But Fenway Park for baseball and TD Garden for basketball aren’t the only tourist attractions that should be enjoyed when you venture out to “Beantown” on the east coast of the United States.
Before you plan your trip to the most populated urban center in New England, take notice of the most unique places to visit in Boston to make new memories that aren’t from the most traveled to locations.
1. Scarlett O’Hara House
The Scarlett O’Hara House is situated in the Beacon Hill neighborhood, but before you obviously assume that it is a house, you will be surprised to know that this description is an illusion.
When you are glancing at the Scarlett O’Hara House from a distance, it sure looks like a house. But it was actually painted in the 1980s to look just like a Greek Revival-style residence in order to decorate a brick wall.
But you will find two actual historic brownstone homes on each side of what appears to be the front porch of this “home.”
Scarlett O’Hara House is located at Revere Street at Rollins Place, Boston, MA 02114.
2. The Mapparium
Inside of the Mary Baker Eddy Library is where you will find the Mapparium, a stained-glass globe that is three stories in size, providing those that witness it with an idea of what the world would have looked like in 1935.
The Mapparium showcases how borders as well as whole entire countries have changed over the years and offers brief presentations that feature LED lights to showcase how the globe has evolved.
The Mapparium is located at 200 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02115.
3. Harvard Bridge
Marked all over the entire expanse of the Harvard Bridge, which brings Boston and Cambridge, the home of Harvard together, are measurements referred to as “smoots.”
The smoot began as a practical joke in 1958 when the MIT fraternity of Lambda Chi Alpha had a freshman by the name of Oliver Smoot lie down on the bridge and measure its length by using his height in order to pledge to the fraternity.
This means that the smoot represents a measurement of five feet, seven inches and has since become the unit of measurement for the bridge.
Just how big is Harvard Bridge? It spreads for a total of 364.4 smoots, plus one ear, to be exact.
When you walk across the full bridge that is also called Mass Ave Bridge, you will see brightly painted measurements that appear every ten smoots.
Harvard Bridge is located at Massachusetts Ave Bridge, Boston, MA 02115.
4. Granary Burying Ground
Boston has 16 historic burying grounds, six of which are open every day, with several of them having graves that go all the way back to the 1630s.
For visitors looking for a little spookier piece of history, you can go check out the countless headstones that have interesting epitaphs, showing how belief systems differed during past centuries.
Before you start to find it odd to explore the gravesites of random people that you have never heard of in your entire life, realize that Granary Burying Ground is where famous figures like Paul Revere, Mother Goose, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Mary Chilton, and Anne Sexton have been laid to rest.
Granary Burying Ground is located at Tremont Street (between Park and School Streets) Boston, MA 02116.
5. Museum of Bad Art
Located in Somerville, Massachusetts, only a little over four miles from Boston, is the name of an art gallery you will never forget. It is called the Museum of Bad Art.
You will need to bring your own definition of what beauty looks like to this museum because it will surely be challenged.
But if you are open-minded enough to gaze at some true conversation pieces, the art collections housed in the Museum of Bad Art will give you a whole lot to talk about.
Dedicated to art that doesn’t quite look like art is what the Museum of Bad Art prides itself for, located in the basement of the Somerville Theater, filled with fantasy images, strange celebrity interpretations, and abstract creations.
Museum of Bad Art is located at 55 Davis Square, Somerville, MA 02144.
Don’t forget to put your valuable personal belongings in a secure luggage storage Boston location so that you don’t have to be distracted and bothered by dragging a bunch of baggage around all day.
