Latest news with #PaulRevere
Time Out
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
These are the best museums in Massachusetts, including two Boston-based stunners
Few places in the United States have as strong a claim to the country's history than Massachusetts, home to witches, Harvard and Wahlbergs. WorldAtlas recently took stock of its excellent culture, releasing a list of what they consider the Bay State's 12 best museums. Shockingly, only two of Boston's dozens and dozens of museums (three, if you include Cambridge, which I strongly advise against) made the list. The round-up might be immediately controversial at the local clam chowder haunt for what it leaves out, but no one can say it doesn't cover an impressive amount of ground, from historical homeplaces to industrial icons and world-class fine art galleries. So MFA, Boston and Paul Revere House-heads, start reaching for that stiff drink. The rest of you, grab your Dunkin' and let's hit the road. For the sake of a clean and clockwise itinerary, we'll lay these out in a circuit starting and ending in the capital. These are the best museums in Boston, according to WorldAtlas: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston) One of those remarkable museums whose architecture almost surpasses its collection, the Gardner opened in 1903 in the style of a 15th-century Venetian palazzo, with what later became one of the country's most Instagrammed interior courtyards. Centuries later, in 2012, another Italian influence came via Renzo Piano's adjacent modernist wing. Its impressive collection boasts works by masters like Matisse, Titian, Botticelli and Sargent alongside letters and books by Dante, Sarah Bernhardt and T.S. Eliot. For the true crime-inclined, the museum's 1990 heist is still unsolved. Plimoth Patuxet Museums (Plymouth) Through painstakingly accurate recreations of 17th-century life, this living history museum provides a glimpse into the original Plymouth Colony. (As for its name: well, Plimoth was the old-timey spelling, and the 'Patuxet' was added in 2020 to accurately honor the area's original Indigenous name.) This open-air town shows how the Mayflower descendents lived after their historic split from the Church of England, with a well-appointed complex of houses. There's also an on-site market, cafe, cinema and event space, bridging the gap from our time to theirs. Whydah Pirate Museum (Yarmouth) No, its name is not part of a New England accent jokebook. Rather, it's titled after the Whyday Gally pirate ship, which sank near Cape Cod in 1717 and is the only shipwreck to be ever absolutely authenticated post-mortem. The museum highlights that history with artifacts recovered from the ship, which wrecked right in the middle of piracy's golden age, as well as other representatives of the era. New Bedford Whaling Museum (New Bedford) What would a New England coastline be without some seafaring? After taking in one of Boston's famed whale watching boat tours, learn about the region's historic industry at this gabled museum which charts the highs and lows of whaling, and tries to inspire a future for nature preservation. Lizzie Borden House (Fall River) One of the first and most iconic American true crime stories was born here, when 32-year-old Lizzie Borden allegedly axed her parents. She was found innocent but ostracized by the community, and now her childhood home stands as a monument to the incident. Offering gallery exhibitions, rooms to stay overnight, myriad ghost hunting opportunities and even murder mystery dinners, it's one of the spookiest homes in the country. Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History (Springfield) Though it operates mostly as a research center, this Springfield institution boasts impressive collections ready-made for dad, including the world's largest of Indian Motorcycles, which were originally produced in town from the company's 1901 founding through 1953. Its well-stocked firearm (world's largest Smith & Wesson!) and automobile collections make it an international hit. Norman Rockwell Museum (Stockbridge) The country's hopeful image of itself would not be what it is today without the contributions of Norman Rockwell, whose Rosie the Riveter stands as one of the most recognizable and historically important symbols of feminism and industry. Though born in New York City, the painter and illustrator died in rural Stockbridge in 1978. This purpose-built museum explores his life and career via paintings, magazine covers and other works. Worcester Art Museum (Worcester) Stocked with works by John Singer Sargent, an array of Japanese prints and art ranging from Modern to Roman, the Worcester Art Museum also features a Medieval meeting room lifted from a 12th-century French monastery, a theatre and an ecological science museum. Located only about an hour from Boston, it makes a case for the city's incredible culture. Concord Museum (Concord) The city that birthed the Revolutionary War (along with nearby Lexington) and Henry David Thoreau (he of Walden Pond fame) deserves a proper home, and the Concord Museum hosts artifacts and wisdom from both of those American stalwarts, as well as those belonging to the area's Indigenous heritage. Peabody Essex Museum (Salem) One of the oldest operational museums in the country began as a place to store exotic goods collected by the area's far-traveling seafarers in 1799. Today, it holds one of the United States' major collections of Asian art, and a significant African contingent as well. The museum also owns 24 historic structures and gardens throughout town, preserving local architecture and histories beyond its main walls and upping its total tally of items to around 1.3 million. Harvard Museum of Natural History (Cambridge) One of the venerable learning institution's six museums (not counting their specific subdivisions), its most-visited one will wow any nature lover with its collection of fossils, gemstones and famous glass flowers – exquisite, highly realistic glass botanical models. Look up! The massive skeleton of a right whale hangs from the second floor ceiling. Metropolitan Waterworks Museum (Boston) Originally the Chestnut Hill Pumping Station, this building became a beacon of Boston's modernization when it began pumping water to the area in 1887. It's now a fascinating museum that honors the innovation of running water and public life, with tours of the engine rooms and several historical exhibitions.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Revere Beach Sand Sculpting Festival road closures, parking bans start today
The Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival is back for a 21st year this weekend, and street closures and parking bans begin today. The three-day festival brings hundreds of thousands of people to Revere Beach Boulevard to watch 15 master sand sculptors compete for prizes. Organizers say it's the largest free event in Massachusetts. The festival also comes with a lot of traffic. Visitors are urged to take the MBTA Blue Line to the Revere Beach or Wonderland stops if possible. On Thursday, July 24, Revere Beach Boulevard will be closed between Shirley Avenue and Chester Avenue from noon to 11 p.m. The following closures are in effect from Friday at 5:30 p.m. to Monday at 12 a.m. West Street will remain open for restaurant and resident parking. A parking ban is in effect from Thursday to Sunday on Revere Beach Boulevard between West Street to Chester Avenue, as well as Ocean Avenue between Beach Street and Chester Avenue. The festival theme this year is the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, and a "centerpiece sand sculpture" will honor Paul Revere's midnight ride. Visitors can also expect more than 75 food trucks and vendors at the festival, plus a fireworks display on Saturday night. Here's the schedule of events: Friday (Festival hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.)8 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Sand sculpting competition Saturday (Festival hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.) 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Sand sculpting competition10 a.m. - People's Choice voting begins4 p.m. People's Choice voting closes6 p.m. - Awards ceremony9 p.m. - Fireworks Sunday festival hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Time Out
11-07-2025
- Time Out
Two of the best trails in the world are in New England, says ranking
From urban walks to all-natural strolls, Massachusetts is home to trails of all types, a varied quality that was recently celebrated by outdoor discovery platform AllTrails, which included a Boston-based byway on its list of 25 trails to explore in 2025. Yes, along with Italy's Il Sentiero della Pace (The Path of Peace), Mexico's Cerro Pelón, New Zealand's Hump Ridge Track and Japan's Nachi Falls, the global list included Beantown's own world-famous Freedom Trail at No. 3 on its 2025 rankings. Easily spotted by the signature brick red 'line' marked along the sidewalk, the 2.5-mile trail through the heart of Boston passes by some of the city's most historic sites, made even more informative and intriguing by the 18th-century costumed guides. "Over the years, this urban trail has become a must-do in the city of Boston. While it may not offer the abundance of trees and wildlife that most nature trails provide, it offers a wealth of historical monuments to explore, including Paul Revere's house and the Old South Meeting House. Did someone say, the British are coming?" reads AllTrail's write-up of the Boston attraction, also citing the trail's free audio tour on the National Park Service website conveniently offering "a stop-by-stop overview of key historical sites." Along with the Massachusetts trail, our buddies over in New Hampshire also got some love thanks to the stunning Appalachian Trail, which the site ranked at No. 8 and dubbed "one of the most treasured thru-hikes in the world." Spanning more than 2,000 miles along the eastern United States, the trail has "welcomed countless adventurers, from its first solo female thru-hiker, Grandma Gatewood, in 1955, to the trail's first blind thru-hiker, Bill Irwin, in 1990," says AllTrails, but notes, "you don't have to be a hardcore backpacker to experience the magic of the Appalachian Trail."
Boston Globe
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Fourth of July celebrations start bright and early in Boston
Led by Mayor Michelle Wu, the procession, including the Middlesex County Volunteers Fife & Drums ensemble, will stop off at the Old Granary Burying Ground, the resting place of Revolutionary War heroes, to lay wreaths on gravesites. Paul Revere, three signers of the Declaration of Independence, and Crispus Attucks, the first colonist killed by British troops during the Boston Massacre, among others, are buried at the site. The reading of the Declaration, formally known as The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, is slated for 10 a.m. from the balcony of the Old State House at 206 Washington St., the same balcony where the founding document was first read to Bostonians on July 18, 1776. Advertisement The Captain Commanding of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts will read the text. The USS Constitution Museum will be open for tours all day and Old Ironsides will set sail at 10 a.m. for its annual voyage from the Charlestown Navy Yard through Boston Harbor to Castle Island. The ship will fire a 21-gun salute when it passes Fort Independence on Castle Island at about 11:30 a.m. Advertisement At 12:30 p.m., the Middlesex County Volunteers Fife & Drums ensemble will take to the Summer Street Stage in Downtown Crossing for a two-hour concert. For those set on snagging the best possible seating for the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular at the Hatch Shell on the Charles River Esplanade, it's best to get there bright and early. The free concert doesn't start until 7 p.m. followed by fireworks at 9:40 p.m., but folks have been known to get in line as early as 6 a.m. According to Tonya Alanez can be reached at
CBS News
27-06-2025
- CBS News
Boston's Freedom Trail is one of the best free attractions in the country, USA Today says
Learning more about Boston and Paul Revere on the Freedom Trail Learning more about Boston and Paul Revere on the Freedom Trail Learning more about Boston and Paul Revere on the Freedom Trail The Freedom Trail in Boston has once again been named one of the best free attractions in the country by USA Today. The historic route featuring landmarks from the American Revolution was ranked at No. 6 on the newspaper's Top 10 list, beating out well-known destinations like Niagara Falls and The National Mall in Washington, D.C. The Loggerhead Marine Center, a sea turtle conservation site in Florida, was first in the ranking, which is determined by USA Today readers and editors. The Freedom Trail also made the "best free attractions" list in 2023. "Starting at the Boston Common and ending at the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown, the Freedom Trail offers historical insight into the city of Boston," USA Today writes. "It's easy to hop on and off of the Freedom Trail as it weaves throughout the city, highlighting some of Boston's most special places." Freedom Trail tours There are daily walking tour tickets available for purchase through the Freedom Trial Foundation. But anyone can follow the 2.5-mile red brick line that guides visitors to the different historic sites at no charge. The National Park Service offers a free, self-guided "Freedom Trail Audio Tour" that can be downloaded here. The 16 sites on the Freedom Trail are: the Boston Common, the State House, Park Street Church, Granary Burying Ground, King's Chapel & King's Chapel Burying Ground, Boston Latin School Site/Benjamin Franklin Statue, Old Corner Bookstore, Old South Meeting House, Old State House, the Boston Massacre Site, Faneuil Hall, the Paul Revere House, Old North Church, Copp's Hill Burying Ground, the U.S.S. Constitution and Bunker Hill Monument.
