Massachusetts Institute of Technology NAAUG @ MIT June 13 -16, 2004 

Points of Interest

» Libraries

Boston Public Library, Central Library, 700 Boylston St. (at Dartmouth St.), Copley Square, Boston, MA; Phone: 617-536-5400.
Guided art and architectural tours of the Boston Public Library's 150-year-old building designed by McKim, Mead and White and its 30-year-old addition by Philip Johnson last about an hour and are given by volunteers. Regular tour times are Mondays, 2:30pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:00pm, Thursdays 6:00pm, Fridays and Saturdays, 11:00am. Pamphlets are available for a self-guided tour of the older library building, include the murals of John Singer Sargent, the wall paintings and decorations of the Abbey room and the Italianate courtyard, among other places of interest in the library.

Boston Athenaeum, 10½ Beacon St., Boston, MA; Phone: 617-227-0270.
The Athenaeum is one of the oldest libraries in the country and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1966. The Athenaeum also provides art and architectural tours Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3pm. Tours are available to non-members, but reservations must be made in advance by calling 617.227.0270. (Note that ongoing renovations might affect access to various parts of the building). COST: Free. T stop: Park St. (Red Line).

John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library, Columbia Point, Boston, MA; Phone: 617-514-1600
The John F. Kennedy Library and Museum is dedicated to the memory of our nation's thirty-fifth President and to all those who through the art of politics seek a new and better world. The Library is open daily 9 am-5 pm. Adults, $10.00; seniors over the age of 62, college students with appropriate identification, and teenagers agers 13-17, $8.00; children ages 12 and under will be admitted for free. The Library is located off Morrissey Blvd., next to the University of Massachusetts, Boston campus. Free shuttle service from JFK/UMass T Stop on the Red Line. Free parking. The Museum is fully handicapped accessible. Currently on exhibit through November 2004 is Caroline Kennedy's Doll Collection (1961-63).

» Campus Museums

Harvard University Art Museums
View a map. General admission of $6.50 allows entry to all three of Harvard's art museums. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Most Harvard Museums are free all day Wednesday. Check website for details on current exhibitions and hours.

  • Fogg Art Museum, 32 Quincy St., Cambridge, MA, Phone: 617/495-9400
    Harvard's most famous art museum is a virtual history of art in the world focused primarily on European, American, and East Asian art. It has notable collections of Italian Renaissance paintings and 19th-century French Impressionists, as well as works by Van Gogh, Degas, Gauguin, Whistler, Klee, and Kandinsky.
  • Busch-Reisinger Museum, 32 Quincy St., Cambridge, MA; Phone: 617/495-9400
    The Museum houses a dazzling collection German Expressionists and other 20th-century artists.
  • Sakler Museum, Broadway at Quincy St., Cambridge, MA
    The Museum houses a vast collection of Ancient, Asian, Islamic, and Later Indian art.

MIT Museums

  • The MIT Museum, 265 Massachusetts Avenue, N52-200, Cambridge, MA; Phone: 617.253.4444
    The Museum houses significant collections in science and technology, architecture, and nautical history, as well as the world's largest holography collection. Admission is $5.00. Hours are Tuesday through Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday & Sunday 12-5pm.
  • Visit the website for Information about other exhibits and events sponsored by the MIT Office of the Arts, including the List Gallery (contemporary art).

» Local Museums

Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA; Phone: 617-267-9300
The MFA, as it is called, houses one of the finest and most extensive collections of art work in the world, including a substantial Impressionist collection. The very popular Gauguin Tahiti exhibit runs through June 20. It is advisable to buy tickets in advance for such special exhibits. There is an option to assist you in planning your own visit to the Museum. Public transportation is available from various locations at MIT and Harvard.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 280 The Fenway, Boston, MA; Phone: 617-566-1401
The Gardner Museum was once a private residence and has remained essentially unchanged since the death of "Mrs. Jack," as its former occupant was known. The garden courtyard blooms in all seasons and is surrounded by three floors of galleries containing paintings, sculpture, tapestries, furniture, and decorative arts from many cultures and centuries. Public transportation is available from various locations at MIT and Harvard.

» Other Sights of Interest

The following museums, historic houses and points of interest are within a fairly easy commute on the T from MIT and/or Harvard.

» Other resources

» Day Trips

The following destinations are accessible on the T.

Harbor Islands
Located in Boston Harbor, most islands are accessible via ferry.

Salem
This very popular destination is accessible via commuter rail. Attractions include the House of Seven Gables, the Peabody Essex Museum, the Salem Witch Museum, among others.

 

Home  •  Program  •   Registration  •   Contact
© 2004 North American Aleph Users Group