Massachussets Archives - Go See Do Explore

Faneuil Hall – Boston

When planning our day in Boston, the one thing I knew I wanted to see was the Freedom Trail. Boston’s Freedom Trail is a two and a half mile route throughout the city marked with a red line that leads to 16 sites from the American Revolution. The trail begins at Faneuil Hall where we caught a free walking tour led by the National Park Service. Throughout the years, Faneuil Hall has had many purposes. The lower level is a marketplace. The second floor served as Boston’s Town Meeting Hall (above) and the third floor held the town’s armory (NPS).

U.S.S. Constitution AKA Old Ironsides

Boston Common (bottom right), Old North Church, Old South Meeting House, Paul Revere’s House, the Site of the Boston Massacre, and the U.S.S. Constitute (left) are just a few of the sites along the Freedom Trail. The trail ends at the Bunker Hill Monument which commemorates one of the first battles of the American Revolution. Unfortunately it was closed during our visit due to extreme heat.

Soldiers & Sailors Monument in Boston Common

We were able to tour the U.S.S. Constitution. The U.S.S. Constitution is the oldest commissioned naval vessel still afloat and was named by George Washington. Interestingly, “Old Ironsides” is made entirely of wood. She was given the name during the War of 1812 when British cannonballs seemed to bounce right off of her. The ship’s copper fastenings were made by Paul Revere (Freedom Trail).

If you are planning on visiting Boston, I highly recommend the National Park Service Tours. For one it doesn’t cost anything and the tour guides are highly knowledgeable. Our guide wrote her Doctoral Dissertation on Paul Revere. I’m sure those other tours don’t have guides with that kind of expertise!

There is so much to see and do and Boston and one day is really not enough time to explore it all. Boston is definitely on my list of places to return with more time!

Thanks for stopping by! If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram, and Flickr! You can purchase prints on Etsy and Fine Art America. To see inside my camera bag, check out my Gear Page. For information about our new Guided Photography Tours, visit GuidedPhoto.com.

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A rare photo of me at the Eric Carle Museum

Ever since I discovered that there was a museum dedicated to picture book art, specifically Eric Carle art, I knew this was a place I would have to visit. So, when mapping out our East Coast Road Trip, I was excited to discover it was only about an hour out of the way.

The museum in Amherst, Massachusetts was founded by legendary children’s book illustrator, Eric Carle. The museum is definitely geared towards children and families with interactive exhibits at the children’s level. The museum is home to three galleries: the Eric Carle gallery and two rotating galleries. My favorite was definitely the Eric Carle gallery. It was interesting getting to see unpublished pages from his books as well as a timeline of his life. During our visit, the middle gallery featured the art of Leo and Diane Dillon. I don’t know that I had ever read any of their books, but the art featured was beautiful. The east gallery featured a Paddington bear exhibit that the kids really seemed into. I’ve never read any Paddington books or seen any of the movies, so I couldn’t really relate to it.

Admission to the Eric Carle Museum is only $9 for adults; youth, teachers, and seniors are $6. It is a small museum but it is definitely worth a visit if you have children or are just a fan of picture books like me! Admission includes the galleries, the picture book library (that is organized by illustrator, not author, in case you were wondering), and the art studio where kids can create their own art. The museum is also home to an auditorium that features films inspired by children’s books as well as live music, theater performances, and lectures. Most are included with museum admission. Beginning on September 8, the Eric Carle exhibit is transforming in celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar! I wish I could go back to check it out!

Thanks for stopping by! To plan your visit to The Eric Carle Museum, visit carlemuseum.org. If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram, and Flickr! You can purchase prints on Etsy and Fine Art America. To see inside my camera bag, check out my Gear Page. For information about our new Guided Photography Tours, visit GuidedPhoto.com.

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Tag: Massachussets

Boston Freedom Trail

Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art