Thinking out loud

[mizarchivist]

My mother in law's visit is in t-minus 2 weeks. It's time to start thinking about entertainment options!

Her preference for "touristy" activity was whale watch. M. and I are working her around to a visit to the aquarium instead: easier to manage, does not depend on weather or the elusive sightings of sea mammals. And 3 hours. God help us if we don't see whales.
Yay! One activity down, but need more to keep us from just staring at each other blankly after those 2 planned hours are done.

There's also the National Heritage Museum in Lexington. It's open on the weekends, easy to get to and as far as I can tell, free.

M. suggested some activity such as building a raised bed in the back yard for herbs and whatnot. Good, but labor intensive. Again, what about the rain aspect of things? It could be bucketing.

So, now I need to consider some laid back options. Ones that don't require good weather or aimless wandering on cement floors. And preferably not going to drain my wallet of fun money for the rest of the month (grin). If anyone has ideas, feel free to share!

Comments

[pir.livejournal.com]

Duck tour ?

[mizarchivist]

So noted- That definitely lets you sit for a bit :)

[zzbottom.livejournal.com]

The National Heritage Museum is, indeed free, and also fun. It is, however, owned by the Freemasons, so if there is any sort of objection to that group, then now you know. I really like the museum, though. If you're lucky, they'll still have their exhibit of neon signs from around New England. Fun!

Tower Hill Botanical Garden (http://www.towerhillbg.org/) in Boylston is fun, although weather sensitive. There is also The DeCordova Museum (http://www.decordova.org/), which is somewhat less weather sensitive since they have indoor bits. If the weather is really spectacular then I highly recommend the Boston Harbor Islands (http://www.nps.gov/boha/).

[cos]

The DeCordova is particularly good if the weather is good, but still fine if the weather is bad.

I've been on a few whale watches and most times, you do see some whales. The odds of a really good, close sighting are fairly high, in my experience.

The glass flowers at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, if they've never seen them, 'cause they can't see anything like that anywhere else.

Are they ever gonna reopen the Hancock tower? Or have they already?

[quiet-elegance.livejournal.com]

There shouldn't be any objection to the freemasons... I was in DeMolay(boy scouts for masons ;) and if I ever get around to it I will be at least fourth generation Mason. Even the Fraternity i was on in college was masonic based. Then again they all are vaugley. The very first fraterinty was started (in the apollo room) in boston by Masons (PHI BETA KAPPA)

[lifecollage.livejournal.com]

In full disclosure, the BPL has free/discounted passes for the following:

Museum of Fine Arts (free for 2 people)
Aquarium (except over the summer)(free for 4 people)
Museum of Science (excludes planetarium/laser show) (free for 4 people)
Children's Museum ($2/person for 6 people)
Harvard Museum of Natural History (free for 4 people, I think)

[mizarchivist]

thanks, cutie.

[caulay.livejournal.com]

And in that vein, you're free to borrow my MoS card and any passes you want. Anytime, not just for this.

MIT-centric

[bryttan.livejournal.com]

events.mit.edu has many things going on all the time....for instance:

HAREM IN HISTORY & IMAGINATION

Saturday
May 8, 2004
9:30am - 6:00pm
Location:
6-120
This two-day symposium offers an opportunity to debate the harem as an institution, an actual space, and a literary and artistic trope, and through these themes to critically review the spaces of women in Islamic cultures, both real and imagined and both in the past and present. Papers will deal with specific examples of historical (or contemporary?) harems, with legal and politicized debates about harems, and with representations of the Harem in art, literature, and present-day media in the east and west, with all associated theoretical and political implications.

Sponsor Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture

Admission free

Open to the public

For more information Contact Jose Luis Arguello at 253-1400
akpiarch@mit.edu
http://web.mit.edu/akpia/www/AKPsite/Conf2.htm

[kazmat.livejournal.com]

It's a bit early to see the whales, and you'll freeze your ass off unless it's really warm out. If you do go, be SURE to bring sunblocka nd a warm windproof jacket, even if it's nice on land.


As to other things to do, have you considered grabbing something like a Boston CityPass?

http://citypass.net/cgi-bin/citypass/city_fly.html?id=ZjsZ4R3p&mv_arg=boston

If you go visit a bunch of those attractions, it winds up saving you a chunk of change.

Other suggestions include the swan boats, the Peabody Essex Museum, a trolly tour, a play/show, a harbor cruise, the Constitution, the Arnold Arboretum, etc.

Have you checked http://www.bostonusa.com/ ?