Must-see attractions in Massachusetts

  • Museum of Science

    Boston

    The educational playground that is the Museum of Science has more than 600 interactive exhibits. Favorites include the world’s largest lightning-bolt…

  • Boy watching sea turtle in aquarium

    New England Aquarium

    Boston

    Teeming with sea creatures of all sizes, shapes and colors, this giant fishbowl is the centerpiece of downtown Boston's waterfront. There are countless…

  • Colonial homes and garden

    Plimoth Plantation

    South Shore

    Three miles south of Plymouth center, Plimoth Plantation authentically re-creates the Pilgrims’ settlement in its primary exhibit, entitled 1627 English…

  • Boston, MA - 9/11/20: A welcome arch of butterflies and flowers made of traditional Chinese lanterns, spans the entry of the Franklin Park zoo for Boston Lights; Shutterstock ID 1824698471; your: Claire Naylor; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: Boston POIs

    Franklin Park Zoo

    Boston

    Tucked into Franklin Park, the zoo features a half-dozen different habitats, as well as special exhibits devoted to birds and butterflies. The highlight…

  • Dune's edge, pitch pine, Marconi beach, wellfleet, Cape Cod national seashore.

    Cape Cod National Seashore

    Cape Cod

    Cape Cod National Seashore extends some 40 miles around the curve of the Outer Cape and encompasses the Atlantic shoreline from Orleans all the way to…

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    Old North Church

    Boston

    Longfellow’s poem 'Paul Revere’s Ride' has immortalized this graceful church. It was here, on the night of April 18, 1775, that the sexton hung two…

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    Institute of Contemporary Art

    Boston

    Boston has become a focal point for contemporary art in the 21st century, with the Institute of Contemporary Art leading the way. The building is a work…

  • USA, Massachusetts, Martha's Vineyard . Ancient houses at Oak Bluff
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    Campgrounds & Tabernacle

    Martha's Vineyard

    Oak Bluffs started out in the mid-19th century as a summer retreat by a revivalist church, whose members enjoyed a day at the beach as much as a gospel…

  • Peabody Essex Museum

    Massachusetts

    All of the art, artifacts and curiosities that Salem merchants brought back from the Far East were the foundation for this museum. Founded in 1799, it is…

  • Nantucket Whaling Museum

    Nantucket

    One of the island's highlights, this evocative museum occupies an 1847 spermaceti (whale oil) candle factory and the excellent exhibits relive Nantucket's…

  • Salt Pond Visitor Center

    Cape Cod

    The Salt Pond Visitor Center is the place to start exploring the National Seashore – and it has a great view to boot. Here you'll find exhibits and short…

  • Mayflower II

    South Shore

    If Plymouth Rock tells us little about the Pilgrims, Mayflower II speaks volumes. Climb aboard this replica of the small ship in which the Pilgrims made…

  • Heritage Museums & Gardens

    Cape Cod

    Fun for kids and adults alike, the 100-acre Heritage Museums & Gardens sports a superb vintage automobile collection in a Shaker-style round barn, an…

  • Old State House

    Boston

    Dating from 1713, the Old State House is Boston’s oldest surviving public building, where the Massachusetts Assembly used to debate the issues of the day…

  • Underground at Ink Block

    South End & Chinatown

    What used to be an abandoned parking lot beneath the interstate is now an 8-acre playground and art space. The main draw is the fantastic mural project,…

  • Punto Urban Art Museum

    Massachusetts

    If you walk south on Lafayette from Derby St, you'll find yourself on the other side of the tracks (or river, in this case). Welcome to El Punto, or ‘The…

  • Pilgrim Hall Museum

    South Shore

    Claiming to be the oldest continually operating public museum in the country, Pilgrim Hall Museum was founded in 1824. Its exhibits are not reproductions…

  • Captains' Mile

    Cape Cod

    Nearly 50 historic sea captains' homes are lined up along MA 6A (the Old King's Hwy) in Yarmouth Port, on a 1.5-mile stretch known as the Captains' Mile…

  • John F Kennedy Hyannis Museum

    Cape Cod

    Hyannis has been the summer home of the Kennedy clan for generations. Back in the day, JFK spent the warmer months here – times that are beautifully…

  • Nantucket Atheneum

    Nantucket

    More than just the public library, this stately Greek Revival edifice is a sight in itself. The 2nd-floor Great Hall has hosted such notables as Ralph…

  • Menemsha Harbor & Beach

    Martha's Vineyard

    Virtually unchanged since it appeared in the movie Jaws 40 years ago, Menemsha is a relaxing outpost to explore. Basin Rd borders a harbor of fishing…

  • Brant Point Light

    Nantucket

    Welcoming ferries into Nantucket Harbor, this lighthouse was established in 1746 and is still in operation. It's quite tiny (only 26ft), but impossibly…

  • First Congregational Church

    Nantucket

    Everyone comes to this church, which traces its roots to the early 1700s, for the eagle-eye view from the top of the steeple. It's well worth the 94-step…

  • Plimoth Grist Mill

    South Shore

    In 1636, local leaders constructed a gristmill on Town Brook so that the growing community could grind corn and produce cornmeal. Today, the replica mill…

  • USA, Massachusetts, Boston

    Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

    Boston

    'Boston Harbor a teapot tonight!' To protest against unfair taxes, a gang of rebellious colonists dumped 342 chests of tea into the water. The 1773…

  • Faneuil Hall, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Faneuil Hall

    Boston

    ‘Those who cannot bear free speech had best go home,’ said Wendell Phillips. ‘Faneuil Hall is no place for slavish hearts.’ Indeed, this public meeting…

  • the famous Forest Hills Cemetery in Boston MA, United States

    Forest Hills Cemetery

    Boston

    Dating from 1848, Forest Hills is a gorgeous, green cemetery that is filled with art and whimsy. It is still an active burial ground, but it also plays…

  • Custom House Tower.

    Custom House

    Boston

    The lower portion of the Custom House, begun in 1837, resembles a Greek temple, but the federal government wanted something grander, so in 1913 it…

  • A sailboat crosses in front of Boston Light; Shutterstock ID 9570529; Your name (First / Last): Trisha Ping; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Trisha Ping/65050/Online Editorial/New England

    Little Brewster Island

    Massachusetts

    Little Brewster is the country’s oldest light station and site of the iconic Boston Light, dating from 1783. To visit Little Brewster, you must take an…

  • Gay Head in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.
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    Aquinnah Cliffs

    Martha's Vineyard

    Also known as the Gay Head Cliffs, these clay cliffs, overlooking a 5-mile-long beach, were formed by glaciers 100 million years ago. Rising 150ft from…

  • Georges Island Winter Fortress in Boston Harbor, MA; Shutterstock ID 131506997; Your name (First / Last): Trisha Ping; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Trisha Ping/65050/Online Editorial/New England

    Georges Island

    Massachusetts

    Georges Island is one of the transportation hubs for the Boston Harbor Islands. It is also the site of Fort Warren, a 19th-century fort and Civil War…

  • H10028 Witch House, Salem

    Witch House

    Massachusetts

    Of more than a score of witchy attractions in town, this is the only actual historic site. The house was once the home of Jonathan Corwin, a local…

  • Adams National Historic Park

    South Shore

    The Adams family sights are accessible by guided tours departing from the Adams National Historic Park Visitor Center. Every half-hour (until 3:15pm),…

  • Boston Lighthouse, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts.

    Boston Harbor Islands

    Massachusetts

    Designated a National Recreation Area, the Boston Harbor Islands consist of 34 islands with sandy beaches and hiking trails. Since the massive cleanup of…

  • Gay Head, Martha's Vineyard
Square Outdoors Water's Edge Coastal Feature Sunset Sea Beach Massachusetts Color Image Headland Wave Pattern Martha's Vineyard Tide Photography Aquinnah Gay Head Cliff Rocky Coastline

    Aquinnah Public Beach

    Martha's Vineyard

    Aquinnah Public Beach (also known as Moshup Beach) is an impressive 5 miles long. Access is free, although parking ($10 to $20) is not. From the parking…

  • King's Chapel & Burying Ground

    Boston

    Puritan Bostonians were not pleased when the original Anglican church was erected on this site in 1688. The granite chapel standing today – built in 1754 …

  • New England Sports Museum

    Boston

    The New England Sports Museum is not the best place to witness Boston's deep-rooted devotion to sport (try Fenway Park for that), but fans will enjoy the…

  • Plymouth Rock

    South Shore

    Thousands of visitors come each year to look at this weathered granite ball and consider what it was like for the Pilgrims who stepped ashore on a foreign…

  • Paper House

    Massachusetts

    In 1922, long before there was any municipal recycling program, Elis F Stenman decided that something useful should be done with all those daily…

  • Hammond Castle Museum

    Massachusetts

    Dr John Hays Hammond Jr (1888–1965) was an electrical engineer and inventor who amassed a fortune fulfilling defense contracts. With this wealth, Hammond…

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