The oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy and undefeated in battle, Old Ironsides earned its famous nickname with its legendary ability to repel any shot fired. Active-duty sailors guide visitors around the ship.

This library preserves historical and legal records of Massachusetts for its citizens. The museum offers formal exhibits showcasing its artifacts.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in the Fenway area of Boston features a fine art collection housed in a building that is a work of art in itself.  The Venetian-style palace is probably best known...

Boston's oldest, largest and best-known art institution, the MFA houses one of the world's most comprehensive art collections and is renowned for its Impressionist paintings, Asian and Egyptian collections and early American art.

Relive the Kennedy era in this dynamic combination museum and library, where your visit starts with a short film and then leaves you on your own to explore a series of fascinating exhibits, including the Kennedy-Nixon debate, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the space program, 1960s campaign paraphernalia and displays about Jacqueline and other Kennedy family members. The striking, I.M. Pei-designed building overlooks the water and the Boston skyline.

Boston's oldest public building was the site of the city's first reading of the Declaration of Independence.

This museum features cutting-edge contemporary painting, sculpture, architecture, film and photography.

Highlights of this interactive museum include the "Science Playground," featuring giant soap bubble-making tools and the "New Balance Climb," which teaches kids the laws of physics while navigating through a two-story-high maze.

The Boston Public Library was the first large municipally-funded public library in America.  It has a central location right in the heart of Copley Square, facing the Trinity Church, easily accessible

The six glass towers of this striking memorial serve to represent the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust, six main Nazi death camps and the candles on a menorah.

The Boston Athenaeum 10 1/2 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108 617-227-0270 www.bostonathenae... Free guided tours are given every Tuesday and Thursday at 3:00 by reservation only (617-720-7600...

The Mary Baker Eddy Library offers visitors a remarkable look at the Mapparium, the only one of its kind in the world.  Produced in 1935, the Mapparium is a three story high inside-out globe made of...

Fun for the entire family, this museum highlights New England's athletes and teams through video footage, memorabilia and interactive exhibits.

Visitors to this replica of the famous ship can participate in a reenactment of the famous revolt protesting "taxation without representation." (Please note: The museum is currently undergoing full renovation with plans for reopening summer 2007.)

Located on historic Beacon Street, this museum is housed in a 1859 Boston brownstone with Victorian furnishings.