Boston exists as one of the most historically rich cities in America, and its dozens of museums are a perfect showcase of this past. The best museums present an opportunity to learn not through a textbook or boring lecture, but in ways which spark curiosity and leave each visitor in a state of wonder. Boston has a plethora of captivating museums, but has anybody been to one other than the Museum of Fine Arts or the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum? From some of the world’s first hot rods to ancient Mayan skulls to an 18th-century ship where actors dump bins of tea, Boston’s lesser-known museums have something to offer for everyone. It’s time to take advantage of the city’s intellectual aptitude and historical value. Here is a list of eight Boston museums you probably haven’t been to:
Located just outside of Boston in the Brookline neighborhood, the Larz Anderson Auto Museum features America’s oldest collection of cars. The roots of the museum begin with Larz and Isabella Anderson, two socialites with a passion for automobiles. They purchased cars from 1899 to 1948, procuring a total of thirty-two vehicles. These motorcars, along with many of their original horse-drawn carriages, make up the museum’s permanent exhibit. The foundation also offers a temporary exhibition, the current one called Lookin’ East: Art and Imagination of the New England Hot Rod. This display focuses on the emergence of hot rodding as a national hobby in the post-war era and its existence today as a symbol of quintessential American culture.
Harvard University’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology in Cambridge offers some of the world’s oldest archeological collections from across the world. The museum showcases relics from Native American dwellings in the Midwest, as well as parts of Mexico, Central and South America, Africa, and Asia. Featuring the only surviving objects from the Lewis and Clark expedition and one of the best collections of Mayan antiques in the world, its ongoing exhibitions showcase a variety of themes: the European impact on North American Indians, Latin America around the time of Christopher Columbus, and the legacy of canoes in the Native American lifestyle, among others. The museum has been used as a resource for some of the most successful ethnographic films, including Robert Gardner’s “Dead Birds” and John Marshall’s “N!ai, the Story of a !Kung Woman.”
The Waterworks Museum in Chestnut Hill puts a unique spin on the education of water systems, architectural engineering, and public health. The museum tells the story of the innovation that brought about one of the country’s first cosmopolitan water systems. It highlights the craftsmanship of immigrants who created the building’s beauty during the Gilded Age, and how the foundation earned the name “Tabernacle of Steam.” The museum spotlights two exhibits: the Great Engines Hall, which is a three-story tall collection of engines and water pumps, and Workers of Wachusett, a gallery telling the vivid tale of 19th and 20th-century public works laborers.
The Boston Tea Party Ships Museum on the harbor exists as an interactive experience that allows visitors to witness the historic event that catalyzed the American Revolution. The adventure takes place on a restored 18th-century ship with actors dressed in colonial attire. The staff takes visitors to a town meeting with Samuel Adams, then to explore the ship’s captain’s quarters before the renowned dumping of the tea! Finally, guests are swept away to a lively debate between the loyalists and the revolutionaries. The tour offers stories of life during the birth of the modern nation, the opportunity to taste typical food from this era, and the chance to see films centered on the radicalism that characterized colonial America.
Gore Place, a grand estate located in the outskirts of Boston, awes visitors with its vast, natural beauty, and enriching history. Christopher and Rebecca Gore lived during the time of the American Revolution as one of Boston’s most prominent families. Christopher served as governor of Massachusetts and a United States senator. In 1806, the Gores constructed their mansion, adorning it with fine art, elegant furniture, marble floors, and French wallpaper. They hosted many distinguished parties with notable political leaders, including James Monroe. After Christopher’s retirement, the two began using the grounds to grow fruits, vegetables, and other crops. Today, it serves as a functioning farm and emblem of colonial architecture.
The Gibson House Museum provides the ideal opportunity for anyone looking to get a glimpse into the lives of late 19th and early 20th century Bostonians. In the mid-1800s, Back Bay was emerging as Boston’s newest and most chic neighborhood, and Catherine Hammond Gibson wanted to be a part of the trend. She purchased an expensive home and decorated it with lavish furniture of the Victorian era. The residence housed three generations of the Gibson family from 1859 to 1954. The museum provides detailed accounts of each member of the Gibson family who resided there as well as stories of the house staff. Today, the residence allows visitors to step back in time and consider the different experiences of life in Boston of both wealthy elites and working-class immigrants.
The Boston Sports Museum has dedicated itself to showcasing the history of Boston sports teams. Located on the 5th and 6th floors of TD Garden, the museum displays a half mile of photographs, trophies, jerseys, and championship banners. The tour also gives visitors a closer look at the arena floor, locker rooms, and marshaling area. The museum doubles as a non-profit with emphasis on the prevention of bullying. Staff members also host many programs designed to teach kids the importance of respect, leadership, and collaboration.
History enthusiasts will delight in the exhibits present at Boston’s West End Museum. This gallery showcases the West End neighborhood through the ages, beginning in the mid-1840s with the influx of Irishmen to the urban renewal of the 1950s. The museum highlights prominent people who grew up in the West End, the innovation that brought about the modern public transportation system in Boston, the difficulties regarding healthcare in the 19th and 20th centuries, and the Saturday Evening Girls — a local, historic club devoted to women’s empowerment. The museum focuses on combating gentrification and preserving the character of this culturally-rich Boston neighborhood.