Museums in Boston

The Complete List (2024)

Boston museums are among the best in the world, and include William Hickling Prescott House, William Clapp House, and dozens more institutions.

Below, we've researched and compiled a list of museums in Boston, plus categories like:

And everything in-between. How many museums are there in Boston? As of 2024, our list includes 58 awesome museums.

Boston museum

Museum Categories

All Museums in Boston

William Hickling Prescott House

Historic Site

The William Hickling Prescott House, also known as the Headquarters House, is a historic house museum located on Beacon Hill. The collection on display includes furniture and decorative arts, Chinese export porcelain and English ceramics, portraits, a restored Tomkison square piano, costumes and more.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at William Hickling Prescott House.

  • Furniture and decorative arts
  • Chinese export porcelain
  • English ceramics
William Hickling Prescott House
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $8 per person
  • 📍 55 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108

William Clapp House

Historic Site

The William Clapp House is a historic house located in Dorchester, Massachusetts. It is the headquarters of the Dorchester Historical Society and contains many items from the society's collections.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at William Clapp House.

  • Brick Collection
  • Gleason Pewter
  • Dorchester Pottery Works
William Clapp House
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 195 Boston Street Dorchester, MA 02125

West End Museum

Specialty Museum

The West End Museum is a neighborhood museum dedicated to the collection, preservation, and interpretation of the history and culture of the West End of Boston. The history of the West End is one of a largely immigrant neighborhood displaced or destroyed by the 1958 and 1960 ‘Urban Renewal‘ campaigns.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at West End Museum.

  • The Last Tenement
  • The Middlesex Canal: Boston's First Big Dig
  • Leaving the River
West End Museum
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 150 Staniford St Entrance on Lomasney Way Open throughout construction next door, Boston, MA 02114

Metropolitan Waterworks Museum

Specialty Museum

The Waterworks Museum is housed at the original Chestnut Hill Reservoir and pumping station. The station was built in 1887. Today it is home to exhibitions and educational programs on engineering, architecture, social history, and public health regarding one of the country's first metropolitan water systems.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Metropolitan Waterworks Museum.

  • Great Engines Hall
  • Original coal-powered, steam-driven water pumps
  • Workers of Wachusett, 1896‑1906
Metropolitan Waterworks Museum
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 2450 Beacon St, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

Vilna Shul

Historic Site

The Vilna Shul, originally an Orthodox synagogue, was built in 1919 by immigrants primarily from Vilna, Lithuania. Today it is a historic landmark building located in historic Beacon Hill and home to a cultural center, community center, and living museum.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Vilna Shul.

  • The cultural center
Vilna Shul
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 18 Phillips St, Boston, MA 02114

USS Cassin Young

Historic Site

Built in 1943 in San Pedro, California, USS Cassin Young is one of 175 Fletcher-class destroyers built during World War II. She engaged in seven Pacific battles during World War II, survived two Kamikaze hits, and served another full decade beyond her expected lifetime.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at USS Cassin Young.

USS Cassin Young
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 198 3rd St, Boston, MA 02129

Art Museum

Trustman Art Gallery is the gallery space for the Simmons College students of Art and Music. The gallery exhibits the work of professional artists and has a yearly exhibition of student work from the Department of Art and Music.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Trustman Art Gallery at Simmons College.

  • The Painted Place: Mia Cross
  • 20 Years of the Art of Grace Lin
  • All Good Things: Greg Lamarche
Trustman Art Gallery at Simmons College
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 300 Fenway, Boston, MA 02115

Art Museum

The Towne Art Gallery is part of Wheelock College and is located underneath the Wheelock Family Theatre. The gallery has four professional exhibitions, and two student shows per school year. They show a variety of works, with an emphasis on New England Artists. The Gallery is not in operation for the summer months.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Towne Art Gallery.

  • Stuart Little at Wheelock Family Theatre
  • Ubuntu Today Art Exhibit
  • Disney’s Beauty & the Beast at Wheelock Family Theatre
Towne Art Gallery
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 180 The Riverway, Boston, MA 02215

The Sports Museum

Specialty Museum

The Sports Museum is located in Boston's TD Garden, the home of the Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics. The exhibits celebrate the history and the character of sports in the Boston area, including the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, Boston Marathon, New England Revolution, boxing, college sports, and others.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at The Sports Museum.

  • Sports memorabilia
  • Life-size sculptures of Bobby Orr, Larry Bird, Carl Yastrzemski and Ted Williams
The Sports Museum
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $15 per person
  • 📍 100 Legends Way, Boston, MA 02114

Art Museum

The Suffolk University Gallery is part of the Art & Design Department. It is the main exhibition space. The gallery is located on the sixth floor of the Sawyer Building. It hosts exhibits and programs that reflect the increasingly visual and image-driven world.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Suffolk University Gallery.

  • Ephemeral Artifacts: Remains of the Play
  • Breaking Clear – the 2019 Master of Arts in Graphic Design Thesis Exhibition
  • Inspired by Sublime
Suffolk University Gallery
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 73 Tremont Street Boston, MA 02108

Shirley–Eustis House

Historic Site

The Shirley–Eustis House was built between 1747 and 1751 on 33 acres in Roxbury by William Shirley, Royal Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. The orchards, gardens, and grounds are free and open to the public year-round, from dawn until dusk.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Shirley–Eustis House.

  • The Carriage House
  • Gardens and Orchards
  • Shirley Era Furnishings
Shirley–Eustis House
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $8 per person
  • 📍 33 Shirley St, Roxbury, MA 02119

Russell Museum of Medical History and Innovation

Specialty Museum

The Paul S. Russell, MD Museum of Medical History and Innovation presents the 200-year evolution of health care and medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. The museum's exhibits cover various topics including the evolution of health care, laboratory and clinical research, and patient and family support.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Russell Museum of Medical History and Innovation.

  • MGH Nurse's Charm 1937
  • Richardson, M. H., MD, Scalpel Set
  • Amputatiion Kit, Hayward, George, M.D.
Russell Museum of Medical History and Innovation
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 2 N Grove St, Boston, MA 02114

Roxbury Heritage State Park

Historic Site

Roxbury Heritage State Park is located in the oldest part of Roxbury. It is home to the Dillaway–Thomas House, a large colonial structure built in 1750 and possibly the oldest surviving house in Roxbury. The house is now a museum with exhibits of Roxbury's past and present history.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Roxbury Heritage State Park.

  • views of the Boston skyline
  • Dillaway–Thomas House
  • Roxbury's Museum
Roxbury Heritage State Park
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 183 Roxbury St, Boston, MA 02119

Pierce House

Historic Site

The Pierce House, built in 1900, is part of an old estate located in Lincoln just 30 minutes west of Boston. The site hosts year-round recreation events, weddings, corporate and social events, art shows, car shows, summer concerts, movies and more.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Pierce House.

  • Four Ionic pilasters
  • Charming interior moldings
  • 30 acres of pastoral rolling lawns, woodlands, and ponds
Pierce House
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 17 Weston Rd, Lincoln, MA 01773

Photographic Resource Center

Specialty Museum

The Photographic Resource Center hosts several contemporary photography exhibitions each year. They also offer educational programs, lectures, and portfolio reviews, as well as tours of the exhibitions for school and community groups.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Photographic Resource Center.

  • PRC Nights with Rachel Loischild
  • Your Work Here
  • Between Thinking and Dreaming
Photographic Resource Center
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 1801 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02140

Otis House Museum

Historic Site

Otis House is a historic house museum and National Historic Landmark. It is also the last surviving mansion in Bowdoin Square in Boston’s West End neighborhood. The house museum is one of the historic sites that display items from Historic New England’s collection which includes more than 123,000 objects and 1.5 million archival materials.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Otis House Museum.

  • brilliantly colored wallpapers
  • high-style furnishings
  • restored carpeting
Otis House Museum
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $10 per person
  • 📍 141 Cambridge St, Boston, MA 02114

Old State House

Historic Site

The Old State House, built in 1713, is one of the oldest public buildings in the United States. It was the seat of the Massachusetts General Court (the oldest court in the nation) until 1798. Today it is a history museum operated by the Bostonian Society.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Old State House.

  • From Colony to Commonwealth
  • Council Chamber
  • Boston Massacre Multimedia Presentaiton
Old State House
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $12 per person
  • 📍 206 Washington St, Boston, MA 02109

Old South Meeting House

Historic Site

The Old South Meeting House, built in 1729 and located in Downtown Boston, is a historic Congregational church building. It is well known as the organizing site for the 1773 Boston Tea Party. It is also a stop along the famous Freedom Trail.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Old South Meeting House.

  • Boston Tea Party Annual Reenactment
  • Voices of Protest Exhibit
  • Exhibit Scavenger Hunts
Old South Meeting House
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $6 per person
  • 📍 310 Washington St, Boston, MA 02108

Old North Church

Historic Site

Old North Church, located in the North End of Boston, is the site from which the famous "One if by land, two if by sea" lantern signal is said to have been sent. This is, of course, referring to Paul Revere's midnight ride on April 18, 1775. It is Boston’s oldest surviving church building and most visited historical site.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Old North Church.

  • Bell ringing chamber
  • 17th century wooden Baroque angels
  • 37 tombs constructed in the crypt
Old North Church
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $8 per person
  • 📍 193 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113

Nichols House Museum

Historic Site

The Nichols House Museum is a museum on Boston's Beacon Hill. The four-story townhouse in which it is located was built in 1804. Since 1961 it has been open to the public as a historic house museum offering a look inside the domestic life of a typical family of Beacon Hill at the turn of the last century. The collection includes fine European and American wooden furniture from the 17th-19th centuries, ancestral portraits, Flemish tapestries, oriental rugs, European and Asian art, and works by America's foremost sculptor of the 19th century, Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Nichols House Museum.

  • European and American wooden furniture from the 17th-19th centuries
  • Flemish tapestries
  • works by Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Nichols House Museum
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $10 per person
  • 📍 55 Mt Vernon St, Boston, MA 02108

Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists

Specialty Museum

The Museum of the National Center of Afro American Artists (NCAAA) is located in a historic house on Walnut Avenue in Boston. The museum's collection includes a wide range of historical and contemporary objects in many media, including painting, sculpture, graphics, photography and decorative arts.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists.

  • Aspelta: A Nubian King’s Burial Chamber”
  • Inmate Ingenuity: The Cell Solace Collection
  • Mardi Gras Indians: Paintings by Robert Freeman & Photograghs by Max Stern
Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $5 per person
  • 📍 300 Walnut Ave, Boston, MA 02119

Massachusetts Historical Society

Specialty Museum

The Massachusetts Historical Society is a major historical archive. The museum specializes in early American, Massachusetts, and New England history. Today their large collection includes Adams Family Papers (1639-1889), Jefferson's handwritten copy of the Declaration of Independence, approximately 12,000 biographies as well as newspapers, fine art works, and much more.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Massachusetts Historical Society.

  • Abigail Adams: Life & Legacy
  • Fire! Voices From the Boston Massacre
  • "Can She Do It?" Massachusetts Debates a Woman’s Right to Vote
Massachusetts Historical Society
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 1154 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02215

Massachusetts College of Art and Design Galleries

Cultural Center

Massachusetts College of Art and Design has many different galleries on their campus. The Arnheim Gallery is a public venue used to showcase interfaces of art, education, and research. The Brant Gallery hosts cross-cultural exhibition programs, lecture series, and visiting artists. The Patricia Doran Graduate Gallery presents graduate student and student-curated events. The Frances Euphemia Thompson Gallery features curated exhibitions honoring distinguished members from the MassArt community. The Godine Family Gallery is a student-run multi-use space for exhibitions, performances, installations, conferences, lectures, events, and gatherings that serve the MassArt and Boston community. And finally, The Student Life Gallery presents student exhibitions throughout the year.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Massachusetts College of Art and Design Galleries.

  • Nourish
  • Theresa-India Young
  • MassArt Thesis exhibition
Massachusetts College of Art and Design Galleries
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 621 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115

Art Museum

Mary L. Fifield Art Gallery is located at Bunker Hill Community College. In addition to fine art exhibitions by Boston-area artists, the Gallery hosts many special performances, poetry readings, film screenings, thought-provoking presentations, and other special event programs for their students and the local community.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Mary L. Fifield Art Gallery.

  • Maddu Huacuja - Open the Way
  • Wen-Ti Tsen - Hometown
  • John Munson: Morocco - Returning to the Motherland
Mary L. Fifield Art Gallery
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 250 New Rutherford Ave, Boston, MA 02129

Mary Baker Eddy Library

Library

The Mary Baker Eddy Library, located on the Christian Science Center, is a research library, museum, and repository for the papers of the founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy. Visiting the library is free with the exception of one room, the Mapparium, a three-story stained-glass globe that allows visitors to stand inside a globe depicting the world of 1934.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Mary Baker Eddy Library.

  • The Mapparium
  • Pathways to Progress: 1968 to Today
  • Celebrating 100 Years of Christian Scientists in Military Chaplaincy
Mary Baker Eddy Library
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0+ per person
  • 📍 200 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02115

Loring–Greenough House

Historic Site

The Loring–Greenough House, built in 1760, is the last surviving 18th-century residence in Sumner Hill, a historic section of Jamaica Plain.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Loring–Greenough House.

  • American furniture and decorative arts from the eighteenth through the early twentieth centuries
  • Calling card cases
  • Beaded bags and textiles (such as period clothing and accessories)
Loring–Greenough House
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 12 South St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Captain Lemuel Clap House

Historic Site

The Captain Lemuel Clap House, built in 1767, is a historic house located in Dorchester. Today it is owned by the Dorchester Historical Society and is open for tours on the 3rd Saturday of each month. The rooms of the Lemuel Clap House are filled with artifacts from the Society's collection.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Captain Lemuel Clap House.

  • Early 12 over 12 pane windows
  • Two brick chimneys
  • Boxed cornice and decorated frieze
Captain Lemuel Clap House
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 199 Boston Street Dorchester MA 02125

Specialty Museum

The Harbor Gallery at University of Massachusetts Boston is used for student events and meetings. The student exhibitions change every semester. The Gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 1 to 6 p.m. and is located on the first floor of McCormack Hall.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Harbor Gallery at University of Massachusetts Boston.

  • Poets
  • The Marble Collection
  • Absence and Presence
Harbor Gallery at University of Massachusetts Boston
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 University Drive North, Dorchester, MA 02125

Art Museum

Gallery 5 at Emmanuel College is the primary exhibition space for Emmanuel's College Art Department. They host rotating contemporary art exhibitions by professional artists, emerging artists, artist residents, outsider artists and Emmanuel College art students and alumni. They also hold opening receptions and artist talks to engage their local community.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Gallery 5 at Emmanuel College.

  • Theresa Monaco: Transforming Memory
  • Ceramic Commons: 3D Printed Ceramics Collaborative Exhibitions
  • Lizzie Falvey: It's So Beautiful, But It's Not Enough
Gallery 5 at Emmanuel College
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 400 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115

Art Museum

Gallery 360 is part of Northeastern University. It is a 1,000-square-foot space that displays works by students, faculty, and alumni, as well as emerging local, national, and international artists.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Gallery 360.

  • Knowledge is Power
  • MFA Thesis Exhibition
  • Personal to Political
Gallery 360
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, Massachusetts 02115

Faneuil Hall

Historic Site

Faneuil Hall opened in 1743. It is a marketplace and meeting hall located near the waterfront and today's Government Center in Boston. It was the site of several speeches by Samuel Adams, James Otis, and others encouraging independence from Great Britain. It is now part of Boston National Historical Park and a well-known stop on the Freedom Trail.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Faneuil Hall.

  • Quincy Market History Tours
  • Freedom Trail
  • Faneuil Hall Marketplace
Faneuil Hall
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 4 S Market St, Boston, MA 02109

Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate

Specialty Museum

The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate is a specialty museum and non-profit educational institution in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. They are, "dedicated to educating the public about the important role of the Senate in our government, encouraging participatory democracy, invigorating civil discourse, and inspiring the next generation of citizens and leaders to engage in the civic life of their communities."

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.

  • The Senate Chamber
  • Senator’s Office
  • What is the Senate?
Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $16 per person
  • 📍 210 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA 02125

Commonwealth Museum

History Museum

The Commonwealth Museum displays some of the Massachusetts Archives' collections of important documents about state and national history. The main exhibit, "The Massachusetts Experiment in Democracy: 1620–Today", traces the Massachusetts experience through the Colonial, Revolutionary, Federal, and 19th-century reform periods. The museum also features rotating exhibits from its collections.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Commonwealth Museum.

  • The Massachusetts Experiment in Democracy: 1620–Today
  • Tracing our Roots
Commonwealth Museum
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 220 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA 02125

Bunker Hill Monument

Historic Site

The Bunker Hill Monument was erected to commemorate the Battle of Bunker Hill, which was among the first major battles between British and Patriot forces in the American Revolutionary War, fought there June 17, 1775. The 221-foot tall obelisk monument built entirely from quarried granite took over seventeen years to complete.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Bunker Hill Monument.

  • Bunker Hill Monument
  • Bunker Hill Lodge
  • The Bunker Hill Museum
Bunker Hill Monument
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 Monument Sq, Charlestown, MA 02129

Boston University Art Galleries

Art Museum

Boston University Art Galleries are made up of three different spaces: the BU Art Gallery (BUAG) at the Stone Gallery, the 808 Gallery, and the Sherman Gallery. These three galleries display rotating exhibitions of visual artworks by students and by visiting artists.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Boston University Art Galleries.

  • Domenic Esposito: FDA Spoon
Boston University Art Galleries
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 855 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215

Boston City Hall Galleries

Art Museum

The Mayor's Gallery exhibits work by Boston artists who have received recognition for their artwork through grants, awards and other types of public display. The Scollay Square Gallery showcases the many arts organizations and artists community groups that support Boston artists throughout the City.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Boston City Hall Galleries.

  • The Heart Gallery
  • National Arts Program Awards and Exhibition
  • The Mayor's Poetry Program
Boston City Hall Galleries
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 1 City Hall Square #500, Boston, MA 02201

Boston Athenæum

Library

Founded in 1807, the Boston Athenæum is one of the oldest and most distinguished independent libraries and cultural institutions in the US. Resources of the Boston Athenæum include a rare book collection of over 100,000 volumes, an art collection of 100,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs, and decorative arts and much more.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Boston Athenæum.

  • Liber chronicarum, (Nuremberg Chronicle) is a celebrated book from the early years of printing, 1440-1514, mainly because of its 1,089 glorious images.
  • Testament and Psalter, 1653, is a devotional volume with a spectacular binding and a rare 17th century fore-edge painting.
  • Julie Chen's book The Veil lies flat or can be displayed as a standing sculpture when its pages are manipulated.
Boston Athenæum
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $10 per person
  • 📍 10 ½ Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108

The Boston African American National Historic Site

Historic Site

The Boston African American National Historic Site is comprised of the largest area of pre-Civil War black owned structures in the United States. It has roughly two dozen sites on the north face of Beacon Hill. These historic buildings were homes, businesses, schools, and churches. The sites are linked by the one-point-six mile Black Heritage Trail.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at The Boston African American National Historic Site.

  • African Meeting House
  • Charles Street Meeting House
  • Lewis and Harriet Hayden House
The Boston African American National Historic Site
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 14 Beacon St., Suite 503 Boston , MA

Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company Museum

Specialty Museum

The Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company Museum is located on the fourth floor of Faneuil Hall which is on a central part of the historic Freedom Trail. The museum is a private, non-profit, institution that focuses on military and historic artifacts from the birth of the US to the present day. On display are uniforms, firearms, swords, artifacts, memorabilia and more.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company Museum.

  • Uniforms
  • Firearms
Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company Museum
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 4 Faneuil Hall, Boston, MA 02109

Museum of African American History

History Museum

The Museum of African American History is New England’s largest museum dedicated to preserving, conserving and interpreting the contributions of African Americans. In Boston and Nantucket, the Museum has preserved two historic sites and two Black Heritage Trails that tell the story of organized black communities from the Colonial Period through the 19th century.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Museum of African American History.

  • African Meeting House
  • Abiel Smith School
  • Black Heritage Trail
Museum of African American History
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $10 per person
  • 📍 46 Joy St, Boston, MA 02114

Abiel Smith School

Historic Site

Abiel Smith School, founded in 1835, is located adjacent to the African Meeting House. It is the nation's oldest public school for African American children. The former school, designated as a National Historic Landmark, is a site on the Boston Black Heritage Trail and is now part of the Museum of African American History.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Abiel Smith School.

  • Exhibit galleries
  • Museum store
  • Educational programs
Abiel Smith School
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $10 per person
  • 📍 46 Joy St, Boston, MA 02114

Gibson House Museum

Historic Site

The Gibson House Museum is located in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston. Completed in 1860, it is a time capsule of domestic life from the mid-nineteenth to early-twentieth centuries. The ornate townhouse has on display black-walnut woodwork, elegant wallpapers, imported carpets, and an abundance of furniture, paintings, sculpture, photographs, silver, porcelain, curios, and much more.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Gibson House Museum.

  • black-walnut woodwork
  • elegant wallpapers
  • imported carpets
Gibson House Museum
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $10 per person
  • 📍 137 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02116

Fort Warren

Historic Site

Fort Warren is a historic fort on the 28-acre Georges Island at the entrance to Boston Harbor. It was constructed between 1833-1860 and was initially built as part of a broader network of coastal defense. The fort is named for Revolutionary War hero Dr. Joseph Warren, who sent Paul Revere on his famous ride, and was later killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Ferry ticket fares include round trip ferry passage to the park, plus any transfers to other islands.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Fort Warren .

  • Fort’s Bakery
  • Parade Ground
  • Dark Tunnel
Fort Warren
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $20 per person
  • 📍 Boston Harbor Islands

BSA Space

Specialty Museum

Boston Society of Architects (BSA) Space is Boston's only center dedicated to the exploration of architecture and design. The space hosts exhibitions on design and architecture, architecture cruises and walking tours, and other programs and events that foster exchange between design and construction.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at BSA Space.

  • Canstruction
  • New Visions of Designed Environments
  • IGBoston Snapshot
BSA Space
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 290 Congress St #200, Boston, MA 02210

Boston Fire Museum

Specialty Museum

The historic fire station that now houses the Boston Fire Museum was constructed in 1891. The museum's collection includes fire alarm displays and artifacts, firefighting equipment, antique fire apparatus, and photographs. The museum offers a self-guided streamable audio tour on Soundcloud to guide your visit.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Boston Fire Museum.

  • Mounted Circuit Board, c. 1920
  • Gamewell Fire Box, c. 1900
  • Box Transmitter, c. 1960
Boston Fire Museum
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 344 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210

James Blake House

Historic Site

The James Blake House is the oldest house in Boston. The house is one of only a few examples of West England country framing in the United States. The James Blake House is a two-story, central chimney, gable-roof dwelling of timber-frame construction. Today the Blake House is a museum of early American Home construction and is studied by students of architectural history.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at James Blake House.

  • Edward A. Huebner Brick Collection
  • American Home Construction
  • Walking Tour
James Blake House
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 735 Columbia Rd, Boston, MA 02125

Boston Public Library

Library

Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library was the first large free municipal library in the United States. The museum offers free public daily tours highlighting the architecture of Central Library buildings by Charles Follen McKim and Philip Johnson as well as the art treasures within, including works by Daniel Chester French and John Singer Sargent.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Boston Public Library.

  • Map Room Tea Lounge
  • Architecture Walking Tour
  • Abbey Room
Boston Public Library
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 700 Boylston Street Boston MA 02116

Boston National Historical Park

Historic Site

Boston National Historical Park is a unique collaboration of federally, municipally, and privately owned and operated historic sites associated with the colonial struggle for independence and the birth and growth of the nation. This 43-acre historic park encompasses portions of Downtown Boston, Charlestown, and South Boston.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Boston National Historical Park.

  • Freedom Trail
  • Black Heritage Trail
  • The Bunker Hill Monument
Boston National Historical Park
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $0 per person
  • 📍 Building 5, Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, MA 02109

Harvard Art Museums

Art Museum

The Harvard Art Museums are part of Harvard University and are made up of three museums: the Fogg Museum, the Busch-Reisinger Museum, and the Arthur M. Sackler Museum. The collections include 250,000 objects in all media, ranging from antiquity to the present and originating in Europe, North America, North Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Harvard Art Museums.

  • Hendrick Goltzius. Dirck Volkertsz. Coornhert Prints
  • The Moon God Mên Sculpture
  • Henri Matisse. The Large Woodcut Nude Prints
Harvard Art Museums
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $20 per person
  • 📍 32 Quincy St, Cambridge, MA 02138

Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum

History Museum

The Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum is a floating history museum. They have historical interpreters, interactive exhibits, full-scale restored 18th Century sailing vessels, historic artifacts, and the award-winning multi-sensory documentary “Let It Begin Here.”

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum.

  • multi-sensory documentary “Let It Begin Here"
  • Abigail's Tea Room
  • 3D Reenactment
Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $30 per person
  • 📍 306 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210

Museum of Science

Science Museum

The Museum of Science is both a science museum and an indoor zoo located in Boston's Science Park, an area spanning the Charles River. With 700+ interactive exhibits, the Museum of Science is one of the world's largest science centers and Boston's most visited cultural institution.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Museum of Science .

  • Bradford Washburn: The Man Behind the Lens
  • Butterfly Garden
  • Colossal Fossil: Triceratops Cliff
Museum of Science
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $29+ per person
  • 📍 1 Museum Of Science Driveway, Boston, MA 02114

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Art Museum

The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is the fifth largest museum in the United States. It is home to more than 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

  • Art of the Americas
  • Art of Europe
  • Art of Asia
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $25 per person
  • 📍 465 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

Specialty Museum

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is dedicated to preserving and providing access to the legacy of the 35th President of the United States. The Museum's exhibitions include high definition, large-screen projections, interactive displays, re-mastered films and original artifacts from the life and times of JFK to bring to life President Kennedy’s 1000 days in office.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

  • Young Jack
  • 1960 Presidential Election
  • JFK Meets the Press
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $14 per person
  • 📍 Columbia Point, Boston, MA 02125

Boston Children's Museum

Children's Museum

Boston Children's Museum is located on Children's Wharf along the Fort Point Channel. It is the second oldest children's museum in the United States. The exhibits focus on science, culture, environmental awareness, health & fitness, and the arts. The museum has more than 50,000 items in their collection.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Boston Children's Museum.

  • Art Lab
  • Construction Zone
  • Japanese House Gallery
Boston Children's Museum
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $18 per person
  • 📍 308 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210

African Meeting House

Historic Site

The African Meeting House was built in 1806 to house the first African Baptist Church of Boston. It is the oldest black church building that still exists in America. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974. Today it is part of the Museum of African American History.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at African Meeting House.

  • Black Heritage Trail
  • Museum of African American History
African Meeting House
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $10 per person
  • 📍 15 State Street Boston African American National Historical Site Boston, MA 02109

Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston

Art Museum

The Institute of Contemporary Art was founded in 1936 as a sister institution to New York’s MoMA. For more than 75 years, the ICA has presented contemporary art in all media including visual arts, performance, film, video, and literature. ICA introduced U.S. audiences to artists Georges Braque, Oskar Kokoschka, and Edvard Munch.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston.

  • Vivian Suter
  • James and Audrey Foster Prize
  • Nina Chanel Abney
Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $15 per person
  • 📍 25 Harbor Shore Dr, Boston, MA 02210

USS Constitution

Historic Site

The USS Constitution Museum is located in the Charlestown Navy Yard, which is part of the Boston National Historical Park. The museum is situated at the end of Boston's Freedom Trail it offers two historic ships, interactive exhibits, and hands-on programs for adults, families, and students of all ages.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at USS Constitution.

  • Commander William Bainbridge Collection
  • Arms and Armament Collection
  • Medicine Collection
USS Constitution
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $10+ per person
  • 📍 Building 22, Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown, MA 02129

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Art Museum

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is an art museum in Boston with a significant collection of European, Asian, and American art. It includes paintings, sculptures, tapestries, and decorative arts.

Highlights

Here are some of the "must see" items at Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

  • Andrea Bregno: Cardinal Raffaele Sansoni Riario
  • Raphael: Lamentation Over The Dead Christ
  • Simone Martini: Virgin and Child With Saints
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
  • 🌐 Website
  • 🎟️ $15 per person
  • 📍 25 Evans Way, Boston, MA 02115

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