Boston Public Library, June 2015, photo by Anna Cluttebuck-Cook

As you prepare for your three-week residency in Boston, chances are you’re excited not only about your research but also about exploring the city! Compared with the sprawling cities of the Midwest, you will likely find Boston a compact and eminently walkable city with excellent public transit both within the city (MBTA buses and subway — “the T”) and across the region (Amtrak, commuter rail, and buses). Below is a sampling of some of the events on offer during your stay here in “the Hub.”

Week One

If you arrive in Boston the weekend before orientation (June 4-5), check out the Coolidge Corner Arts Festival (Coolidge Corner stop on the Green Line “C” branch) and/or the Cambridge River Arts Festival (a short walk from Kendall Square). On Sunday, the free Beacon Hill Art Walk will give you a chance to explore the heart of the original Boston peninsula.

June is Pride month, and the week of June 5-11 culminates in the Boston Pride Festival and Parade on Saturday, June 11. The parade route passes through the heart of central Boston from Copley Square to the Boston Common to the Government Center plaza, where many festival events are held. Check out the official calendar for a full list of LGBTQ-themed events throughout your time in Boston.

Week Two

On Sunday, June 12 you can catch the Boston Dragon Boat Festival on the banks of the Charles River.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra is offering one of their world-famous Boston Pops concerts on June 14-15.  If you enjoy live theatre, the Central Square Theatre in Cambridge is performing Twelfth Night June 9 through the end of the month.  On Saturday, June 18 you can attend the 9th Annual Fete de la Musique/Make Music Harvard Square event (check out last year’s lineup here).

Week Three

Sunday, June 19 will be the final day of GuitarFest XI at New England Conservatory, which runs June 15-19. Special exhibitions at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston include Megacities Asia, #TechStyle, and Pairing Picasso, all which will be on display throughout June. Wednesday nights the MFA is open until 10pm and admission after 4pm is by “voluntary contribution” (student tickets are typically $23).

And finally, if you’re staying a day or two after the BSS16 program ends, the Roxbury International Film Festival (June 22-July 1) will be taking place at the Museum of Fine Arts, showcasing work by and about people of color from around the world.

Useful Boston Websites

• Boston.com
• The Boston Globe
• @BostonTweet
• MBTA.com (transit schedules, maps, and updates)
• WBUR
• Universal Hub

Related Posts From 2015

• Boston Tips: Lunch Spots
  Oh, the Places You’ll Go!  (museums, libraries, churches)
  Boston Tips: Weekends In and Around Boston

~ Anna Clutterbuck-Cook, MHS Liaison Librarian