Must-see attractions in Boston

  • Museum of Science

    Boston

    The educational playground that is the Museum of Science has more than 600 interactive exhibits. Favorites include the world’s largest lightning-bolt…

  • Boy watching sea turtle in aquarium

    New England Aquarium

    Boston

    Teeming with sea creatures of all sizes, shapes and colors, this giant fishbowl is the centerpiece of downtown Boston's waterfront. There are countless…

  • Boston, MA - 9/11/20: A welcome arch of butterflies and flowers made of traditional Chinese lanterns, spans the entry of the Franklin Park zoo for Boston Lights; Shutterstock ID 1824698471; your: Claire Naylor; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: Boston POIs

    Franklin Park Zoo

    Boston

    Tucked into Franklin Park, the zoo features a half-dozen different habitats, as well as special exhibits devoted to birds and butterflies. The highlight…

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    Old North Church

    Boston

    Longfellow’s poem 'Paul Revere’s Ride' has immortalized this graceful church. It was here, on the night of April 18, 1775, that the sexton hung two…

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    Institute of Contemporary Art

    Boston

    Boston has become a focal point for contemporary art in the 21st century, with the Institute of Contemporary Art leading the way. The building is a work…

  • Old State House

    Boston

    Dating from 1713, the Old State House is Boston’s oldest surviving public building, where the Massachusetts Assembly used to debate the issues of the day…

  • Underground at Ink Block

    South End & Chinatown

    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,…

  • USA, Massachusetts, Boston

    Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

    Boston

    'Boston Harbor a teapot tonight!' To protest against unfair taxes, a gang of rebellious colonists dumped 342 chests of tea into the water. The 1773…

  • Faneuil Hall, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Faneuil Hall

    Boston

    ‘Those who cannot bear free speech had best go home,’ said Wendell Phillips. ‘Faneuil Hall is no place for slavish hearts.’ Indeed, this public meeting…

  • the famous Forest Hills Cemetery in Boston MA, United States

    Forest Hills Cemetery

    Boston

    Dating from 1848, Forest Hills is a gorgeous, green cemetery that is filled with art and whimsy. It is still an active burial ground, but it also plays…

  • Custom House Tower.

    Custom House

    Boston

    The lower portion of the Custom House, begun in 1837, resembles a Greek temple, but the federal government wanted something grander, so in 1913 it…

  • King's Chapel & Burying Ground

    Boston

    Puritan Bostonians were not pleased when the original Anglican church was erected on this site in 1688. The granite chapel standing today – built in 1754 …

  • New England Sports Museum

    Boston

    The New England Sports Museum is not the best place to witness Boston's deep-rooted devotion to sport (try Fenway Park for that), but fans will enjoy the…

  • Paul Revere House

    Boston

    When silversmith Paul Revere rode to warn patriots of the British march to Lexington and Concord, he set out from this home on North Sq. This small…

  • City Hall Plaza

    Boston

    City Hall Plaza is a cold, windy, 56-acre concrete plaza, surrounded by government office buildings. Occupying the site of the former Scollay Sq, the…

  • Old South Meeting House

    Boston

    ‘No tax on tea!’ That was the decision on December 16, 1773, when 5000 angry colonists gathered here to protest British taxes, leading to the Boston Tea…

  • Boston Massacre Site

    Boston

    Directly in front of the Old State House, encircled by cobblestones, a bronze plaque marks the spot where the first blood was shed for the American…

  • Old Corner Bookstore

    Boston

    In the 19th century, this historic house was leased to a bookseller, Carter & Hendlee. This was the first of nine bookstores and publishing companies that…

  • Copp’s Hill Burying Ground

    Boston

    The city’s second-oldest cemetery – dating from 1660 – is the final resting place for an estimated 10,000 souls. It is named for William Copp, who…

  • Boston Children's Museum

    Boston

    The interactive, educational exhibits at the delightful Boston Children’s Museum keep kids entertained for hours. Highlights include a bubble exhibit,…

  • Dorchester Heights

    Boston

    High above Boston Harbor, this strategic spot played a crucial role in overcoming the British occupation. The Georgian Revival tower that stands today was…

  • Old City Hall

    Boston

    This monumental French Second Empire building occupies a historic spot. Out front, a plaque commemorates the site of the country's first public school,…

  • Rose Kennedy Greenway

    Boston

    Where once there was a hulking overhead highway, now winds a 27-acre strip of landscaped gardens, fountain-lined greens and public art installations. The…

  • Chinatown Gate

    South End & Chinatown

    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…

  • Otis House

    Boston

    This stern, Federal brick building was the first of three houses designed by Charles Bulfinch for Mr Harrison Gray Otis at the end of the 18th century…

  • Steaming Kettle

    Boston

    The steaming kettle on Sears Crescent has been a Boston landmark since 1873, when it was hung over the door of the Oriental Tea Co at 57 Court St. The…

  • Blackstone Block

    Boston

    Named after Boston’s first settler, this tiny warren of streets dates to the 17th and 18th centuries. Established in 1826, Union Oyster House is Boston’s…

  • Ether Dome

    Boston

    On October 16, 1846, Thomas WG Morton administered ether to the patient Gilbert Abbott, while Dr John Collins Warren cut a tumor from his neck. It was the…

  • Commonwealth Museum

    Boston

    The Commonwealth Museum exhibits documents dating to the early days of colonization. The permanent exhibit uses interactive multimedia to trace the…

  • Fort Point Arts Community

    Boston

    This refurbished big-windowed warehouse is the hub of the Fort Point Arts Community, and contains a gallery featuring work from the talented collective…

  • SoWa Artists Guild

    South End & Chinatown

    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…

  • West End Museum

    Boston

    This gem of a neighborhood museum is dedicated to preserving the memory of the West End and educating the public about the ramifications of unchecked…

  • Dewey Sq Parks

    Boston

    With food vendors and farmers markets, this is a popular lunch spot for the working world. You know you're in the right place when you spot the giant…

  • Castle Island & Fort Independence

    Boston

    The 19th-century Fort Independence sits on 22 acres of parkland called Castle Island (a misnomer, as it’s connected to the mainland). A paved pathway…

  • Hood Milk Bottle

    Boston

    Towering 40ft over Fort Point Channel, the giant Hood Milk Bottle would hold 50,000 gallons of milk if it could hold a drop (that’s 800,000 glasses of…

  • Alpha Gallery

    South End & Chinatown

    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 …

  • All Saints Way

    Boston

    'Mock all and sundry things, but leave the saints alone.' So goes an old Italian saying that is now posted on the wall of a tiny alleyway off Battery St…

  • Cathedral of the Holy Cross

    South End & Chinatown

    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…