Boston

Memorial Day Open House: Museum of Fine Arts - Boston

Museum of Fine Arts in Boston Massachusetts Open House free admission event for North Shore and  families

The Museum of Fine Arts will honor Memorial Day with an Open House and will waive all admission fees. Visitors can enjoy complimentary admission to the MFA's galleries, family activities and performances. This year, the MFA offers free admission - including access to the special exhibition “Hokusai: Inspiration and Influence” - for Massachusetts residents. Celebrate the holiday with art and community!

When: 
Monday, May 29, 2023 10am-5pm

Bluey's Big Play

Boch Center Wang Theatre
When Dad feels like a little bit of Sunday afternoon time out, Bluey and Bingo have other plans! Join them as they pull out all of the games and cleverness at their disposal to get Dad off that bean bag.
BLUEY'S BIG PLAY is a brand-new theatrical adaptation of the Emmy® award-winning children’s television series, with an original story by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, and new music by Bluey composer, Joff Bush. Join the Heelers in their first live theatre show made just for you, featuring brilliantly created puppets, this is Bluey as you’ve never seen it before, brought to real life.
When: 
Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 11:00AM

The Boston Outdoor Expo

Boston Outdoor Expo

If your family loves adventure, join us for a 2-day outdoor expo that offers a full weekend of inspiration for outdoor enthusiasts, like you. You'll meet famous explorers and adventurers hundreds of brands, plus 20+ hands-on activities including Bushcraft Skills workshops.

See 30 speakers participate in activities, and shop the latest gear, tech, nutrition, and advice. It is a one-stop shop to prepare you for your next adventure.

If you love hiking, climbing, water sports, camping, mountain biking, trail running or just being outside, you don’t want to miss it.

When: 
April 27 – 28 2024
Saturday 10am – 6pm
Sunday 10am – 4pm

"Lilac Sunday" at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

Educational Program for Families North of Boston Arnold Arboretum Harvard

Take part in a beloved Boston tradition! Of the thousands of flowering plants in the Arboretum, only one, the lilac, is singled out each year for a day-long celebration. Tours of the lilacs, dance performances, picnicking (allowed on this special day only), and family activities make for a memorable, family day.

When: 
Sunday, May 12, 2024 - 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide

The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.

When: 
Saturday, April 13, 2024 to Sunday, September 2, 2024
Spring (April to June 20) 10 am to 4 pm
Summer (June 21 to Labor Day) 10 am to 5 pm
The Swan Boats are open every day, weather permitting. We cannot operate in rain, high winds or extreme heat.

MLK Day of Service at Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum hosts a day of service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with storytelling, impactful conversation, art-making and music! Artists and thought leaders will share reflections on themes of social justice, equity, art, and empowerment, and invite participation in activities throughout the day.

When: 
Monday, January 15, 2024 11am-4:30pm

MFA Celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day with Free Open House

The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston celebrates Martin Luther King Day with free admission and an open house with great activities for families! Photo: Courtesy of Tony Rinaldo Photography.

Join MFA for their annual MLK Day Open House, presented in partnership with Citizens. This year, the MFA offers free admission—including access to “Fashioned by Sargent”—for Massachusetts residents. Celebrate the legacy of Dr. King by surrounding yourself with art making, performances, and talks with members of our community!

When: 
Monday, January 15, 2024 10am-5pm

MFA Open House | Juneteenth

The Museum of fine Arts Boston hosts an open house with free admission for Juneteenth!

In partnership with Citizens, admission to the MFA—including access to “Hokusai: Inspiration and Influence”—is free for all Massachusetts residents on June 19 in honor of Juneteenth, the oldest nationally observed commemoration of the ending of slavery in the US. Join us for performances, participate in art-making activities, catch a talk, and see “Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina,” a new exhibition honoring the work and legacy of the enslaved men, women, and children who crafted stoneware storage vessels in Old Edgefield for roughly 50 years before emancipation.

When: 
Monday, June 19, 2023 10am-5pm

Family Science Days

Family Science Days in Boston MA

Visit Family Science Days during the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Browse interactive tabletop exhibits, learn about cool science jobs, and have your questions answered by experts convened by AAAS! This FREE event is open to all, but organized especially for students in grade levels 6 to 12.

When: 
February 16 & 17, 2013

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Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

 Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

StoryWalk Series at Maudslay

It's Summer by Linda Glaser storywalk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts
Its Summer by Linda Glaser is the subject of this STORYWALK Series.  Watch the world transform when Spring comes!Enjoy this preschool storywalk at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time outside in nature!
7:00 am to 8:00 pm

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

MFoA 5k & 10k Run/Walk

The Marblehead Festival of Arts 5k Race/Walk will kick off the fourth of July weekend!
Get ready to lace up those running shoes because it's time for the 2nd annual MFoA 5k, and guess what? We've got something new this year – a 10k distance!​  And here's the best part – everyone who crosses that finish line will snag a sweet custom commemorative finisher’s medal! Plus, we're dishing...
7:45 am to 10:00 am

Haverhill Farmers' Market

Haverhill Farmers Market, North Shore Farmers Market, Cape Ann Farmers Marke
The vibrant, colorful Haverhill Farmers Market is where local farmers and food producers meet to sell directly to the community. Established in 1978, the Haverhill Farmers Market mission is to provide access to farm-fresh products and promote local agriculture, as well as serve as a social...
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Marblehead Festival of the Arts

There's plenty to see and do for kids and families at the Marblehead Festival of the Arts in Massachusetts!
Marblehead, Massachusetts has a long-standing tradition of hosting an annual summer arts festival during the week of July 4th. This highly esteemed festival showcases a diverse range of artistic expressions that include: painting, drawing, sculpture, mixed media, printmaking, photography, crafts,...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Rockport Farmers' Market

The Rockport Farmers' Market runs every Saturday at Rockport Music in Downtown Rockport!
The Rockport Farmers Market offers a variety of locally-grown produce, hand-crafted products, baked goods, and live music. It provides a community space to support local farmers and artisans.
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Marblehead Farmers' Market

Find fresh local produce and other foods at the Marblehead Farmer's Market!
The Marblehead Farmer's Market boasts 15+ local farms, and booths with an educational spin nutrition, vendors and farms selling homemade prepared goods and craft vendors that are switched up in a rotation basis week to week. Additionally there are entertainers and exhibits by environmentally...
9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Andover Farmers' Market

Find Fresh Local Produce at the Andover Massachusetts Farmers Market North of Boston
The Andover Farmers Market is a vibrant hub connecting local farmers, artisans and the community through the joy of local food. Whether you come for carrots or conversation, it is a place to nourish the body, mind and spirit.
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Crane Outdoors: Kayak Adventure on the Castle Neck River

Take a guided kayak paddle adventure on the Castle Neck River with the Trustees of Reservations!
One of the best was to enjoy the natural beauty of the Massachusetts North Shore is kayaking the placid waters of the Great Marsh—the largest continuous stretch of salt marsh in New England, extending from Cape Ann to New Hampshire. The Castle Neck peninsula on the Crane Estate is a vast barrier...
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Music Together - Saturday

Marblehead, Beverly Farms, Hamilton, Salem, Peabody Music Together
Music Together® is a research-based music & movement program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and the grown-ups who love them. Music Together® classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45 minutes...
9:15 am to 11:15 am

Children's Festival in Marblehead

The Children's Festival is just one event of many in the Marblehead Festival of the Arts
​This free, hands-on, community art experience is primarily geared toward children under 10 years of age and children must be accompanied by an adult. The line-up of projects this year include play-dough making, decorative wands, creating musical instruments, and Doodle Top drawing which captures a...
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Sing & Dance with the Music Man

Sing & Dance with the Music Man Brian Doser in Hamilton visit Massachusetts
Come join the fun at Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham Monday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10am for 30 - 45 minutes of great music with Brian Doser! Sing and dance with the Music Man during a family concert, featuring familiar and original tunes, performed by local dad and musician,...
10:00 am to 10:45 am

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 3:59 pm

Guided Tour | When Granite Was King!

Find out the story behind the history of granite quarrying at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport!
Halibut Point State Park is also a granite quarry with a history that goes back billions of years! Over one hundred years ago, the Rockport Granite Company quarried granite stone here.
10:00 am to 11:00 am

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
11:00 am

Marblehead Lobster Lunch

Enjoy a lobster lunch on the lawn in Marblehead over July 4th Weekend!
St. Michael's holds its famous Lobster Luncheon during the Marblehead Festival of Arts over the Fourth of July weekend. All proceeds from the luncheon, after expenses, support local and global ministries. Tours of St. Michael's historic building and a free organ concert are typically offered during...
11:00 am to 3:00 pm

Long Hill Garden Tours

Tour the Gardens at the Trustees of Reservations Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts!
The Trustees of Reservations invite you to join our expert guides for a tour around Long Hill’s stunning Sedgwick Gardens and learn more about the special plants it’s most known for. In addition to learning about what plants are in bloom as well as the rare and unique species in our collection, you...
11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Garden Tours at Stevens Coolidge Estate

Come enjoy the fantastic flower display in the gardens at the Trustees of Reservations Stevens-Coolidge Place in North Andover!
Enter a world of early 20th-century country elegance and contemporary garden design all in bloom at Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens. These expansive manicured gardens boast both plentiful European-inspired flower beds as designed in the 1920s, as well as newly installed gardens featuring...
12:00 pm

Waterfront Concerts @ Crocker Park in Marblehead

Marblehead Festival of Arts hosts live music performances throughout Fourth of July weekend at Crocker Park
The Marblehead Festival of the Arts hosts its  58th Performing Arts Program featuring 16 acts over 4 nights and 3 days.
12:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Drop-in Open House at the Nature Center

Drop-in Open House at the Bradley Palmer State Park Nature Center in Hamilton Ipswich Massachusetts
Explore the Nature Center at your leisure. The Park Interpreter will be on hand to demonstrate and answer questions. Come see and touch animal furs, replica skulls, animal models, and other natural history materials. For little artists, coloring pages and washable markers will be on hand.
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

CraneOutdoors: Choate Island Kayak and Hiking Adventure

Take a guided kayak paddle and hike to Choate Island with the Trustees of Reservations!
Join The Trustees of Reservations for a paddle and a hike – what better way to spend an afternoon?  Circumnavigating an island is one of the great rewards of kayaking and reaching the summit of a hill that offers a great view is one of the payoffs of a good hike. This adventure in the Crane...
1:00 pm to 4:30 pm

Art on the Avenue

Marblehead Festival of the Arts Art on the Avenue July 4th weekend in Marblehead MA
Young in Age or Young at Heart - All ages welcomed to Art on The Avenue located on Atlantic Avenue part of the Marblehead Festival of Arts. ​ Paint your own pottery with Hestia Creations, make jewelry with EOS studio, learn about plants from Marblehead Garden Center or connecting with mini horses...
2:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works Tours

Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.
2:00 pm

Fireworks and Beach Concerts at Salisbury Beach

Fourth of July Fireworks at Salisbury Beach include a campfire and marshmallow roast on the beach.
Join us at Salisbury Beach for an unforgettable family night out! Every Saturday through the summer, enjoy spectacular fireworks (weather permitting) that light up the sky. Before the fireworks, there's a live concert starting at 7:30 PM on the Salisbury Oceanfront Stage, perfect for families with...
10:15 pm

Sunday, July 7

Todd Farm Market

Come to Todd Farm on Sunday - A classic New England Fleas Market in Rowley Massachusetts!
From early Spring to late Fall, Todd Farm is a great Sunday destination for families!  Head to the farm and explore the outdoor award-winning Market featuring up to 240 vendors from all over New England and New York!
5:00 am to 3:00 pm

StoryWalk Series at Maudslay

It's Summer by Linda Glaser storywalk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts
Its Summer by Linda Glaser is the subject of this STORYWALK Series.  Watch the world transform when Spring comes!Enjoy this preschool storywalk at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time outside in nature!
7:00 am to 8:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

 Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Newburyport Farmers' Market

Newburyport Farmers find organic locally grown produce, meat, dairy Newburyport
The Newburyport Farmers Summer Market celebrates local fresh produce every Sunday morning rain or shine!  Start your Sunday browsing fresh North Shore local produce, meats, cheeses, and seafood in an open air market atmosphere! Food and beverage vendors offer fresh hot coffee, breakfast treats and...
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Marblehead Festival of the Arts

There's plenty to see and do for kids and families at the Marblehead Festival of the Arts in Massachusetts!
Marblehead, Massachusetts has a long-standing tradition of hosting an annual summer arts festival during the week of July 4th. This highly esteemed festival showcases a diverse range of artistic expressions that include: painting, drawing, sculpture, mixed media, printmaking, photography, crafts,...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Crane Outdoors: Kayak Adventure on the Castle Neck River

Take a guided kayak paddle adventure on the Castle Neck River with the Trustees of Reservations!
One of the best was to enjoy the natural beauty of the Massachusetts North Shore is kayaking the placid waters of the Great Marsh—the largest continuous stretch of salt marsh in New England, extending from Cape Ann to New Hampshire. The Castle Neck peninsula on the Crane Estate is a vast barrier...
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Rowley Farmers Market

Rowley Farmers Market - a seasonal open-air market every Sunday July-September on Rowley Common
The Rowley Farmers Market is an open air market held on Sundays on the Rowley Town Common.  There's always a great selection of fresh local produce, food stuffs and locally hand-made goods. Come pick up some great locally grown food, freshly baked bread by Faith Anne's Unique bread, specialty teas...
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 3:59 pm
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