / $ depending on program Re-opened in July 2004, the Opera House has been newly renovated and restored to it’s gilded original glory. Seating 2500, the venue hosts a variety of performances from stage productions, plays and ballet. Shubert Theater - 265 Tremont Street / Theater District / 617-482-9393/ $ for Concerts & Performances Known for test-casing pre-Broadway bound musicals, the theater was built in 1910 and has showcased live performances of some of the greats including Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman and Rex Harrison. It was closed for several years but opened to premiere Rent before it’s Broadway success in 1997. Today, ballet and repertory companies perform on the Shubert stage. Symphony Hall - 301 Massachusetts Avenue / South End / 617-266-1492 / $ for Concerts and Performances Home of the world famous Boston Pops Orchestra, since 1881 the group has entertained Bostonians and the world. Wang Center for the Performing Arts - 270 Tremont Street / Theater District / 617-482-9393 / $ for Concerts & Performances The interior was inspired by the Paris Opera House and is the city’s most ornate facility. Built in 1925, the center has changed names and uses, but is now the home of the Boston Ballet Company and hosts celebrity concerts and visiting productions of the Metropolitan Opera. Reserve Early...while your preferred accommodations are still available.