Boston

The Gardner museum is a lavish reconstruction of a 15th-century Venetian palace, complete with a luxurious interior courtyard with a seasonally changing floral display. — Time Out

The MFA’s encyclopedic collection culls some of the world’s finest treasures, including international and contemporary art, instruments, photographs and textiles — Where

Favorites include the world’s largest lightning-bolt generator, a full-scale space capsule, a world population meter and a virtual fish tank. — Lonely Planet

Kick off a visit to this youngster-friendly museum by scaling the giant, three-story New Balance Foundation Climb — Where

This aquarium was huge—with a large central tank, incredible jelly fish area, penguins, even an IMAX. — Afar Magazine

Houses 21 permanent exhibits examining JFK's life and work. — Not For Tourists

Like many great works of art, Harvard University's collection of glass flowers -- officially, the Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants -- has about it an air of magnificent obsession. — New York Times

Architect extraordinaire Renzo Piano has overseen a renovation and expansion of Harvard's art museum, allowing the university's massive 250,000-piece collection to come together. — Lonely Planet

The central branch of the city's library system is an architectural and intellectual monument. — Frommer's

The Boston Athenaeum is one of the nation's oldest private lending libraries. — Michelin Guide

The single building facing Congress Street is the real Faneuil Hall, though locals often give that name to all five buildings in this shopping complex. — Fodor's

Look up! In this building's original steeple, sexton Robert Newman hung two lanterns on the night of April 18, 1775, to signal Paul Revere. — Frommer's

The great Federal-era architect Charles Bulfinch designed the central building of the state capitol, and in 1802 copper sheathing manufactured by Paul Revere replaced the shingles. — Frommer's

Berthed at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston, "Old Ironsides" is the oldest commissioned warship still afloat.  — Atlas Obscura

Romanesque, with massive open interior. Completed in 1877. — Not For Tourists

The museum reopened... at the Congress St. Bridge where Griffin's Wharf was, the actual spot where the Boston Tea Party took place on December 16, 1773. — Fodor's

While Granary Burying Ground features 2,345 gravestones and tombs, it is estimated that 8,000 people are interred here, including many early American Patriots like Samuel Adams. — Where

This peaceful Massachusetts graveyard was one of the first "garden-style" cemeteries in America.  — Atlas Obscura

Boston's oldest public building (1713), this stately brick edifice headquartered British officials until the Revolution. — Michelin Guide

The first college established in America, Harvard was founded in 1636 to train young men as leaders of church, state and trade — Michelin Guide