Visting Boston

            Boston is one of America’s oldest cities. It is rich in history and culture. Despite its small size (relative to other metropolises like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles) and occasionally brutal weather, Boston has remained a hub of education and innovation. We at DGA have many friends there and have been travelling to Massachusetts for years. So if you’re thinking of going to Boston, we decided to offer a few spots that you should visit while you’re there.

Freedom Trail: The Freedom Trail is a two and a half mile walking trail that passes through downtown Boston. It begins at Boston Common and weaves its way through the North End before culminating at the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. The trail provides an easily accessible path through Boston’s colonial history. Highlights include the State House, the site of the Boston Massacre, Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere’s House, the Old North Church (of “1 if by land, 2 if by sea” fame) and the USS Constitution. For anyone interested in the history of Boston or Colonial America, the Freedom trail is a must.

A Triceratops Fossil at the Museum of Science 

Museum of Science: Located just across the Charles River, the Museum Science is a science museum and indoor zoo. It features over 700 interactive exhibits, many of which are specifically designed for young children. The Museum also houses a planetarium that features daily movies and presentations about space and the solar system. The Mugar Omni Theater is New England’s only domed iMAX theater that shows a variety of programming geared towards adults and young children alike.  The indoor zoo features over 120 species and many of the animals have been rescued from less reputable zoos and animal habitats. Overall, the Museum of Science is a place that’s great for families or just adults.

New England Aquarium: The Aquarium, located on the waterfront, features a 200,000 gallon tank simulating a Caribbean coral reef. The tank houses sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, eels, barracuda, and a host of other fish. A spiral walkway surrounds the tank allowing visitors to observe the marine life from a variety of angles. Another prominent feature of the Aquarium is the penguin exhibit that is home to a variety of penguin species. The Aquarium also hosts a large exhibit housing a number of different types of seals, including harbor and fur seals and California sea lions. The rest of the Aquarium is filled with a variety of exhibits that feature marine life from around the world. Like the Museum of Science, the Aquarium is a great spot for families and adults alike.

A Humpback Whale from a recent Whale Watch 

Whale Watching: From April-October, the Aquarium also runs whale watches. The four-hour trip takes visitors out to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary about forty miles from Boston. This sanctuary is rich in marine life and has long been a popular spot for whales in the summer months. The feeding ground attracts a variety of different types of whales including humpbacks, finbacks, minke, pilot, and occasionally right whales. Over the years, the scientists who work alongside the whale watch have named and identified the whales that return to the sanctuary year after year. Humpbacks, for example, have life expectancy of 60-100 years and will return to the same feeding grounds for years. They are also curious and friendly creatures, so they frequently swim right alongside the whale watching vessels.  

Museum of Fine Arts: The fourth largest museum in the United States, the MFA features more than 450,000 works of art. Due to the size of its collections, the MFA has a wide-ranging and comprehensive collection. It features a large collection of Egyptian artifacts, French Impressionist and post-Impressionist works including originals from Gauguin, Renoir, Degas, Monet, Van Gogh, and Cezanne. Due to Boston’s historic location, the MFA also boasts an impressive collection of American artists including John Singleton Copley, Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, and Gilbert Stuart. It houses over 5,000 pieces of Japanese pottery and a Japanese garden.