John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum

Columbia Point, Boston, MA 02125, USA

The assassination of Boston’s favorite son is burned into the memory of most Americans who lived through that tragic moment in history, but the JFK Presidential Library and Museum is a celebration of John F. Kennedy’s life, not his death. Housed in an I.M. Pei–designed building set on 10 waterfront acres in Dorchester, the museum boasts a collection that includes the unusual (a coconut that Kennedy inscribed with a rescue message for the crew of the PT-109 during World War II), the emblematic (Kennedy’s sailboat Victura), and the trappings of state (everything from Oval Office furniture to a camel saddle gifted by the president of Niger). Jackie Kennedy has her own permanent exhibit (which includes her clothing), and special collections focus on the 1960 presidential campaign and the space race against the Soviet Union. Come on a sunny day and enjoy a picnic and a game of catch on the lawn, or take a stroll on the Columbia Point harbor walk—the fitness-minded JFK would certainly approve.

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John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

The assassination of Boston’s favorite son is burned into the memory of most Americans who lived through that tragic moment in history, but the JFK Presidential Library and Museum is a celebration of John F. Kennedy’s life, not his death. Housed in an I.M. Pei–designed building set on 10 waterfront acres in Dorchester, the museum boasts a collection that includes the unusual (a coconut that Kennedy inscribed with a rescue message for the crew of the PT-109 during World War II), the emblematic (Kennedy’s sailboat Victura), and the trappings of state (everything from Oval Office furniture to a camel saddle gifted by the president of Niger). Jackie Kennedy has her own permanent exhibit (which includes her clothing), and special collections focus on the 1960 presidential campaign and the space race against the Soviet Union. Come on a sunny day and enjoy a picnic and a game of catch on the lawn, or take a stroll on the Columbia Point harbor walk—the fitness-minded JFK would certainly approve.

JFK Off the Beaten Path in Boston

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum is definitely worth a visit while in Boston. It’s south of Boston’s city center and away from all the crowds and sits right on the water so it’s really calm and peaceful. The museum is full of memorabilia from JFK’s life before and during his presidency and there is so much information that chronicles his life. There is also a patio in the back of the museum where John’s boat is on display and where you can look out to the water. I would love to go back and browse through the library itself.

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

A tribute to the 35th U.S. president, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum looks at all he accomplished in his short life. Step back into the 1960s, with period settings from the White House and 25 multimedia exhibits that explore Kennedy’s time in office. The four-hectare (10-acre) site offers panoramic views of the skyline of Kennedy’s beloved Boston and the Harbor Islands.

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