Page 157 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

BOST ON , M ASSA CHUSE T T S  155

Renzo Piano. The facility steps lead to the top where
brings the collections of the climbers are rewarded with
university’s three major art spectacular views of Boston
museums under one roof. Harbor and the new Zakim
A glass roof illuminates the Bridge, the new northern
central courtyard, which is gateway to Boston (staircase
also a passageway through closes at 4:30pm). Exhibits in the
the museum. A café adjoins base of the monument explain
the courtyard. The three the history and significance of
museum collections span the the battle, which bought time
continents and centuries. for Continental Army forces to
The Fogg Art Museum focuses assemble to keep the British
on European art from the late occupying forces penned up
Middle Ages to the present, with Chinese statues from the Sackler on the Boston peninsula.
particular strengths in pre- Museum’s collection Charlestown Navy Yard,
Renaissance and Renaissance established in 1800, is the home
painting, as well as the Wertheim include totem carvings by of America’s most famous
Collection of Impressionist and Pacific Northwest tribes, Navajo warship, the USS Constitution.
Post-Impressionist art. weavings, artifacts from the Built in 1797, and nicknamed
The Busch-Reisinger Lewis & Clark Expedition, and “Old Ironsides” (see p143), she
Museum concentrates on casts of objects unearthed at is the oldest commissioned
Germanic art, particularly of the Chichén Itzá in Mexico and warship afloat and a veteran
20th century, and contains Copán in Honduras. of 42 victorious battles at sea.
works by such masters as Although in the Dry Dock till
Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, E Harvard Art Museums late 2017 for restoration, she
Emil Nolde, and Oskar 32 Quincy St. Tel (617) 495-9400. is taken out into the harbor
Kokoschka. Late medieval Open 10am–5pm daily. on July 4 each year for a
sculpture and 18th-century art Closed public hols. & 7 8 turnaround that reverses her
are also strongly represented. ∑ harvardartmuseums.org position at the pier. Visitors
The Sackler Museum houses E Peabody Museum of must pass a security check.
a rich collection of ancient Archaeology & Ethnology
Greek and Roman, Asian, 11 Divinity Ave. Tel (617) 496-1027. Environs
Indian, and Near Eastern art, Open 9am–5pm daily. Closed Jan 1, The Colonial town of Lexington,
and some of the finest Chinese Jul 4, Thanksgiving, Dec 24 & 25. & 16 miles (26 km) northwest of
bronzes outside China. 7 8 ∑ peabody.harvard.edu Boston, is the site of the first
The Harvard Museum of E Harvard Museum of bloody skirmish between armed
Natural History is the public Natural History colonists, called Minutemen,
face of three Harvard institutions: 26 Oxford St. Tel (617) 495-3045. and British troops. This battle,
the Botanical Museum, the Open 9am–5pm daily. Closed Jul 4, on April 19, 1775, acted as a
Museum of Comparative Thanksgiving, Dec 24 & 25. & 7 8 catalyst for the Revolutionary
Zoology, and the Mineralogical ∑ hmnh.harvard.edu War (see p54). The Lexington
and Geological Museum. Battle Green, with its Minute
Highlights include fascinating l Charlestown Man statue, is the focal point
exhibits, from dinosaurs to of the town. Three historic
whales to ants, and the “glass  Community College. @ 93. g buildings associated with
flowers” – 3,000 botanically from Long Wharf. ( Wed. _ Jun 24. the battle and maintained
correct, exquisite models of by the local Historical Society
850 plant species in handblown Historic Charlestown, its are open to visitors seasonally.
glass, created between 1887 and picturesque streets lined with
1936 by father and son artisans Colonial houses, is the site of
Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka. the pivotal Battle of Bunker
Don’t miss the spectacular Hill, which took place on
geodes or the collections June 17, 1775. This was the
of mysterious meteorites. Revolution’s first pitched battle
The Peabody Museum of between British and Colonial
Archaeology and Ethnology, troops, and, though the latter
entered at the opposite side of lost, they made a courageous
the building from the Natural stand, inflicting huge losses on
History Museum, has impressive the much larger British force.
collections of Egyptian, North The Bunker Hill Monument, a
American Indian, and Central 221-ft (67-m) granite obelisk,
American artifacts as well as dedicated in 1843, commem-
objects from the South Pacific orates this event. The building Granite obelisk of the Bunker Hill
Islands. Outstanding exhibits has no elevator, but 294 stone Monument in Charlestown

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