Massachusetts is known for its abundance of things to see and do with the whole family. Visit the famous Nantucket Island, Martha’s Vineyard, and Cape Cod which are like their own hidden worlds, complete with picturesque lighthouses and excellent beaches. Western Massachusetts offers stunning fall foliage and many unique museums. There’s also music at Springfield's Symphony Hall and hoops at the Basketball Hall of Fame as well as some of the world’s most idyllic college towns like Northampton and Amherst. Here are the best things to do in Massachusetts.
1. Norman Rockwell Museum
This museum, founded in 1969 with the help of Molly and Norman Rockwell, houses the world’s largest and most significant collection of Rockwell’s work, featuring 998 original drawings and paintings. It covers the artist’s contributions to society, social commentary, and popular culture.
The artist spent the last 25 years of his life in Stockbridge and Rockwell’s original Stockbridge studio, which was moved to the new museum site, is now also home to the artist’s archives. The museum gallery building was designed by Robert A. M. Stern.
9 Route 183, Stockbridge, MA 01262, Phone: 413-298-4100
2. Peabody Essex Museum
Founded in 1799, this is a museum of international culture and art committed to connecting art to the world. The museum’s mission is to celebrate cultural and artistic creativity by stewarding, collecting, and interpreting objects of art and culture.
It was among the first museums in the nation to collect art and culture from around the world. Its current collections range from contemporary and historic American to Maritime, Asian, Oceanic, African, and Native American art and culture and it has an archival library as well as historic Chinese and American houses.
East India Square (161 Essex St) Salem, Massachusetts 01970, Phone: 978-745-9500
3. Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts
A trip to this village brings you to the doorstep of the Northeast’s biggest outdoor history museum and calls to mind the 1830s in a rural New England town setting. Visitors are invited to visit the over 40 authentic buildings, featuring meetinghouses, homes, a district school, bank, country store, working farm, various trade shops, and three water-powered mills, all found on over 200 attractive acres.
Guests can also get to know heritage breed farm animals and meet staff dressed in period costumes. The village is a learning resource and a showcase of life in 19th century New England and invites all its visitors to explore its rich history.
1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, MA 01566, Phone: 800-733-1830
4. Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield
In the late 1780s, the Hancock Shaker Village got off the ground when about 100 Believers created a community on land donated by fellow Believers. By the 1830s, the community peaked with 300+ Believers on more than 3,000 acres. During the height of their growth and religiosity, these Shakers built barns, workshops, dwelling houses, and other buildings, thus creating a big, successful farm.
The 1826 Round Stone Barn became the center of a thriving dairy industry. These people relished a peaceful and hard-working life, separate from “The World.” Eventually, forces prevented them from growing their community, and in 1959, when they were unable to remain true to the principles, they sold their property to a group that vowed to preserve their heritage.
1843 W. Housatonic St., Pittsfield, MA, Phone: 413-443-0188
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5. The Clark Art Institute, Massachusetts
The Clark Art Institute is one of the few institutions in the world with a two-fold purpose as a research center for higher education and an art museum. Its collection features American and European sculpture, paintings, prints, photographs, drawings, and decorative arts from the Renaissance to the early 20th century.
The museum has a large concentration of French Impressionist and Academic paintings, British silver, oil sketches, drawings, and the work of American artists George Inness, John Singer Sargent, and Winslow Homer. Originally based on the founding gift from Francine and Sterling and Clark, its collection has expanded through acquisitions as well as bequests and gifts.
225 South Street, Williamstown, Massachusetts 01267, Phone: 413-458-2303
6. The House of the Seven Gables, Salem, Massachusetts
Caroline Emmerton, a philanthropist and preservationist, founded the present-day museum to assist immigrant families who were settling in Salem. Inspired by Jane Adam’s Hull House, she purchased what was the old Turner Mansion in 1908 and restored it to its original seven gables. Emmerton’s goal was to preserve the house for future generations, to provide educational opportunities for visitors, and to use the proceeds from the tours to fund her settlement programs.
So the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion, known popularly as the House of the Seven Gables, has survived with many of its original period features from the 17th and 18th centuries intact. Over the last century, the House of the Seven Gables has continued to focus on its founder’s mission of preservation, education, and community service.
115 Derby Street, Salem, Massachusetts 01970, Phone: 978-744-0991
7. New Bedford Whaling Museum, Massachusetts
The museum was founded in 1903 and has a strong relationship with the communities it serves, offering a library of logbooks, journals, prints, a scrimshaw collection, Japanese whaling literature and art, and marine paintings.
Its complete coverage of 19th and 20th century whaling technology makes it a renowned destination for research. Visitors can see the Lagoda, the world’s largest model ship from 1916, and the museum displays complete skeletons of four species, including the blue whale.
18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA 02740, Phone: 508-997-0046
8. Fenway Park
Over generations, Fenway Park – home to the Boston Red Sox – has remained much as it was the day it opened on April 20, 1912. Once spectators come to a game, they instantly see why the park is so beloved. It is uniquely a part of the city of Boston itself and if you take a tour of the park you can see a place where traditions are celebrated, dreams are made, and baseball is forever.
Guests can see the home of Red Sox legends, observe Pesky's Pole firsthand, and sit on top of the so-called Green Monster that reaches more than 37 feet high and overlooks leftfield. Well-informed tour guides offer a memorable one-hour walking tour of the park and other tours are available – including in Japanese and Spanish with advanced notice. All fans are welcome at Fenway Park, the pulse of the Red Sox Nation.
4 Yawkey Way, Boston, MA 02215
9. Boston Public Garden
Established in 1837, the Boston Public Garden was the country’s first public botanical garden. The Parks Department remains true to its Victorian traditions, so visitors can continue to admire unusual and rich plants, the fountains, the lagoon, the monuments, and the swan boats, which were created and have been operated by the Paget family for more than 100 years.
The Recreation Department and Boston Parks grow the plants used in the garden and more than 80 plant species are being cultivated for future planting in the garden and in over 50 locations throughout Boston.
4 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02116
10. Tanglewood
In 1934, certain Berkshire summer residents made arrangements for the New York Philharmonic to hold three outdoor concerts at Interlocken. In 1936, Serge Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony Orchestra were invited and they accepted. Mrs. Brooks and Miss Tappan offered Tanglewood, the Tappan family estate, as a gift to Koussevitzky and the orchestra. In August 1937, the festival's largest audience thus assembled for the first Tanglewood concert. Today, Tanglewood draws more than 350,000 visitors annually and each season offers a vast spectrum of music.
297 West Street, Lenox, MA 01240, Phone: 888-266-1200
11. MA Things to Do: Museum of Fine Arts
The first MFA was opened on July 4, 1876, in Copley Square, when it was home to 5,600 works of art. In 1909, the MFA moved to Huntington Avenue and is currently one of the most significant art museums in the world. Its collection contains almost 500,000 pieces of art and the museum welcomes over one million visitors annually. The collection features everything from ancient Egyptian to contemporary art as well as special exhibitions and innovative educational programs.
The year 2010 was marked by the opening of the Art of the Americas Wing, displaying American art ranging from ancient to modern. In the subsequent year, the west wing of the museum was transformed into new galleries for social and learning spaces and contemporary art. New galleries for Asian, European, and African art opened in 2013 and more improvements are forthcoming.
Avenue of the Arts, 465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, Phone: 617-267-9300
12. Things to Do in MA: Whaling Museum, Nantucket
In 2005, the Nantucket Whaling Museum’s restoration included a restored 19th century candle factory. Among its primary attractions are the film Nantucket by Ric Burns, a 46-foot sperm whale skeleton, the Fresnel lens from the Sankaty Head Lighthouse, a restored tower clock from 1881, scrimshaw, decorative arts, paintings, lightship baskets, and portraits of sea-faring women and men. In 2008, the museum was accredited by the American Association of Museums.
13 Broad Street, Nantucket, MA Phone: 508-228-1894
13. Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, Boston
The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum tells the story of this historic event through the replicas of the three ships involved. On that fateful evening of December 16, 1773, three ships – built and owned by Americans – had arrived from London carrying a cargo of tea.
They were “staying” in Boston Harbor and 340 chests of British East India Company tea, weighing 92,000+ pounds, were dumped overboard. The estimated value of the cargo in today’s terms is over $1.7 million dollars. Thousands witnessed the event, which ultimately helped spark the American Revolution.
306 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210, Phone: 866-955-0667
14. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
This museum opened in 1903 with a visual arts and musical celebration. Today, it is a collection of decorative and fine art and a vibrant venue for contemporary musicians, scholars, and artists. The museum is located in a marvelous 15th century Venetian-style palace with three stories of galleries surrounding a courtyard in full bloom.
The collection features more than 2,500 sculptures, paintings, tapestries, rare books, manuscripts, furniture, and decorative arts. In the galleries, visitors can find works by Rembrandt, Titian, Raphael, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Degas, Manet, Sargent, and Whistler. It is a singular treasure.
25 Evans Way, Boston MA, 02115, Phone: 617-566-1401
15. Things to Do in Massachusetts: Herrell's
New England ice cream lovers don't let a little cold weather prevent them from enjoying ice cream. This is especially true in Northampton where Herrell's is serving up more than 300 flavors of gourmet ice cream year round. Aside from the traditional dairy-based ice cream, they also offer dairy-free, vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free and sugar free options. It is the kind of ice cream that you do not lick, you eat.
Its chewy, dense and very rich, it almost has no ice crystals, which means It doesn’t melt fast, so feel free to pour some hot fudge over it. Their star flavors include Salty Caramel Wave, Party in a Cup, Triple Malt, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan and Burnt Sugar 'n' Butter, and they keep coming up with new flavors all the time. Before you leave their charming downtown store, make sure to get some of their fabulous homemade hot fudge in a jar. Herrell's is also an excellent bakery that offers dairy and non-dairy No-Moo® baked goods.
8 Old South St, Northampton, Massachusetts 01060, Phone: 413-586-9700
16. Must Do in Massachusetts: Lizzie Borden House and Breakfast Museum
Tours of this B&B and Museum are offered every hour between 11 am and 3 pm, seven days a week, 363 days a year. The tour guides only take a break at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The tour takes about 50 minutes and guests do not need a reservation for the tour unless there are 10 or more in the group.
Special arrangements can be made for such group tours by contacting the inn. The final tour of the day begins promptly at 3 pm. Photos may be taken in the house but video recording is not allowed without prior consent. Guest staying here receive a complimentary tour of the house, which is more extensive and lasts about an hour and a half.
92 (Historical address) 230 (GPS Address) Second Street, Fall River, MA 02721, Phone: 508-675-7333
17. Things to See in Massachusetts: The Printing Office of Edes & Gill
Boston’s single colonial-era printing operation opened in 2011 and sits alongside the Freedom Trail. With the opening of the colonial print shop, visitors have the chance to engage with historians working their trade in the pre-revolutionary city.
Their forefathers were there when citizen anger over British policies broke out. This setting enables a certain level of understanding of how this era in printing spurred communities and ignited a revolution, as historians tend to agree that Boston’s Patriot press played a key role in America’s rebellious rise towards independence.
21 Unity Street, Boston, Adjacent to Old North Church at the Clough House
18. Adams National Historical Park
Adams National Historic Park was home to two American presidents and generations of descendants – all the way to 1927. The entire family's experience represented, mirrored, and shaped events in the cultural, social, political, and intellectual history of the country.
The park’s purpose is to protect and preserve the homes, grounds, and personal property of the four generations of the Adams family and to utilize the resources to interpret history and educate the public. The Adams Memorial Society, whose membership consists of Adams family offspring, asked the National Park Service to "foster civic virtue and patriotism" at the park.
135 Adams Street, Quincy, MA 02169, Phone: 617-770-1175
19. Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
If you are planning an evening out in Great Barrington, check first what is going on at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. The town's only performance space, the center offers high quality music concerts, dance, theatre, movies, and opera. It is located in the historic Mahaiwe building, which has operated as a performance space since 1905. At first it was a vaudeville house, then a movie house, before hosting the Berkshire Opera Company and finally becoming a home for the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. Besides the lively entertainment program, the center also offers an educational program that includes world-class theatrical performances, music and dance, and in-school and at the theater field trips.
14 Castle St, Great Barrington, MA 01230-1513, Phone: 413-528-0100
20. Jenney Museum
The mission of the Jenney Museum is to bring the story of the Pilgrims to life to visitors from all over the world, the country, and the local community. Tours are given of the original site of Plimoth Plantation, the historic district, as well as the National Monument to the Forefathers.
The house, built in 1749, currently contains three exhibits, the Pursuit of Happiness, Family - Cornerstone of Society, and The Abolitionists. There is a gift shop which sells many books on the Pilgrims and the Founders as well as local art and foods. The Museum is committed to preserving Plymouth’s history, from the days of the Pilgrims to the present day.
48 Summer Street, Plymouth, MA 02360, Phone: 508-747-4544
21. MIT Museum
The MIT museum engages the broader community with MIT’s technology, science, and other areas of scholarship so that they will best serve the world and this nation in the 21st century. The museum fulfills its mission by preserving and collecting objects that are central to the life of the university, creating programs and exhibits with roots firmly in MIT’s areas of scope and connecting MIT staff, faculty, and students with the broader community.
The museum collects, preserves, and exhibits materials for the study and interpretation of the social history, educational, and intellectual story of MIT and its role in the development of modern science and technology.
265 Massachusetts Avenue, Building N51, Cambridge, MA 02139, Phone: 617-253-5927
22. The Museum of Russian Icons
The Museum of Russian Icons celebrates the Russian tradition of sacred icon paintings used within the culture's Orthodox religious tradition, showcasing more than 1,000 icons spanning more than six centuries of human culture. The Clinton museum was the vision of engineer Gordon B. Lankton, who began collecting icons in the 1980s as a personal hobby. Today, the museum is housed within a century-old mill building that was expanded in 2010 to include a nearby former police station and courthouse structure. As the United States' only museum dedicated to the display of icons, the museum showcases the largest collection of the paintings outside Russia, along with temporary rotating exhibits of works by Russian artists and crafters. The museum's Tea Room serves up a variety of traditional Russian teas, beverages, chocolates, and snacks for visitors to enjoy.
203 Union Street, Clinton, MA 01510, Phone: 978-598-5000
23. Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch
This whale watching experience combines adventure, science, and fun in a protected marine habitat. Dr. Carole Carlson and the Dolphin Fleet have developed a presentation aboard the vessels, telling a compelling story about how the whales make their home in Stellwagen Bank and how the smallest microscopic plant and animal marine life is connected to the whales in a food chain that thrives on the geological formations within the Stellwagen Bank and Cape Cod Bay marine habitats.
Passengers joining these trips are given the Naturalist’s Guide, a comprehensive field guide to Stellwagen Bank illustrating the connections of small and great creatures both winged and finned. Of course, nothing can prepare guests for their initial whale sightings. The tours generally see humpback whales in Cape Cod Bay and Stellwagen Bank during the season. These animals come here to replace their body fat after migrating from the Caribbean, where they give birth. There are frequent sightings of mother and calf pairs, and guests often see mothers teaching their young how to leap out of the water after a long dive.
307 Commercial Street #1 Provincetown, MA 02657, Phone: 800-826-9300
24. AHA! New Bedford
AHA! New Bedford, formally known as Art, History, and Architecture, is the premiere downtown cultural night event of the City of New Bedford, originally inaugurated in July of 1999. The event, which is held each second Thursday of the month, opens the doors of more than 60 downtown art galleries, arts organizations, museums, and boutiques for free between 5:00pm and 9:00pm, including major area attractions such as the New Bedford Whaling Museum and the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. All events are organized around an event theme, offering opportunities for performers and artists of all disciplines to present new works and engage with the community. Art exhibit openings are showcased at multiple venues, along with live music and theater performances, lectures, and interactive family-friendly experiences. Detailed event program listings are available on the event's website two weeks in advance for guests to plan their evening itineraries, with program maps offered at participating venues.
30 Cornell St, New Bedford, MA 02740, Phone: 508-996-8253, x205
25. Faneuil Hall Marketplace
The Faneuil Hall Marketplace is really four attractions at one site – Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall, South Market, and North Market – all gathered around a cobblestone walkway where magicians, jugglers, and musicians entertain the public.
The atmosphere is inviting to all, so go ahead and explore everything, including the delicious array of food. Way back in 1742, Peter Faneuil, a wealthy Boston merchant, built Faneuil Hall as his gift to Boston. Today, what is commonly referred to as Faneuil Hall Marketplace is still the city’s central hub and entertains over 18 million visitors each year.
4 South Market Building, Boston, MA 02109, Phone: 617-523-1300
What is Massachusetts known for? What to do. What are the top attractions to visit in Massachusetts?
The top attractions to visit in Massachusetts according to local experts are:
- Norman Rockwell Museum
- Peabody Essex Museum
- Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts
- Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield
- The Clark Art Institute, Massachusetts
- The House of the Seven Gables, Salem, Massachusetts
- New Bedford Whaling Museum, Massachusetts
- Fenway Park
- Boston Public Garden
- Tanglewood
- MA Things to Do: Museum of Fine Arts
- Things to Do in MA: Whaling Museum, Nantucket
- Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, Boston
- Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
- Things to Do in Massachusetts: Herrell's
- Must Do in Massachusetts: Lizzie Borden House and Breakfast Museum
- Things to See in Massachusetts: The Printing Office of Edes & Gill
- Adams National Historical Park
- Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
- Jenney Museum
- MIT Museum
- The Museum of Russian Icons
- Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch
- AHA! New Bedford
- Faneuil Hall Marketplace
More ideas:
Freedom Trail
The trail is actually a 2.5-mile route following a red line that leads visitors to 16 “treasures” that include meetinghouses, museums, burial grounds, and churches – all significant historic sites. Along the way, visitors uncover truths about the people who shaped the nation by discovering the history of the American Revolution. Discounted tour tickets are available online.
The story along the Freedom Trail is told by tour guides in 18th century garb, and includes tales of mob agitations, high treason, revolutionary actions, and the partisan fights of the American Revolution.
The Freedom Trail Foundation, 99 Chauncy Street, Suite 401, Boston, MA 02111, Phone: 617-357-8300
Attraction Spotlight: Tower Hill Botanic Garden
Tower Hill Botanic Garden Boylston, Massachusetts is 132 acres of trails and planned gardens that feature the finest plants that New England offers through a year-round events schedule.
Tower Hill Botanic Garden began in Boylston, Massachusetts in 1986 when the Worcester County Horticultural Society purchased Tower Hill Farm. The history of the Horticultural Society dates back to 1842 when it was incorporated as a not-for-profit educational organization. The Worcester County Horticultural Society is the third oldest in the country and has been the host of flower shows in Worcester for more than a century. Tower Hills Botanic Garden is comprised of 17 individual gardens, each with their own unique plan. There are 132 acres of space total but much of this is woodland preserve and open space. There is currently renovation going on that will endure through 2038 as part of a Master Plan.
The Apple Orchard- The Frank L Harrington Sr Orchard features the Davenport Collection of heirloom apples on 238 pre-20th century apple trees. There over 119 varieties of apples in the orchard that guests have an opportunity to taste at the Fall Fest celebration annually.
The Cottage Garden- The very first garden at Tower Hill, the Cottage Garden mixes shrubs, annuals, bulbs, perennials, and ornamental grasses, with the peonies, iris, daylilies, and other yard blooms that were preserved from the old farm house when they designed the new garden. The purpose of this garden is to emphasize bright color throughout each season. This garden is especially appealing to people looking for inspiration in their own backyard gardens.
The Entry Garden- The E.Stanley and Alice M. Wright Entry Garden and Thomas Smith W. Entry Court serve as the welcoming center for visitors as they enter the gardens. Visitors learn the history of the Worcester County Horticultural Society, Tower Hill Botanical Garden and the property and the different gardens.
The Field of Daffodils- This Garden is exactly as it sounds—a field of 25,000 daffodils blooms annually in late April and is one of the most popular attractions at the Botanic Garden. The bloom period peak is the third weekend in April through the first week in May but this can vary from year to year so feel free to call ahead before planning your trip for a better estimate.
The Inner Park- The Palmer W. Bigelow Jr. Inner Park is an area of the gardens that is under continual development. The park was once five acres of field that was left to be over run by nature. In the 1990’s Tower Hill staff began clearing the brush and opening the land to become a North American Flora garden but with Greco-Roman landscape and Classical Revival architecture. The space is very whimsical and romantic.
The Lawn Garden- 350 species of trees dominate the Lawn Garden which was the very first major undertaking of Tower Hill in 1989. The Lawn Garden also features thousands of bulbs that bloom in the spring, perennials that follow in the summer such as lilies and berry bushes in the winter. The lawn has a dramatic display of fall leaf colors every autumn.
The Limonaia- The Lemon House was opened in 2010 and is modeled after a traditional lemon house with cathedral ceilings and a sub-tropical environment. The plants in the Lemon House have fruit, sweet fragrances, and bold flowers. During the day temperatures are usually around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pliny’s Allee- This row of oak trees is a beautiful walkway in every season. The Oak trees are underplanted with oak leaf hydrangea, witch hazel, and other shrubs that produce pretty white flowers that borders the path between the mighty oaks. At the end of the Allee there is a fountain and two busts of the Roman God Janus.
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The Asian Woods and Moss Steps- the Asian Woods are made up of Asian and Eurasian Flora and are part of the Edward Mezitt Shade Garden. The Moss Steps are like a garden within a garden. The Castalia stone steps were taken from farm fields that were part of Lake Erie in Ohio. These stones are limestone based and the perfect foundation for moss to grow. The banks of the steps have been planted with mountain laurel and wildflowers that are native to Massachusetts.
The Systematic Garden- This unusual but informative garden gives visitors a one-of-a-kind look at the taxonomy for plant life. This garden represents 26 distinct plant families and acts as a living encyclopedia.
The Orangerie- The Marjorie Doyle Rockwell Orangerie features a glass roof that allows plenty of sunlight while keeping the house cool. The house is full of winter blooming potted plants that are fragrant and can be moved outside in the summer months. This space was open to the public in 1999.
The Vegetable Garden- This organic garden features heirloom and new species of vegetables and herbs, as well as flowers that are edible and delicious. Visitors will learn how to mulch, compost and use Integrated Pest Management for insect and pest control. Education on sustainable gardening techniques in the focus on this garden and the crops that are grown change yearly based on educational themes. Crops grown during the season are harvested and donated to local food banks or used in the Twigs Café.
The Secret Garden- Truly a secret as it is hidden from view in the third row of the lowest terrace of the Lawn Garden, the Edith J Beals Secret Garden features a pool and 17th century fountain. To enter the garden visitors must descend a staircase from an upper terrace or find the brick path, once inside visitors are surrounded by herbaceous borders that are low maintenance and sweetly aromatic.
Winter Garden- Surrounded by other buildings on three sides, the winter garden is easy to visit in the winter because visitors are more protected from the elements. This garden highlights plants that do particularly well in the winter time such as evergreen forms and shrubs. Winter Garden also has several thousand bulbs that bloom in the spring and perennials. The focal point of the Winter Garden is Domitian’s Pool. This pool is heated so that large scale bronze box turtle fountain can run year-round.
Wildlife Refuge Pond- the pond is home to fish and amphibians that are native to the area and provides water to the wildlife over the 132 acres of woodlands and gardens. The Hope Spear Wildlife Refuge Pond is ½ acre and is 100% native wetland shrub and herbaceous perennials.
The Wildlife Garden-Worcester County Horticultural Society transformed the primary dumping grounds of Tower Hill Farm, and past grazing grounds for dairy cattle into a 1-acre wetland and vernal pool that wildlife has been drawn back to and visitors can enjoy. New trees were planted and a bird watching house was erected with several well stocked birdfeeders in the area. There are two bronze crane sculptures displayed here also.
The Court: A Garden Withith Reach- This garden is specifically designed for visitors that present significant mobility issues and features Tower Hill plantings, moveable planters, and other elements in an environment that presents solutions for gardeners that may be presented with mobility issues at home. Visitors can learn different ways of gardening that can help them still be able to enjoy the hobby at home.
Educational Opportunities
Tower Hill Botanic Gardens is dedicated to educational programs and will work with school groups to customize programs from public schools as well as homeschool groups, scout groups, and summer camps. Programs vary in length and activities and can be tailored to fit your groups need. Contact the Manager for School, Youth, and Family Programs for more information.
Events
There are a few events that patrons of the Tower Hill Botanic Garden look forward to annually that are open to the New England Community in addition to the many plant and flower shows that are held at the garden and art exhibits, concerts, and gardening classes. More information about these can be found on the events calendar on their website.
Fall Fest- Every year in October, Tower Hill Botanic Garden opens the Apple Orchard for tours, apple tasting, cooking demonstrations, live music and all things in celebration of fall. There are vendors that come to cell handmade crafts and ware, food trucks, garden tours, horse drawn carriage rides, and more.
Annual Plant Sale- Host to the region’s largest plant sale, Tower Hill Botanic Garden kicks off the summer every May with a plant sale that features a selection of plants for every level of gardener from the most common bulbs to unusual and intriguing varieties of plants and gardening accessories.
Private events can be held at the Botanic Gardens. Weddings, business and social events are frequently held at the gardens. More information can be found online. Be sure to also view their strict photography policy.
Shopping and Dining
The Garden Shop is open every day except Monday and offers gifts and gardening tools and accessories. Visitors can also purchase seasonal indoor and outdoor plants through The Garden Shop and many gardening books are also available. Children will enjoy the variety of toys, nature themed crafts and gardening accessories. Make sure to stop by during the annual summer clearance sale every May.
Stop for Lunch at Twigs Café. All the food served at Twigs is locally sourced and served fresh. The menus can change daily and rotate based on which ingredients are available and in season. Twigs is a children friendly establishment. During the warmer months, a terrace will be open for outdoor seating with mountain and water views.
11 French Drive, Boylston, Massachusetts 01505, Phone: 508-869-6111
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Attraction Spotlight: Highfield Hall and Gardens
The beautiful and often forgotten about city of Falmouth in Massachusetts is home to this elaborate and stunning mansion and the grounds surrounding it. With a myriad of fun events to attend and woodland grounds to explore, visitors can spend many hours seeing and doing everything at Highfield.
History
The history of Highfield Hall can be traced all the way back to 1878 and the Beebe family from Boston, Massachusetts. One of the first mansions in the Cape Cod area, the heirs to one of the largest mercantile fortunes in Boston used the hall to host elaborate parties and events. Unfortunately, as the Beebe’s died off, no heir was left to maintain the grounds and it fell quickly into disrepair. In fact, at one point, there was actually a demolition permit filed. Luckily, the Historic Highland organization stepped in and saved the day, eventually spending nearly nine million dollars to restore the hall to its original splendor and even brought up to date with all the modern trappings.
Permanent Exhibits
The Gardens - There are many gardens outside of the hall itself. There is the Sunken Garden (an herb garden with beautiful and seasonal colors) and the West Garden (a cutting flower garden with carnations and trees meant to be a gathering place), as well as many other smaller gardens.
The Woods - Behind the hall is the 387-acre Beebe Woods, with trails and carriage roads that lead visitors over glacial moraine, past ponds, hills, boulders, and beautiful terrain. There is also a tree path, located near the parking area, that leads guests past where there was once a greenhouse. The trees were an important part of the life of the original residents of the premises. Visitors should make sure to check out a pond affectionately known as the “Punch Bowl,” located at nearly the center of the woods, if they are adventurous enough to venture out that far!
Art - Besides the art featured on a rotating basis on the inside of the hall, visitors should also make sure to check out all of the art outside as well. Angela Tanner’s Wind in the Door, a life size fairy gate, that allows mystical creatures like fairies and spirits to move through when open. Beautifully and artistically created by the author, who was inspired by books that she loved in her childhood, this sculpture brings a sense of fun and whimsy to the garden. The Fragment House, created by Danielle Krcmar, is the very first environmental and interactive piece of art to be shown on the grounds. Also, to watch out for while in the gardens are the art piece called Spirits of the Garden which lives in the Sunken Garden, and the beautiful 5DMERKABA (a meditation inspired six pointed state) located behind the hall.
Highfield Hall - The architecture of the summer mansion itself is also another main attraction. Built in the Stick style Queen Anne manner, Highfield Hall and Tanglewood (an adjoining mansion that has since been demolished) are both said to have been created by Peabody and Stearns. They have been lovingly restored and now feature a rotating collection of artwork. There are also docent led tours of both the mansion and the grounds for guests who would like some additional guidance and historic information.
The Highfield Story - The only permanent collection/exhibit on the premises tells the history of the hall and its journey from premiere summer mansion to family home to the renovated beauty it is today.
Special Events
Highfield Hall is available for guests to rent for special events. The property also offers a catering service, called the Casual Gourmet, meets personally with everyone renting the space to discuss a menu catered to their specific needs and desires. Contacts the Hall ahead of time to reserve, inquire about restrictions and costs, and start the process of catering (if desired).
There are also many events and classes hosted on the premises. From the seasonal (Holidays at Highfield, for instance, offers seasonal decorating, activities and displays to get guests into the holiday spirit), to cooking classes and Burns night (a night to “roast” people in the traditional of one of the most well-known Scottish bards, Robert Burns), there is something going on all the time at the hall. Check the website for additional information about time, cost, etc. Bring friends and family and have fun while exploring the historic premises.
Highfield Hall and Gardens, 56 Highfield Drive, Falmouth, MA, 02541, Phone: 508-495-1878
