View Boston Part I, Boston Part II, Boston Part III, and Boston Part IV
Bostonians are proud of the fact that they had a president from their hometown. President John F. Kennedy was not a Boston resident at the start of his life, however. Kennedy was in fact from Brookline, a town surrounded on almost all sides by Boston and one that you could pass through and not even know that you left Boston. Brookline and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum are the fifth part of our journey through this historic area.
Brookline is a town founded just to the west of the area we know now as “Back Bay” (featured in Part IV of this travelogue) that, though it feels a lot like Boston, is its own independent municipality. Throughout history, there have been a number of attempts by Boston to annex it, but it has resisted every one and remains its own town today.
The town is or was home to many famous residents. A few in particular include Larry Bird, King Gillette, Conan O’Brien, Barbara Walters, and, of course, John F. Kennedy and his brother, Robert F. Kennedy. This municipality is not, however, where official library and museum is located, for it too is in Boston. Still, if you’re passing through Brookline, there are many quaint “brownstone” buildings and plenty of good places to eat. A favorite of mine was Vinny T’s, but that has since closed.
Getting to the JFK Presidential Library and Museum
The library & museum are located within the Boston city limits, but this part of our journey will take us south of the area known as South Boston (affectionately known as “Southie”) to the Dorchester neighborhood. If you’re driving, find your way to Interstate 93 and get off at either Exit 14 or 15. Either way, you’ll soon run into Morrissey Boulevard, and by then, you’ll be near Boston College High and the campus of the University of Massachusetts-Boston. You’re going to want to go onto the campus, since that’s where the library is.
If you’re taking the “T,” the library is located on the Red Line at the JFK/UMass stop. It may be a bit of a walk from there, but there are complimentary shuttle buses (marked “JFK”) which run frequently while the museum is open for business. The T stop is not directly adjacent to the library.
Admission
For adults, visiting the library and museum costs $12. For college students with a valid ID, $10. Those 62 and over are also $10, while kids 13-17 are $9 and children 12 and under are free.
A Few Exhibits
Sights to see at the Kennedy Library, which lies directly aside Massachusetts Bay, include exhibits highlighting the late president’s championing of the space program, his handling of the Cuban missile crisis, and his historic election to the nation’s highest office.
For a complete listing of exhibits available now, please consult the Exhibits page.
