At the Mark Twain House & Museum, daily tours take you through the richly decorated rooms of this lovingly restored Victorian home, which Clemens said was the site of the happiest years of his life. Todays art scene is the focus of YJ Contemporary, and the Warwick Center for the Arts features the work of local artists. The building played a truly renowned role during the Revolution as the spot where lanterns were hung -- "one if by land, two if by sea" -- to warn about the approach of British troops. On this site, Amy aims to share her love of New England and help you to have the best possible adventures! She was a suffragist and gardener in the city. Specialized or quirky subjects museums of Russian icons or American urban trolleys can be found around any corner. The Mount is a historic site and a center for culture inspired by the achievements of Edith Wharton. Special excursions include the Easter Bunny Express, the Pumpkin Patch train, the Chocolate Decadence Tours and, for the holidays, the daytime Santa Express and evening Northern Lights Limited. The 8 Best Museums in Massachusetts - Visit The Berkshires All aboard this restored 1896 trolley car in Shelburne Falls. The house is part of the Minute Man National Historic Park. For special offers and great New England travel tips subscribe today. The tour begins at the Old State House, brochures are available at the National Park Service Visitor's Center on State Street. Boston, MA, 02129 Step onto the 220-plus-year-old wooden ship, and youll learn about life in the Navy from active-duty sailors. Built in 1752, the house has a gambrel roof, wide floor planks. The Kitchen Garden demonstrates the early colonial style and variety of plants and 19th-century Shaker vegetable gardening. Phone: 508-744-8815, Eden Hill You can find it in the halls of Bostons inspiring museums. Diller Scofidio + Renfro designed the contemporary building to mirror the industrial cranes that load container ships nearby. Exhibitions and programs trace the interrelationships between the Wampanoag and early colonial settlers. Visitors ride to music on a 1928 Wurlitzer organ. Gaze at the gardens of Monet, hobnob with dinosaurs, admire a Venetian courtyard: Bostons museums are waiting for you! The first home of one of America's most famous women and the founder of the American Red Cross. Visit This Incredible Massachusetts Pirate Museum - Only In Your State Phone: 617-242-5641, Walk starts at Old State House, 206 Washington Street An herb garden and the equipment from the old Chatham Light are on the grounds. Waltham, MA, 02452 Plymouth, MA, 02360 Lowells New England Quilt Museum is the only quilt museum in the Northeast, exhibiting both antique and contemporary quilts. Phone: 978-356-4351, Forest River Park, Shore Avenue Admission includes a 30-minute self-guided tour of the Museum and access to the exterior grounds and gardens. Boston, MA, 02113 In fact, with over 50,000 items, it's one of the biggest children's museums in the world.. Home of one of the oldest collections of Americana in the country, the Concord Museum provides visitors with a glimpse into the Indigenous, revolutionary, abolitionist and literary history of the area. Originally called the North Burial Ground, pre-revolutionary graves can be found here, including those of Cotton Mather and Edward Hart, builder of the USS Constitution. Amy Hartle is the owner and editor of New England With Love, a comprehensive resource for travel in the New England region. Plymouth, MA, 02360, 22 Stoney Hill Road at Route 6 Naticks International Museum of World War II was founded and is operated by Kenneth Rendell, an appraiser and dealer of historical documents. The collection ranges from mahogany case furniture with block-and-shell motifs, graceful tea tables with distinctive Newport ball-and-claw feet, to textiles, silver, and ceramics representative of the era. Phone: 617-894-2798, 205 Nantasket Avenue Property of Historic New England. Website: Museum of Science. Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre. Warwick, RI, 02886 This Victorian town hall is the setting for one of the most recognized paintings in America: The Spirit of '76. The Warwick Historical Society offers several public open house exhibits and tours where you can step inside the villages oldest house or ring the bell at the Old School Baptist Meeting House. Hudson, MA, 01749 Phone: 617-727-3676, 11 Strawberry Lane (off Route 6A) Phone: 508-487-3397, 68 Baker Bridge Road Deerfield, MA, 01342 North Oxford, MA owner and editor of New England With Love. Phone: 978-369-9763, Revere lantern, Thoreaus writing desk among museums extensive Americana collection, 351 Farmington Avenue This wind-powered mill was built in 1746 and has been working ever since. TM 1996-2023 Mystic Media, Inc. & Visit New England . The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile walking trail through Boston that connects 16 of the country's most important historical sites linked to the American Revolution. Items on display range from ancient Roman to Renaissance-era relics, not to mention a huge pipe organ that took a decade to build. 80 Hesperus Ave., Gloucester, hammondcastle.org. Park properties include the Visitor Center, 246 Market Street; the Mill Girls and Immigrants Exhibit, 40 French Street; the Boott Cotton Mills Museum, 115 John Street (admission is charged); the Moody Street Feeder Gatehouse, Merrimack and Dutton streets; and the Norther Canal Walkway, adjacent to 175 Aiken St. and/or Mammoth Road/School Street Bridge. A Travelers Guide to Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica, Seven Spectacular Destinations for New England Glamping, The Spellman Museum of Stamps & Postal History is the definition of hidden gem, even for those of us who arent stamp collectors or snail mail enthusiasts. From spring through fall, Tanglewood hosts a large variety of live music performances covering the spectrum of classic, rock, jazz, and more, along with performers in the comedy and storytelling. Phone: 617-876-0200, 396 County Street Its worth taking a stroll through Larz Anderson Park after visiting, as there are impressive views of the skyline from its hilltop. TM 1996-2023 Mystic Media, Inc. & Visit New England . The scale of the museums mid-century building is apparent from other parts of the city, and it becomes even clearer when you arrive at the lobby. On the Fall River waterfront, this carousel was built in the 1920s and placed in Lincoln Park. Recognized as one of the most significant buildings in America, Trinity Church took shape on marshland in Boston's Back Bay in the 1870s. This schooner was built in 1894, and was used as a vessel for immigrants and exploration of the arctic. Sturbridge, MA, 01566 1. Concord, MA Harwich Center, MA, 02645 Plymouth, MA, 02360 The largest of its kind in the United States. Guided tours cover the Winslow house and herb garden. A welcoming gathering place for artists, artisans and performers and those who appreciate their work, the Warwick Center for the Arts showcases a rotating art exhibit in its main gallery that features the work of emerging and established artists. Newly renovated and redesigned, its 16 galleries are rich with artwork and artifacts, including one of the Old North Church lanterns that led Paul Revere on his midnight ride, Henry David Thoreaus writing desk on which he wrote Walden, an extensive collection of 18th and 19th century New England schoolgirl needlework and an historic clothing collection. Don't worry -- they're gentle creatures who enjoy greeting visitors. Exciting adventures await in the Northeast Kingdom, home to breathtaking scenery and a hub for outdoor recreation, arts and culture and a growing foodie scene. Charlestown, MA, 02129 One marvelous permanent feature is sculptor Patrick Doughertys magnificent stickwork sculpture on the mansions front lawn. 7 Bona Fide Amazing Museums in Salem MA for Adults Learn the stories of the 14 women and six men who were found guilty of, and executed for, witchcraft as a result of the 1692 witch trials when you visit the Salem Witch Museum. "Look sharp, all of you! In a small central Massachusetts town lies one of the largest private collections of Russian icons outside of Russia. An annual celebration called Windmill Weekend takes place here the weekend after Labor Day. You can nab a world-class education visiting these fine institutions. The village, on three acres, contains various structures: dugouts, wigwams, thatched roof cottages, and the Governor's Faire House. Because the museum is so small, you can often also get a tour directly from someone who works there. Though its fairly small, the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline packs a punchits home to Americas oldest car collection. The. Most of the exhibits favor immersive, hands-on learningdont be surprised when you walk into a bubble room or an "Explore-a-Saurus" area that features a life-size animatronic Dilophosaurus dinosaur. THE 10 BEST Museums in Massachusetts - Tripadvisor Coles Hill, the first cemetery used by the Mayflower Pilgrims, features a statue of the Wampanoag sachem Massasoit and a sarcophagus with the remains of settlers who didnt survive the winter of 1620. Also, please enjoy the museums, This search result is here to prevent scraping, This is the Most Expensive Condo Ever Sold on the North Shore, Pinky's Bar Opens on Boston's Newbury Street, On the Market: A New Build in Wellfleet with a Killer Roof Deck, Where to Eat Spectacular Seafood around Boston in Summer 2023, A New England Traveler's Guide to Watch Hill, Rhode Island, New England Glamping: The Seven Most Spectacular Destinations, The Interview: 'Quin House Cofounder Sandy Edgerley, Careers and Internships at Boston Magazine. COVID Guidelines in Place. The Highland House Museum is located in the former Highland House, a hotel built on the Highlands in 1907. William Emerson. Boyhood home of one of America's foremost 19th-century poets, the William Cullen Bryant Homestead is a National Historic Landmark. The USS Constitution, the worlds oldest-commissioned warship still afloat, is berthed on a dock at Charlestowns Navy Yard, where its part of the Freedom Trail and open to the public with free admission. Also not to be missed: the newly acquired Love is Calling, the largest of Yayoi Kusamas kaleidoscopic Mirror Rooms in a North American museums collection. Trains run from late April through November. If you want to learn more about Salem's cultural and economic history, head to the Salem Museum. His grandson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, drafted his essay "Nature" while living here. Lancaster, MA, 01523 Today, expert tour guides share the story of the Shakers 200-year history on this site and their beliefs in simple living, gender equality, pacifism, and work as worship. It includes 12 houses dating to the 18th and 19th centuries and three exhibition galleries at the Flynt Center of Early New England Life. Hours: Grounds open year-round; house, stable, and bookstore open daily from early May to October 31. Truly a literary historic site, Herman Melville wrote. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Phone: 617-523-2338, 50 Massachusetts Avenue Where to Stay in Boston: The Best Hotels for Your Visit, 13 Incredible Antique Stores in Massachusetts: Antiquing MA, The Ultimate Guide to St Patricks Day in Boston, Spring in Boston: 12 Best Things to Do for Spring Fun, 10 Best Photo Spots in Boston, Massachusetts. The Kennedys, while they were super important to the United States history, also had a considerable hold in the Boston area. Phone: 508-992-3295, 105 Alden Street, Phone: 7818625598, 11 Orange Street Tours are available seasonally. Chatham, MA Designed by Henry Hobson Richardson and Frederick Law Olmsted, Stonehurst is the only museum devoted to these two pioneering figures in American architectural and landscape history. Visitors can enjoy a short ride up and down the tracks, then try their hand at maneuvering an antique pump car. Its not surprising that the City of Presidents is a prime destination for those interested in John and John Quincy Adams, whose homestead is one of three historic houses (and the first presidential library) you can tour at the Adams National Historical Park. Worcester, MI The USS Constitution Museum serves as the memory and educational voice of USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides," the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat. The museums 16 newly renovated galleries include artwork and items celebrating the towns Indigenous, abolitionist and literary history as well as various artifacts from the Revolutionary War, including muskets, swords and powder horns. The museums claims to fame are so varied, in fact, you could spend weeks documenting its exceptionality. Warwick, RI, 02886 All rights reserved. Phone: 617-471-1700, City of Presidents takes command of the nations history, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, off Route 20 At the Railroad Museum of New England, they dont want to just tell you about the regions rich railroading history they want to show you, too. Artifacts and artwork that tell the story of the importance of the Connecticut River and the river valley are just part of what makes the Connecticut River Museum well worth a visit. Theres no better way for kids to learn than by playing! Washington, youll have time to explore the Sherman Adams Visitor Center and rooftop observation deck as well as an interactive weather exhibit, Extreme Mount Washington. Adjacent to the center is the Tip Top House, an original summit hotel dating back to 1853 and now a museum. Best Museums in Western Massachusetts, MA - Skinner Museum, Smith College Museum of Art, Clark Art Institute, MASS MoCA, Berkshire Museum, Springfield Museums, Beneski Museum of Natural History, Great Falls Discovery Center, Emily Dickinson Museum, Mead Art Museum Open year-round, the museum shows you how the railroad, celebrating its 152nd season, was built, with examples of technology from past eras, including steam engines. The African Meeting House on Beacon Hill was built in 1806 in what was the heart of Boston's 19th century African American community. This location was built in 1830 and is supposed to have been described in Herman Melville's Moby Dick. Exhibitions and buildings in Old Sturbridge Village are designed to help visitors visualize what life was like in the 1830s in a typical rural New England town. Stacker compiled a list of the museums in Massachusetts on Tripadvisor. They stored their extensive collection of American and European vintage vehicles there, from early carriages to motor cars, for years, and often opened the doors of the carriage house on Sunday afternoons for the public to enjoy. Located in a former factory in East Boston, its reached by a free shuttle included in the price of admission. His museum is meant to give people a sense of direct contact with the World War II generation, he. The Jackson Homestead, a 1809 Federal-style farmhouse, is a nationally accredited museum and home to Newton's Historical Society. Hull, MA Canterbury, NH, 03224 Newport, RI, 02840 Phone: 508-255-1798, Depot Road The housse contains a family collection that spans five generations and blossomed during Salem's Great Age of Sail. History buffs will also want to see the Quincy History Museum, built on the site where John Hancock was born; the rock cairn marking where Abigail Adams watched the Battle of Bunker Hill; and cemeteries dating back to the 1600s. Cond Nast Traveler may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Other 17th-century houses on the waterfront site include the Hooper-Hathaway House and the Retire Beckett House. Phone: 617-566-7937, 15 Johnny Cake Hill Phone: 413-298-3579, 5 Prospect Hill Road When you travel up majestic Mt. Founded as the first Anglican Church in America in 1754, this became the site of the country's first Unitarian church soon after the Revolution. Next door, the Abiel Smith School was the nations oldest public school for African American children and eventually a headquarters for black Civil War veterans. storytelling. You could say that The House of the Seven Gables, on the waterfront in Salem, has a storied history. The Nichols House Museum is another of the more unique Boston museums. Salem, MA, 01970 Today the house portrays both high-style living in the Federal era and the cycles of change in a dynamic urban neighborhood. Opening its doors in 1824, the museum is the nations oldest continuously operating public museum, with a vast collection of Pilgrim possessions, including Myles Standishs sword, William Bradfords Bible and Peregrine Whites cradle. Boston Children's Museum. Truro, MA, 02666 You can even see some fashion from history! 415 South St., Waltham, brandeis.edu/rose. Phone: 508-228-2896, 1 Park Street After your visit, a quick stop to our Best of Boston stationery winner may be in order. Inside, find exhibits that unfold the history of papermaking through a collection of Crane watermarks and papers. Highlights to hit would be the glass flowers (probably the most interesting thing in the museums collection), the dinosaur hall (dont miss the worlds only mounted Kronosaurus and one of the first Triceratops skulls ever discovered), the gem gallery (check out the 1,600-pound Brazilian amethyst geode), and the great mammal hall (look up to see the five whale skeletons suspended from the ceiling). Toll-Free: 800-733-1830, More than 40 historical buildings help bring the past alive at this 1830s rural village, 137 Warren Avenue Here are the best children's museums in Massachusetts, USA, for you to bring your family to. Phone: 617-547-7105, 24 Fifth Street at the Charlestown Navy Yard The oldest building in downtown Boston, built in 1680, was also home to Paul Revere; whose patriotic ride is one of the most famous events of the Revolutionary War. Just a short walk from the Museum of Fine Arts is the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum! Nantucket, MA, 02554 The Complete List (2023) Boston museums are among the best in the world, and include William Hickling Prescott House, William Clapp House, and dozens more institutions. Phone: 617-742-3190, 280 Main Street The gardens are well-planned and historically interesting. Phone: 508-627-8687, 1 South Market Street As you can see, there are so many great educational places to visit in the city with so many great museums in Boston. America's oldest university and one of the world's most revered learning institutions, Harvard has given degrees to some of the nation's most important historical figures. Maritime and Native American artifacts are featured, as are displays of antique glass, photographs, toys, and clothing. Falmouth, MA Phone: 978-462-2634, 7 Fair Street 5. In addition to early modern interiors that presage those of Frank Lloyd Wright, visitors can enjoy the Olmsted-designed grounds and woodland trails. Its entirely focused on showcasing information about the history of Bostons own West End, and it also happens to be located in the same neighborhood that it is focused on. No matter your interests, youll be able to find museums in Boston on this list for you to visit during your next trip to Boston. It was author Longfellow's home in 1837-38. Now you can visit that house and other homes on the property, including the 1682 Hooper-Hathaway House, the 1655 Retire Beckett House, Hawthornes birthplace, and the Kids Cove in the Counting House, with its hands-on activities for kids to learn about maritime history. 1. Phone: 508-349-6877, 34 Chestnut Street Phone: 617-523-6676, 206 Clarendon Street 15 Newton St., Brookline, larzanderson.org. Where to Eat, Stay, and Play in the Adirondacksthe Birthplace of the American Vacation, Where to Watch the 4th of July Fireworks in Boston 2023, 10 Nicest Hotels in NYC With Rooms Under $300, The Best Things to Do on Nantucket This Summer, From Reopened Restaurants to Art Design Festivals, Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston (ICA Boston), Museum of African American History (MAAH), John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Boston, MA, 02116, 347 Stage Harbor Road There are no public restrooms or telephones on the site. restrictions, which you can review below. The Best Museums in Massachusetts - TripSavvy Sites include: House of the Seven Gables, the Peabody Essex Museum, Ropes Mansion (1727), the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, the Salem Witch Museum, Stephen Phillips Memorial Trust House, Witch Dungeon Museum, the Witch House. The 30 best museums in Massachusetts, according to visitors Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum, People from these metros are finding new jobs in Boston, Hampshire County, MA monthly real estate update, Highest-paying construction jobs in Springfield, Massachusetts, Extreme heat days are on the rise across the US: Where Boston, Massachusetts stands, People from these metros are looking to buy homes in Springfield, Massachusetts, Zip codes donating the most money to Donald Trump in Massachusetts, Highest-rated Asian restaurants in Boston, according to Tripadvisor, Counties where the most people work from home in Massachusetts, 100 best films of the 21st century, according to critics, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=chooser-v1. In many towns and cities, museums are jewels of the public, and often rank highly for tourist visits. Built in 1809, this church features a trompe l'oeil interior. (Be sure to book it ahead.) A reproduction of the original Mayflower, the ship in which the Pilgrims journeyed to America. Visit Bostons oldest public building, the seat of Royal authority, where the American Revolution was fomented by Sam Adams, James Otis, John Adams, and John Hancock. Step inside the former lifesaving station to learn about the history of shipwrecks, rescues, infamous Noreasters, and more. The Top 12 Museums To Visit in Boston - Culture Trip The Harvard Museum of Natural History opened in 1995 and is located in Cambridge. A comprehensive collection of all things World War II-related is just a quick drive down the Mass Pike. Nature walks, family events, and lectures are presented year-round. Phone: 508-432-8089, 193 Salem Street Stacker distribution partners receive a license to all Stacker stories, Plymouth Rock commemorates the site where the Pilgrims first came ashore in 1620. Throughout this Boston museum, you can find tons of interactive exhibits all about science covering every topic, from dinosaurs to the weather. While its technically located in Watertown, it is in the greater Boston area, so it deserves a spot on this list. Museums To Visit In Salem, MA | PEM, Salem Witch Museum & More From museums that are solely based on science to unique, quirky ones that are focused on plumbing, Boston has it all. Located in downtown Boston, The Paul Revere House is an absolute must-visit, making it one of the best museums in Boston. The real thing. Wellfleet, MA, 02667 #30. This 1768 Colonial Georgian mansion was built for a wealthy merchant and ship owner, and it exists now exactly as it did then. The houses collections include Chinese porcelain and other Asian artifacts, American furniture, and American and European decorative arts. See all of Salem's museums and attractions when you visit. A short stroll from there, through Brewster Gardens, brings you to Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II, a full-scale reproduction of the original tall ship. Lively and informative costumed characters travel the Trail during the summer. Once housed separately, the museums now peacefully coexist in the Fogg Museum building, which made its expanded and modernized debut in 2014, redesigned by Renzo Piano. 49 Early Prime Day Travel Deals to Shop Today. If you're a scraper, please click the link below :-) His Dalton mill along the Housatonic River eventually picked up a pretty good gig: making paper for printing U.S. currency. Phone: 978-356-2811, 1 High Pole Hill Road This historic house was the home of a judge who presided over the witchcraft trials. It is situated on 122 acres in the idyllic hamlet of Glendale near Stockbridge. Phone: 617-720-0753, 310 Washington Street The museums 7,000 objects, 500,000 documentsincluding letters, diaries, pamphlets, magazines, and photographs3,500 posters, and 7,500 books make for an astounding collection. Tour the house with Mitchell House staff and learn about the life of Maria Mitchell, her remarkable family, and Quaker Nantucket in the 19th century. Concord, MA, 01742 The museum displays artifacts and information about early European settlers and the Native Americans that preceded them. Art Galleries History Museums Specialty Museums Art Museums Back Bay South End Downtown Fenway / Kenmore Show all Good for a Rainy Day Budget-friendly This beautiful Boston museum has art from all over the world and a peaceful garden that you can sit in. It is set atop the mile-long rolling lawn with a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean. The ultimate guide to museums in Massachusetts - Boston.com The castle-like building the museum is housed in was formerly the carriage house of Larz and Isabel Andersons sprawling estate. Bretton Woods, NH, 03589 First, it doesn't sugar coat the Salem Witch Trials. Collections include paintings, costumes, photographs, manuscripts, maps, and historical artifacts. Tristram Coffin and his family lived in three rooms, and their few possessions and furnishings are on display here. Boston, MA, 02114 The house and formal gardens chronicle 150 years of economic, social and domestic life in New Bedford. It's also a two birds one stone situation as admission here also grants access to the adjacent Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology. Phone: 413-734-8551, 244 Central Street Phone: 508-746-2590, 290 Argilla Road This 1844 building was the site of a school that offered early courses in navigation. This outdoor, oceanside monument, erected in the popular Kennedy retreat on Cape Cod, memorializes the fallen President. Nantucket, MA, 02554 Phone: 508-746-1622, Collection of museum sites shines a new light on cultures, events that shaped the nation, 61 Market Street, Unit 1C Location: 1 Science Park Boston, MA 02114 Located in the Old Town Hall (the oldest surviving municipal building in Salem), the museum showcases artifacts and large, magazine-style banners that detail a history of Salem. Today it contains significant collection of antique furniture, hooked rugs, ceramics, and pewter. Phone: 508-747-0100 Toll-Free: 800-922-8825, This exciting railway ride up Mt. Boston, MA, 02113 The church is now a community performing arts center and has many special events scheduled throughout the year. The grounds included an apple orchard. The two houses share three acres of the family property. See the first-class deck plan of the Titanic and a brochure from a cruise down the Amazon. Includes a wildflower sanctuary. Phone: 617-338-1773 Youll also find muskets, intricately carved powder horns and swords from the Revolutionary War, images that mark the towns history and an archaeology collection dating back 12,000 years.