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Harvard may hold Cambridge’s
undeniable claim to worldwide fame, but that is not to diminish the
city’s vibrant neighborhoods, superb restaurants, unique shops, and
colorful bars lying just beyond the school’s gates. Harvard Square, with
its international newsstands, name-brand shopping, and numerous coffee
houses, is a heady mix of urban bohemia and Main Street USA. And despite
its 350-plus years, Cambridge is one of the most youthful cities in the
country, welcoming tens of thousands of college students to Harvard,
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and a handful of other
schools every fall. To the northwest, the heavily residential city of
Somerville is distinguished by its tightly knit European-style squares,
where tourists seldom tread and local character abounds.
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The performing arts form an integral part of the character of Cambridge and Somerville. The ornate Somerville Theater draws nationally recognized musical acts, while the Loeb Drama Center
stages The American Repertory Theatre’s daring, top-notch productions.
And Harvard student-produced pieces grace the Hasty Pudding Theatre’s
stage (12 Holyoke St, Cambridge 617 495 5205).
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Note:Cambridge and Somerville are served by the “T” red line
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Note:Free tours of Harvard Yard depart from Holyoke Center (1350 Massachusetts Ave , 617 495 1573)
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MIT is a scenic 20-minute walk from Downtown Boston across Longfellow Bridge
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AttractionsHarvard University While
its stellar reputation might suggest visions of ivory towers in the
sky, Harvard is a surprisingly accessible, welcoming place. Too often,
visitors limit themselves to what is visible from the Yard:
Massachusetts Hall, the Widener Library, maybe University Hall. But with
top-notch museums, the eclectic Harvard Square, and daring performing
arts spaces such as the Loeb Drama Center and Memorial Hall’s Sanders Theater lying just beyond the university, Harvard provides every incentive to linger a while.
Musician, Harvard Square
Harvard Square
Memorial Hall, Harvard University
Harvard Art Museums Harvard
has some of the world’s finest collegiate art collections, which are
usually displayed in three separate museums. However, during extensive
renovation work to the Fogg and Busch-Reisinger buildings, which will
continue until 2013, highlights from all three museums will be on
display at the Sackler Museum. Visitors will enjoy the surprising
juxtapositions of Chinese bronzes, Greek vases, medieval altarpieces,
and German expressionist paintings . Sackler MuseumPeabody & Natural History Museums Its
ongoing commitment to research aside, the Peabody excels at
illustrating how interactions between distinct cultures have in turn
affected peoples’ lives and livelihoods. Its North American Indian
exhibit displays artifacts that reflect the aftermath of encounters
between white Europeans and Native Americans. The Natural History museum
delves even deeper in time, exhibiting eons-old natural wonders . Peabody Museum11 Divinity Ave 617 496 1027 Open 9am–5pm daily Adm
Natural History MuseumCharles River Banks Whether you’re cheering the rowers of the Head of the Charles Regatta
or watching the “T” cross Longfellow Bridge through a barrage of
snowflakes, the banks of the Charles River offer a fantastic vantage
point for taking in Boston’s celebrated scenes. In summer, the adjacent Memorial Drive becomes a sea of strollers, joggers, and rollerbladers.
Charles River Banks
Museum of Science Exploring
the cosmos in the Hayden Planetarium, hitting the high notes on a
musical staircase, experiencing larger-than-life IMAX films in the Mugar
Omni Theater – the Museum of Science knows how to make learning
enjoyable. In addition to these attractions, the museum hosts
blockbuster touring exhibits like Alice the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Live presentations take place throughout the day. Davis Square With its cooler-than-thou coffee shops, lively bar scene, affordable restaurants, and the renowned Somerville Theater,
Davis Square, Somerville stands as the metro area’s most desirable
neighborhood for many young Bostonians. And with prestigious Tufts
University just a 10-minute walk away, the square’s youthful spirit is
in a constant state of replenishment. Inman Square Oft-overlooked
Inman Square is possibly Cambridge’s best-kept secret. Boasting such
renowned restaurants and cafés as the East Coast Grill and 1369, an ace
jazz club (Ryles), plus Christina’s delectable ice creams, Inman handsomely rewards those willing to go out of their way to experience a real-deal Cambridge ‘hood.
Mural, Inman Square
Longfellow House Poet
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow can be credited with helping to shape
Boston’s – and America’s – collective identity. His poetic documentation
of Paul Revere’s
midnight ride immortalized both him and his subject. In 1837,
Longfellow took up residence in this house in the country’s academic
heart, a few blocks from Harvard Yard. He was not the house’s first
illustrious resident. General George Washington headquartered and
planned the 1776 siege of Boston in these rooms. The building is
preserved with furnishings of Longfellow’s and Washington’s heydays, and
houses the poet’s archives. Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center Housed
in a beautiful 19th-century courthouse, the CMAC presents performance
and visual art exhibitions which promote cross-cultural exchange. A
unique feature is the encouragement of dialogue between audience and
artist after performances and openings. 41 2nd St 617 577 1400 Open 10am–6pm Mon–Fri Free
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Not
to be outdone by its irrepressible Ivy League neighbor, MIT has been
the country’s leading technical university since its founding in 1861.
This school of improbable theorems and calculator-toting world shapers
offers many places of interest. Its List Visual Arts Center exhibits
work that comments on technology or employs it in fresh, surprising
ways. Also of note is the MIT Museum, with its interactive exhibits on
artificial intelligence, holography, and the world’s first computers. 77 Massachusetts Ave 617 253 4795
List Visual Arts CenterMIT Museum
Amorales vs Amorales by Carlos Amorales, at MIT’s List Visual Arts Center
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