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John F Kennedy Library & Museum
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: South Boston
Columbia Point
Boston, MA 02125
(617) 514-1600
Columbia Point
Boston, MA 02125
(617) 514-1600
- Nearest Transit:
-
Jfk/umass (Red)
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
32 reviews for John F Kennedy Library & Museum
Although the JFK library is on a peninsula in Dorchester (about 5 miles from downtown Boston) it's important people make their way out of the city to check it out. It's a worthwhile detour from downtown considering the library is about one of the most influential and famous presidents in US history.
Right across from UMass Boston this tall white building looks like something out of a NASA space center. Inside you'll see some amazing exhibits and learn about not just the presidential career of JFK, but also how and where he grew up, where he went to school, etc.
Some of my favorite exhibits were:
-The Oval Office - they reconstructed a replica of the White House's Oval Office and Kennedy's REAL office furniture - even right down to his telephone and notepad are on display. So cool!
-International gifts - china, vases, glassware, pottery and all sorts of other unique gifts given to JFK from other world leaders and famous people are on display here.
It's a really interesting museum and they really capture JFK's spirit. If he were alive to see this I'm sure he'd be proud of the light in which they captured his life.
I came here with my former love in 2003 as I've heard so much through the media as the Kennedy's are America's most prominent families. The entire Kennedy clan (both men and women) have contributed importance to the American lifestyle. The John F Kennedy Library & Museum is marker of American history.
The museum is beautiful as so are the grounds with waterfront location.
Towards the end of the museum tour, there is a family tree of the Kennedy clan. It was initially where I've learned California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger is a member of the Kennedy family as I never knew before.
Im not very museum oriented, but I used to live next to it and only been once. It was a really good museum to go to. I do recommend it as there are a lot of interesting artifacts to see. It didn't cost me anything to get in because I had a Umass Boston student ID, but i believe even the regular price to get in was reasonable.
The grounds are beautiful. If you go to the museum, you can also walk outside and have amazing city/harbor views. There are also places to picnic as well. Parking is plentiful.
Also, don't miss the wild turkeys in the parking lot.
This museum inspired my love of the 1960's and my fascination with Robert F. Kennedy, so I have to give it 5 stars.
I have always been interested in JFK, I mean what American hasn't though, but this museum gives you such a magnificent look into his campaigning and presidency. I really liked the amount of information they presented. Watching his debate with Nixon, the dinner party seating arrangements, Jackie's wardrobe, and so much more. And how cool is it that you see a picture of Bill Clinton shaking hands with Kennedy as a kid. How strange!
My favorite part though, is definitely includes all parts of his presidency like RFK and Jackie. Those are two very important people when he served, so that is really cool that they encompassed the important people in his life and did a great job doing it.
Overall if you have any interest in JFK at all, I think you find it interesting. Plus it has an amazing view!
The JFK museum is extremely cool. Just a free shuttle ride away from the JFK/UMASS stop, this Boston gem is right on the waterfront. It begins with a video about JFK's life up to his run for president and ends with some information about his campaign. You exit the theater into the last scene from the movie and are transported back in time. Video clips, mock store fronts, and interesting and authentic souvenirs set the scene as you walk through the election that put JFK into office. The White House corridor is ornate and interesting, with rooms explaining all of Kennedy's major contributions during his time in office. Other sections focus on his family, his work with mental retardation, and his assassination (though not too heavily).
Several camp groups were wandering around which made it slightly difficult to focus on some of the information, but the fact that this place is appropriate for children is nice. This was the only thing that one of my visiting friends wanted to do in Boston and oh did we make fun of him! "Of everything you could ever do in Boston, all you want to do is go to a library?" But we went, and were pleasantly surprised. It was a perfect rainy day activity for anyone. $10 for students.
+ Very good waterfront location
+ pleasant architecture
+ gr8 setup of artifacts
+ good recreated newsroom, office etc etc...
At times one gets bored of the stereotype museums, but if you're in the right mood, you'll enjoy this one...
Oh yes and one of my photos of this place was included in some tour guide magazine...
I'll admit that I had avoided this museum.
Having watched too much History Channel, I suppose, I thought it was going to be a depressing meditation on JFK's assassination and I just didn't want to be saddened. I was totally wrong. This museum intimately explores JFK's life and the 21 exhibits really give you a sense of the man's personality (as opposed to persona) and what the day-to-day realities of campaigning and governing were. It's the little things like handwritten correspondence between a woman who lost her brother in 'Viet Nam' and JFK's extensive response that really give you a sense of the moral weight of the Presidency and correspondence between John and Jackie show that the First Lady was much more active, interesting, and intelligent than most people think. The location is also amazing with waterfront views that are not to be missed. It's suitable for children and adults alike and well worth the price of admission.
Everywhere I went in Boston, the Kennedy family has made their mark in this city and as a fan of the Kennedys and what they have done socially and politically, I wanted to check out the JFK Library and Museum.
It's pretty easy to get here by the T using the red line and I had to wait a little bit for the shuttle bus to pick us up.
It was Mother's Day and the museum was giving away a free rose for each mother, which I thought was nice. I got there just in time for the free highlights tour. I thought it was pretty cool to learn how JFK got his start politically when he worked with his father, how close he is to his family, and his time at Harvard. Then it goes into greater detail on what he did during his adminstration. Anyways, I recommend going on this tour and then go back and walk throughout the museum to watch and see any artifacts and films that look interesting to you.
The museum architecture is awesome. You can't go wrong with I.M. Pei. Also you have a wonderful view of the Boston Harbor from a distance.
Awesome.
We're lucky to be near a presidential library. Even luckier to have one that has such easy access with buses running from the JFK/UMass stop every 20 minutes. It's not as easy getting there using GPS but that owes to the lack of a physical address and the eensy signage that is completely dwarfed by the UMass Boston signs. It's a freaking presidential library, maybe you can give it a larger sign than the admin building? Just a thought.
Anyway.
The tour starts with a film giving you a general background of his life leading up to the Democratic convention where he was nominated. From there you head in to the rooms below which highlight the convention, his debates with Nixon, the election on in to his presidency and the assassination.
I found the television coverage quite interesting especially after watching the recent election of Barak Obama. Damn we've come a long way Cronkite. The newspaper and magazine covers from the time are fascinating. It's amazing how different our press coverage is these days.
The areas covering the White House were very cool. I had no idea that before the Kennedys an incoming president could/would just get rid of whatever they didn't want in the White House and that was that. Jackie worked to ensure that any unwanted items would be turned over to the Smithsonian for preservation by having the White House designated a museum. Awesome. I liked that while watching the first lady being interviewed you were looking at some of the items she was talking about.
The presidential gifts back and forth were cool to see. It's amazing the items that were given. The paperweights were of particular interest to me. It's nice to see that they put so much thought in to making something that is so truly American to give.
Did you know that Jackie was working on a children's book with the author of Madeline? Neither did I but their correspondence was neat to see. The room dedicated to the Kennedy clan is well put together and very informative. I learned a lot about the family that day. I just had no idea.
The room covering his assassination is well done, dark and respectful I would only hope that they will update this from the mini TVs with screen burn to something a bit more modern and in better shape.
Finally you're taken through a room that was the only disappointment. The drawers that you're supposed to open to view items were dirty, and really need repair. Some barely opened so you could not see inside. Also, all the computers they had at the end had failed and were sitting with Windows error screens. One would think someone could come through and fix that. The slab of the Berlin wall made up for that more-or-less though. That was interesting.
For such an affordable ticket price ($10) this was an afternoon well spent.
There is always something new to learn about JFK and his family at this museum. There is a short film at the beginning of the self-guided tour and then it is on to the exhibits. So much to see here! There is also a short film about the Cuban missile crisis.
Very easy to get here as well. Get off at the JFK/UMass redline stop and hop on the free shuttle #2. That will take you right to the Museum and back (every 20 minutes).
This museum is highly recommended!
Ironically located on the old Columbia Point, now referred simply as Harbor Point. In 1630 the Puritans landed here aboard the "Mary & John" which began 300 years of WASP control of Boston & Massachusetts, with Kennedy going on to being elected as the 1st Catholic president in 1960.
For me, a product of the 1960s, this is a great museum to visit with various displays from that decade, from old appliances to the Space Race, the 1960 Campaign, the Assassination, etc. The museum which appears large from the exterior is limited to the lower levels and can be viewed easily in about two hours, great for a rainy day. The upper levels contain the reference library itself with limited access to scholars only.
Non flash photographs are allowed throughout, my Irish guest got a big kick getting his photo taken with the Presidential Seal in the background.
Mostly self guided, they do offer a couple of guided tours daily if you are willing to wait or catch one just right.
Coming up in May 2009 is a new "Moon Shot" Exhibit.
http://www.jfklibrary....
Make sure to visit the gift shop, I bought a great big mug with campaign slogans from various presidential campaigns throught the years. Nice momento.
Not just for Democrats!
I'm a big fan of the Kennedy clan. Knowing I was going to Boston, this place was a priority. The JFK museum and library is an experience. You go on self-guided tours but it is nice just to explore and visit all the exhibits. You see a short intro film that is very informative. You can look at all the exhibits and memorabilia. It is really beautiful to experience the political history of the past and to look at everything Kennedy. My senior year prom was at the Nixon Library in Orange County, CA. It sucked that it was at a library but why Nixon! It would've been a lot better prom if it was at this place. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Boston.
I think everyone should go to the JFK Library & Museum at least once. It's a nice building and you learn a lot about JFK.
It's pretty easy to get to. Take the Red Line to JFK/UMASS Station. There is a FREE shuttle bus to the Library every 20 minutes beginning at 8:00 a.m. and running until Museum closing. Take the buses marked 'JFK.'
Cool things to see:
Introductory film - only 17 min but recommended to do right away.
Then follow the guide to do all the 21 things on the brochure.
Don't miss the Cuban Missile Crisis film that shown every 1/2 on the hr.
Cool Jackie Kennedy dresses, Kennedy gifts, etc.
He did a lot in his short lifetime.
Website:
http://www.jfklibrary.org/
This is not a great museum, but it is a great memorial.
I could not let my first visit to Boston pass without making time to visit this place. As a long time JFK buff, I didn't need to learn about his history, although this museum does a decent job conveying the JFK touch, if not a richly detailed depiction of the issues and times of one of our most iconoclastic and cherished Presidents.
What this museum does supremely well is to convey an aching sense of loss, of a hole in history forced on us by his tragic murder in Dallas.
First, if you take the time to truly look at the exhibits, you experience closely an era where the presidency of the United States was a very personal office.
Seeing the handwritten notes Kennedy made on documents, you pick up a sense of his intellect. Reading the typewritten memo he sent to Lyndon Johnson directing him to take charge of the space program, with crisp, numbered questions--"Are we working on this 24 hours a day, and if not, why not?"--gives you a palpable sense of the energy and drive he brought to this office, to "get America moving again" as his campaign promised after the sleepy Eisenhower years.
You get the same sense in the exhibits related to Jacqueline. In her notes on arrangements for state dinners with guests like Andre Malraux and Pablo Casals, you see how she strove to make America's Presidential mansion a place where arts and intellect were exalted. Even more impressive was an exhibit showing her efforts to keep a ghastly, uninspired office building from going up in place of old townhouses on Lafayette Square across from the White House. Her impact on historic preservation cannot be underestimated and this library reminds us of that. Far beyond her personal beauty and style, her fierce determination that the beauty of man and nature be appreciated, admired, and supported benefited not just the artistic landscape but the built.
When you step through the replica portion of the Oval Office, along with the trinkets and little treasures like the scrimshaws and the sculptures that Jackie bought for him, you will be brought up short by a little girl's drawing--such a child when her father was taken in front of all America's eyes, and then you remember that she is the only member of this little family of four that still lives--every other member was taken a little or a lot too soon.
Most compelling, though, is that moment when you step around a corner and are confronted with a stark room, labeled November 22, 1963, painted all in black, with 5 small varied television screens looping through the chilling bulletins of the events of that day, and a small piece of the funeral on an Arlington hillside.
When you have finished your tour of the museum, you find yourself in the soaring glass and steel atrium that I.M. Pei designed, a vast space which to me conveys greatness, and loss. Hung with a massive American flag, the windows and their framework tinted with black, your view nearly 360 degrees of the Boston waterside that John Kennedy so loved, you can feel nothing more than powerful loss here. We lost a gifted leader with real vision, a man just coming into his own at a time when we needed his intellect. But we lost so, so much more.
We have never been the same since November 22, 1963. What we lost is measured in more than a man's life.
I learned so much about JFK and the Kennedys during this visit (and I already thought I knew a lot). The museum is easy to get to off the Red Line and the buses come every 20 mins to get you to the museum. The exhibit is nicely laid out: starting with his years at Harvard and ending with the (sad) assassination, as well as the legacy of his presidency. I particularly liked all the dinner party memorabilia, the preservation of RFK's desk and the artifacts from their trip to India. In addition, there is a really nice area in the museum with a great view of the water.
The cafe was really reasonably priced and there is a nice gift shop.
Highly worth a visit if you haven't been.
Coming from an Irish Catholic family with lasting Massachusetts roots, it should be no surprise that the Kennedy family equals royalty to me. They can do no wrong. Teddy you say? He's a saint. Chappaquiddick? Act of God.
Anywho, I have been to the JFK museum on a couple of occasions--both for school field trips (w00t w00t bagged lunch and no algebra!) as well as for pleasure (w00t w00t Jeffrey H is a total history dork!). I absolutely love this museum and could spend hours just admiring the pieces and reading the little placards littering the space. Where's Jeffrey? Oh he's been eyeing Jackie's robin's-egg-blue hat for about 20 minutes (Fun fact: I may or may not have "A Tribute to Jackie" picture hanging above my desk in my office--how'd corporate know my love?).
There are various rooms/sections/spaces/amazements that are replicas of points in time of the lives of JFK and his family. At one point you'll think you're in the White House while at other points you'll think you're on a TV set. There are possessions and pieces ranging from desks to dresses and boats to buttons.
The building itself is gorgeous and an architectural masterpiece. It is situated on the water and exudes an aura of peace. I could get lost in this world that captures the history of not just America, but nearer to our hearts, Boston.
If you haven't visited this museum, I strongly suggest doing so. Writing this review reminds me that I haven't done so myself in a while and that's giving me the urge to change that. So take a walk through time by visiting the JFK Museum and witnessing the legend of what truly is American & Massachusetts royalty.
Btw, if you're an emotional train-wreck like me, you'll find the assassination portion of the museum to be quite emotional. Cut to me pretending like I have dust in my eye when in actuality I just wanna curl up into a ball inside a bathroom stall and wipe my tears/snots into endless amounts of industrial-sized toilet paper rolls.
This place is awesome. Despite living in the Boston area for 4 1/2 years, I had never ventured down to the Kennedy Library. The latest batch of visitors proved to be the perfect excuse, and we were not disappointed. It's a great combination of videos, artifacts, and fun facts. The layout of the museum is very well done and easy to navigate. We now have a new respect for JFK. We drove and parking is plentiful and free.
The library is a must see if you are visiting Boston. It does not require lots of time. The building and ground are beautiful. You get a great glimpse of a time gone by and what a remarkable president he was.
You can get so much positive information on the Kennedy's and their lives. You also leave feeling how remarkable Jackie was.
My wife and I recently visited here - our first Presidential Library visit - and truly enjoyed it. The building is a on a nice scale, the grounds are beautiful, and the staff kind and helpful.
They had an outdoor catered barbecue as part of the cafe deal, which was delightful, especially given the beautiful weather. Parking was a bit cramped but at least it's free.
The exhibits were good and definitely immerse you in the period. There is a bit of a heavy emphasis on video, which makes sense given TV really took off then, but I found myself skipped a lot of the clips. A worthwhile visit.
This is an absolutely remarkable museum and well worth a visit. To get there, take the Red Line to JFK/UMass where there is a free shuttle bus every 20 minutes.
The museum makes very good use of video archives and recordings of JFK to tell his story to a large extent in his own words. This works particularly well because of Kennedy's extraordinary oratory skills - listening to him delivering some of his famous speeches sends a shiver down my spine in a way that contrasts starkly with some of our modern "leaders".
Obviously, the museum is in his honour and tries to present him in a good light - no mentions of Marilyn here. But nor does is exaggerate or distort his achievements; on the contrary, it is remarkable in its understatement, which is many ways is more powerful than a long exposition. For example, the entire assassination is covered in one small clip, no longer than 30 seconds, of CBS anchor Walter Cronkite struggling to hold back his tears as he announces that, 38 minutes ago, President Kennedy was declared dead.
I'll leave you with a quote to reflect upon: "The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie -- deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth -- persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.
I arrived on the afternoon of November 22, 2003, to see what sort of pomp and spectacle might be found on so momentous an anniversary. Passing a few news vans, I proceeded inside to the first and most striking element when one enters -- the gift shop, which seemed to be the only part outside the paid area.
As I left the gift shop and proceeded through the soaring, moving, vast interior lobby, struck by the solemnity and beauty of the solitary, enormous United States flag slicing its prismical volume, I found a free exhibit on the fallen president's tragic death forty years earlier to the day.
I passed through with pause and reflection, thinking back on his legacy and that of his family, as the exhibit proceeded with the backstory of his election, and his rise to prominence in the House and Senate. It went further to describe his war service, his time at Harvard, his childhood, his parents' marriage...
It was only as the building was closing and I reached the end of this exhibit, finding the doors locked with me inside, I realized it wasn't free at all -- this was indeed the paid section of the museum, and I had accidentally gone through it backwards.
I recommend it highly nonetheless, whichever way you go through (remember, backwards is free). A beautiful place at which to consider a crucial time in our history through the life of one of its central figures.
"My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."
JFK, inaugural address, January 20, 1961
JFK has been and will always be my favorite president of the United States of America. I salute him in many ways...
This museum, presidential library, or whatever you call it, is simply amazing. Simply remarkable! The best of the best... I have yet to visit Reagan's and Nixon's and can't wait to see what these 2 will hold. This Museum has a wide variety of collections and exhibits, a virtual museum tour, and much much more.
When you step in, you will follow through the doors in following the footsteps of his pre presidential years, overviewing his childhood days, election, and his life with Jackie up to the 1960 campaign. You can even get to see some press stuff written by JFK's staff, the debates JFK had with Nixon, and even feel as if you were taken back into time. My favorite part was looking at the photographs throughout, and living through each and one of his infamous quotes. There was this one clip where you see Clinton as a young one, who shakes the hand of JFK. HA! Of course, my fave, was the one I posted before I started this blog.
I don't wanna keep ranting, but I will say, this was probably THE highlight of my Boston trip.
One thing I will remember ... the last moment of silence was when I stepped outside, in looking across the waters, and in taking a picture of his famous yacht. Absolutely beautiful, breathtaking, clear, fresh air!
Oh man I love Presidential Libraries!!! (Note: The Medford Public Library has free museum passes, but without its $10). The building is located on the UMass Boston campus right on the water. It's a beautiful building. The exhibitstarts with a video that chronicles President Kennedy's life up until he received the democratic nomination at the convention. The rest of th exhibits are bright and interesting and make you feel like you're actuallyat the convention, the debate or watching Kennedy become elected President. There is some really great information on how Kennedy started the Peace Corps and presents he had received from other countries as tokens of gratitude are on display. There is also a smaller, but informative, section on his wife and her aspirations to be a childrens book author.
The museum is very well done and very informative without being overwhelming. Definately pay this place a visit.
If you appreciate American history and more so if a fan of the JFK legacy, then this is a must see in Boston. Give yourself a few hours to appreciate the quite large and impressive collection of Kennedy artifacts and short films. Easy to reach on the Red Line with a free shuttle from the T stop to the museum about every 20 minutes.
I have to give 5 stars to the first and only museum to actually bring tears to my eyes. The JFK Library and Museum is housed in a gorgeous I.M. Pei-designed building right on the water, which is pretty awe-inspiring in itself, and the exhibits are set up as if you're walking through a life-size diorama of JFK's candidacy and presidency. You feel like you are there at every milestone starting with the Democratic Convention through compelling re-creations, and it makes it that much more heartbreaking when you reach the dark hallway with televisions broadcasting the news of his death. It's all very well done, and you'll be talking about the visit for a long time afterward. It felt especially relevant with the Presidential election currently underway.
JFK Museum is a cool museum and is very education, especially for school groups, etc. A great field trip! But fun for everyone! They have events here as well. Check it out :)
This I.M. Pei-designed presidential library, situated on a picturesque point overlooking the harbor, offers a concise history of JFK's life and political career. In addition to audio and video recordings and displays of important documents, memorabilia, and photographs focusing on his accomplishments, there are ongoing exhibits dedicated to his wife Jacqueline, his brother Robert, John Glenn and the space program, the struggle for civil rights, and the Kennedy clan as a whole. The building's most spectacular feature is a glass pavilion - rising 115 feet and housing an enormous American flag and the Profiles in Courage award - that provides a panoramic view of the city's skyline.
They do a lot of fun (and often free!) events here, like the PEN Hemingway awards the first weekend in April this year. But regardless, for $10 it's a great way to spend 3 or 4 hours stepping back in time. The exhibit halls are beautiful replicas of actual White House rooms, and they've done a great job of restoring the feel of Camelot. I highly recommend visiting when the weather is warm because the view from the Harborwalk is stunning!
Last night my company had its 20th anniversary party here. It was so much fun! The cocktail hour was in the huge room with floor to ceiling windows. It was gorgeous. Then the reception was in another room. I am not sure if the museum was designed specifically to be able to have huge parties but it seems so. I didn't get to look around the museum as much as I would have liked but I definitely want to go back. What a good time!
I went here in 2nd grade for a field trip. I had a really good time then lol. I loved the replica of the White House. When you're 7 is like "wow a huge doll house!". I would like to go again as an adult and take some friends who haven't been at all.
Really a spectacular building, filled with very interesting artifacts. I learned so much about JFK and learned to respect him a whole lot while I was there. From his WWII glory to his presidential election to his brutal assasination, JFK is worthy of a museum of this caliber. Truly a great place to visit, even if you weren't alive during his presidency (I certainly wasn't!).
The John F. Kennedy Library is a lovely tribute to 35th President of the United States. A tour through the musuem is like a trip back in time. The journey start with a short video highlighting the life of JFK up to his candidacy for presidency. From there a visitor will stroll through the campaign, the presidency, Camelot and finally, JFK's tragic assasination. The memorabilia is remarkably preserved and the exhibits informative and inspiring. The gift shop and the Harbor Walk round out the visit. I had an amazing afternoon and look forawrd to returning.
