Attractions

Fire Museum

Opened in May of 1992, the Brockton Fire Museum was constructed for the purpose of preserving the proud history of fire fighting in the Brockton area. The artfully designed building, with wide pumpkin pine floors and subdued lighting, effectively conveys the atmosphere of a classic Brockton fire station during Victorian times. Literally thousands of fascinating fire-fighting artifacts are preserved within the 2000 square-foot structure. The largest object on display is the beautifully restored 1850s Hand-Tub Pumper called “The Protector.” There is also a touching memorial dedicated to the memory of the 13 Brockton firemen who were killed in the Strand Theater disaster in 1941, the most firemen killed in a building fire in the nation’s history.

Shoe Museum

Billing itself as “the only authentic shoe museum in America,” the Brockton Shoe Museum features footwear exhibits that trace the history of American shoes from early Indian moccasins to the sneakers worn by today’s marathon runners. The celebrity collection includes shoes worn by President Clinton, Red Sox slugger Ted Williams, and Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler. There’s also a pair of
slippers worn by US Representative Barney Frank, black Allen-Edmonds dress shoes (size 8) worn by Regis Philbin, and a pair of multicolored John Fluevog ankle boots that Steven Tyler wore in the music video for “Walk This Way.”

The Shoe Museum, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, is part of the Brockton Historical Society Museums.

The Brockton Historical Society

The Brockton Historical Society is home to the Thomas Edison Exhibit and the memorabilia of the undefeated World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Rocky Marciano. Middleweight Marvelous Martin Hagler also hailed from Brockton.

Art Complex Museum

A thirty minute drive from Brockton will take you to the Art Complex Museum which is a contemporary structure of glass and wood on over 13 acres of open fields and woodlands. It serves as a center for regional arts and for the collections of the Carl A. Weyerhaeuser family. Exhibitions offer muchvariety including contemporary artists, group and traveling shows and works from the collection, known for its strengths in Shaker furniture, prints, American paintings, and Asian art.

Back Roads of the South Shore

What was it like to live in Massachusetts in years past? Come discover for yourself. See the kitchens, the great rooms, parlors and bed chambers in which you would have made your home. Consider how you might have cooked dinner for your family of ten on an open hearth. A rich and rewarding journey of discovery awaits you along the road less taken. Stone fences, fields and meadows, salt air and a leisurely pace will enthrall you and your family. Back Roads of the South Shore is a collaborative project of thirteen leading historic sites in eight towns along the south shore of Massachusetts. Historic sites from Hingham to Plymouth include- the Old Ordinary in Hingham, Captain John Wilson House in Cohasset, Cudworth House and Mann House in Scituate, Winslow House in Marshfield, King Caesar House, John Alden House and Gershom Bradford House in Duxbury, Major John Bradford House in Kingston, and the Harlow Old Fort House, Spooner House, Jabez Howland House, Jenney Grist Mill, and Pilgrim Hall in Plymouth.

Plymouth Plantation

Plymouth Plantation is the living history museum of 17th-century Plymouth where you can talk with the Pilgrims in the 1627 Pilgrim Village and on board Mayflower II and visit an authentically recreated Wampanoag Indian home site. In the Crafts Center indulge in conversation with skilled artisans as they create the goods that are sold in the Museum Shops and also used by the role-playing Pilgrims.

The Ecotarium

The Ecotarium in Worcester is a multimillion dollar natural science and environmental education center on the old New England Science Center 60-acre campus. Inside are the three-level hands-on exhibit hall, a multimedia planetarium, and a solar-lunar observatory. Outside are a maze of nature trails, a train ride, a 100-foot tower that uses wind to generate power, and an indoor outdoor zoo.

Old Sturbridge Village

Old Sturbridge Village, located near Southbridge in Sturbridge, is a “must-see” destination to experience early New England life from 1790-1840. One of the country’s largest living history museums, OSV has a large staff of historians in costume, 59 historic buildings on 200 acres, three authentic water-powered mills and two covered bridges. Visitors can ride in a stagecoach, view antiques, heirloom gardens, meet the farm animals, and take part in hands-on crafts year-round.

Wachusett Mountain State Reservation

Rising above the surrounding forest to a height of 2006 feet, Mount Wachusett stands as a unique landmark within the central New England landscape. From the summit, a clear day reveals views of Mt. Monadnock in New Hampshire, the Berkshires to the west, and the Boston skyline to the east. The 3,000-acre Wachusett Mountain State Reservation surrounds the summit and offers a wealth of natural and recreational resources including forests, alpine meadows, ponds, streams, fields, and even a perched bog. Recreational opportunities abound at the reservation including hiking, nature study, and hawk watching, picnicking, and skiing. The Reservation offers 17 miles of hiking and walking trails, including 3.9 miles of the Midstate Trail, which runs from Ashburnham to the Rhode Island border.

Wachusett Mountain Ski Area

Wachusett Mountain has a long history of tourism on the mountain. The first hotel was constructed on the summit in 1882. Over 600,000 people visit the mountain year round with at least half of that number visiting the Wachusett Mountain State Reservation in the summer and fall.

Back Bay

The Back Bay is affluent Boston at its best, boasting landmarks like Copley Square, the Prudential Center, and the Public Library. Peruse boutiques on Newbury Street, stroll down Commonwealth Ave., or spend your evening out at one of the local lively bars or restaurants.

Beacon Hill

Beacon Hill is one of Boston’s smallest and most historic neighborhoods, featuring a mix of grand townhouses and fashionable shops. Stroll down Charles Street to spy pricey antique shops, enticing cafes, and swanky clothing boutiques.

Faneuil Hall

Faneuil Hall has been a marketplace and meeting spot for over 250 years. Bordered by the waterfront, Government Center, Haymarket and the North End, the neighborhood is known for its huge shopping area, sidewalk performances during the summer, and a well-traveled part of Boston’s “Freedom Trail.”

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

Step back into the recreated world of the early 1960s and experience firsthand the life and legacy of President John F. Kennedy. Period settings from the White House and 25 multimedia exhibits create a stirring account of the president’s thousand days in office. Housed in a striking building designed by I.M. Pei, the national memorial to President Kennedy sits on a 10-acre waterfront site on Columbia Point offering panoramic views of Boston’s skyline and Harbor Islands.

Professional Sports

Boston is Titletown USA! There’s no denying it. For professional sports teams Boston is home to the ‘08 World Champion Boston Celtics; the ‘04 and ‘07 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox, three-time Super Bowl Champions, the New England Patriots and one of the most storied franchises in professional hockey, the Boston Bruins, also play there.

Fenway Park

Bordered by Mission Hill, Columbus Avenue, and the Back Bay Fens, the jewel of the neighborhood is Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. Eat out near the park, head to nearby Kenmore Square, or check out the artistic offerings at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum or the Museum of Fine Arts.

The Museum of Fine Arts

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is one of the world’s great art museums with masterpieces from around the world and across the ages, including more Monet’s than any museum outside of Paris, an unrivaled Japanese art collection, treasures from Egypt and the ancient world, and American art from colonial to modern times.

Harvard University and Harvard Square

Harvard is a magical place, where centuries of tradition meet a cutting edge urban sensibility. Every year millions of people are drawn here, from every corner of the globe. They come to learn, to teach, to discover, and to enjoy. Over the Charles River in Cambridge, Harvard Square is the place to be. Home of the famous Harvard University, founded in 1636, it is often frequented by tourists looking to put a place to a name. Aside from the University, however, is an area which is home to unique shops and restaurants, elegant chain stores in the main square, and the kitschy spots on the radius of the hub of Harvard College. One can sit during warmer weather at a café and watch at least five to twenty tables of chess players compete and teach each other. Across the street, near the COOP is an area for street performers. Frequently one may see a juggler, tight rope walker, poet, accordionist and card shark. Don’t be surprised if some of the acts do all of this at once.

Harvard University and Harvard Square

Harvard is a magical place, where centuries of tradition meet a cutting edge urban sensibility. Every year millions of people are drawn here, from every corner of the globe. They come to learn, to teach, to discover, and to enjoy. Over the Charles River in Cambridge, Harvard Square is the place to be. Home of the famous Harvard University, founded in 1636, it is often frequented by tourists looking to put a place to a name. Aside from the University, however, is an area which is home to unique shops and restaurants, elegant chain stores in the main square, and the kitschy spots on the radius of the hub of Harvard College. One can sit during warmer weather at a café and watch at least five to twenty tables of chess players compete and teach each other. Across the street, near the COOP is an area for street performers. Frequently one may see a juggler, tight rope walker, poet, accordionist and card shark. Don’t be surprised if some of the acts do all of this at once.

USS Constitution Museum

The USS Constitution Museum brings to life the stories of the individuals who authorized, built, served on and preserved USS Constitution. Through hands-on exhibits, displays of historic artifacts, computer simulated re-enactments, and public programming, the Museum strives to make a personal connection to our American past and the heritage of USS Constitution. Visit the new family exhibit “A Sailor’s Life for Me?” and explore a sailor’s daily life. Be welcomed aboard the USS Constitution or Old Ironsides the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world.