OFF THE BEATEN PATH
1. Sports Museum of New England
TD Garden, 100 Legends Way • 617 624 1234 • Open 10am–4pm Mon–Sat, 11am–4pm Sun; closed on event days, see website • Adm • www.sportsmuseum.org
Spread over two floors above the TD Garden, home of the Bruins (ice hockey) and Celtics (basketball), are displays on all the city’s renowned teams. The collection includes items such as a section of the old wooden seats from the original Boston Garden, where you can sit and watch historic games on a big screen.
Sports Museum of New England
2. Longfellow House and Washington’s Headquarters
In 1775–6, the Federal house served as George Washington’s headquarters during the siege of Boston. Over half a century later it was home to legendary American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his family (see Longfellow House).
3. Captain Jackson’s Historic Chocolate Shop
Clough House, 21 Unity St • 617 858 8231 • Opening hours vary; see website for details • www.oldnorth.com/captainjacksons
This shop explores the history of chocolate making during the American colonial period. Engaging demonstrations, conducted daily, illustrate how chocolate was produced in the 18th century. Visitors can also purchase chocolate blocks and coffee.
4. Mapparium
200 Massachusetts Ave • 617 450 7000 • Open 10am–4pm Tue–Sun • Adm • www.marybakereddylibrary.org
The oddly fascinating Mapparium is a stained-glass globe the size of a large room that you view from the inside as you stroll through it along a glass walkway. Illuminated by LED lighting, the countries represented on the globe’s surface are those that existed when it was built in 1935. Fabulous acoustics allow whispers to be heard at opposite ends of the space. The Mapparium is located in the Mary Baker Eddy Library, which also features a small museum dedicated to Eddy and the Christian Science religion she founded (see Mary Baker Eddy).
Stained-glass Mapparium
5. The New England Holocaust Memorial
Between Congress and Union Sts
Six luminous, glass towers soar above a black granite path bordered by lawns and trees. The structures represent the six main death camps and the six million Jews who died during the six years of World War II.
6. Ghosts and Gravestones
200 Atlantic Ave • 866 754 9136 • Adm • www.ghostsandgravestones.com
Hop on the black trolley of doom with a gravedigger guide for a “frightseeing” tour of the city’s most haunted spots, and visit the site of New England’s greatest grave-robbing scandal.
7. The Lawn on D
420 D St • 877 393 3393 • Open dawn to dusk • www.signatureboston.com/lawn-on-d
One of Boston’s newest and most popular green spaces, The Lawn on D is located in the heart of the Seaport District and is close to the Convention and Exhibition Center. This hip outdoor space features live music, lawn games, and food trucks.
8. Paddle the Charles River
Charles River Canoe and Kayak, Broad Canal Way, Kendall Square, Cambridge • 617 965 5110 • Adm • www.paddleboston.com
What better way to get a whole new perspective on Boston than by seeing it from the water? Visitors can rent their own canoe, kayak, and paddleboard or even join a tour with a larger group. Options on offer include Skyline, Sunset, and Boston Harbor tours (by kayak only).
9. Samuel Adams Brewery
30 Germania St • 617 368 5080 • Tours www.samueladams.com
The lively tour of the Samuel Adams craft brewery takes you through the process and offers free tastings of Samuel Adams’ famous beers. Note that the tours can’t be booked in advance as the tickets are sold on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Interior of Samuel Adams Brewery
10. Paul S. Russell, MD Museum of Medical History and Innovation
Massachusetts General Hospital, 2 North Grove St • 617 724 8009 • Open 9am–5pm Mon–Fri, also Apr–Oct: 11am–5pm Sat • www.massgeneral.org/museum
This museum traces medical inno-vation with displays, artifacts, and guides. The Ether Dome, nearby, was the site of the first successful use of ether anesthetic in surgery.
