JFK Library: Presidents Day Week

Things to do in Boston for Children and Families

Download $2 Off Museum Admission Coupon


In celebration of Presidents’ Day Week, the JFK Presidential Library invites the public to download a $2 off coupon, valid February 18-26, 2012, by clicking here. Children age 12 and under are always admitted free. Family-friendly Highlights Tours will be offered throughout the week with paid Museum admission.



“You Be the President” Interactive Museum Activity - February 18-26


Visitors to the Museum are invited to step up to a podium set before the actual scene of JFK’s January 20, 1961 inauguration and deliver some of the most stirring passages of his inaugural address guided by computerized visual prompts. “You Be the President” will be open from February 18 - February 26.



"The Presidency and Civil Rights" - Monday, February 20, 2012


On Monday, February 20th, from 12:30-5:00pm, this conference will examine key moments in the civil rights movement during five American presidencies – from Roosevelt to Johnson – with a final panel examining contemporary civil rights struggles in the years after the signing of the Civil Rights Act. Speakers include: Allida Black, Ernest Green, David Nichols, Carol Anderson, Callie Crossley, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Kenneth Mack, Roger Wilkins, Harris Wofford, and Ray Suarez..Brought to you by special sponsorship from Bingham McCutchen LLP.



The conference will be webcast live at www.jfklibrary.org/webcast.


Make Your Own Sundae Bar – February 20, 21 and 22


On Monday (2/20), Tuesday (2/21), and Wednesday (2/22) from 11:30am-2:30pm, the Café at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum will offer a Make-Your-Own Sundae Bar in the Museum’s Pavilion. Kids and adults alike can enjoy chocolate and vanilla ice cream with hot fudge, butterscotch sauce, whipped cream and a variety of toppings for $4.00 each. The café will also be serving family-friendly specials throughout Presidents’ Week.

Presidents’ Family Festival Day – Tuesday, February 21, 2012

In celebration of Presidents’ Day, the Kennedy Library will host its second annual family festival featuring performances, activities, and exhibits that will bring the Library to life in new ways for kids of all ages. From 10:30am-3:00pm, children can make origami sailboats and try out other hands-on activities, interact with featured presidents and first ladies such as Thomas Jefferson and Dollie Madison, and learn the story of PT-109 and how John F. Kennedy became a hero before he was president. Other highlights of the day will be a Jacqueline Kennedy-themed tour led by the Museum curator, an interactive exhibit of 18th-Century life with John and Abigail Adams, and story time with award-winning author Barbara Kerley who will be reading her new book, Those Rebels: John and Tom. Special festival activities are free with paid admission; children age 12 and under are admitted free of charge. Here is the Schedule of Events.



Free Children’s Program – Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Celebrate! presents Djembe dell'Arte - African Dance and Drumming 


On Wednesday, February 22nd, from 10:30-11:30am, Experience the energy and excitement of African Dance with Djembe dell'Arte, accompanied by drumming ensemble Troupe Komee Djosee from Mali, West Africa. The performance features authentic African masks and costumes, folk dances of Mali, and a lively drum circle. The program is free but reservations are required. To make a reservation click here or call 617-514-1644.



JFK Museum Store Special


The JFK Museum Store is celebrating Presidents’ Day by offering a White House Tour DVD free with your purchase, in-store or click here to visit online. This special promotion starts on February 14, 2012, the fiftieth anniversary of Mrs. Kennedy's historic tour, and ends on February 26, 2012. Enjoy shopping the many educational and fun items that are available – from Presidential tee shirts to Presidential keepsakes. The store offers a fabulous assortment of Presidential gifts and a variety of items developed for our 50th Anniversary celebration of the Presidency of John F. Kennedy.

When: 
February 18-26, 2012
Phone: 
617-514-1600
Art Academy Summer Program at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly MA

LEGO Club at Danvers Library

LEGO club at Danvers Library Massachusetts
Peabody Institute Library - Danvers invites kids to an afternoon of building and fun! Activities will include free build, themes and instructional design. All structures will remain on display in the Children’s Room till the following weeks's session
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Read to a Dog at APL

Kids are invited to read to a dog at Amesbury Massachusetts Public Library. Image generated with AI.
The Amesbury Public Library invites kids to come read to a dog at the Library! Gus, a mixed lab and certified reading partner dog, would love to hear you read aloud!
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Friday, January 10

Music Together - Friday

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...
10:30 am to 11:15 am

Kidleidoscope at Breakheart Reservation

Kidleidoscope is a program designed for preschoolers at Bradley Palmer State Park
Come join our park interpreter for a story time and nature walk! Complete a small craft and explore the woods! Walks are gently paced and approximately 1 mile, though not accessible for strollers. Appropriate for families with children 3-5 years old. Meet at the Visitor Center.
10:30 am to 11:30 am

Saturday, January 11

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

Guided Tour | When Granite Was King!

Find out the story behind the history of granite quarrying at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, Massachusetts!
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.
11:00 am to 12:30 pm

Befriend the Barnyard

Befriend the Barnyard is a hands-on barnyard experience at the Trustees of Reservations' Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts
Discover our special barnyard animals! Our Angora rabbits Violet, Mabel, Oiver and Charles; Nubian goats Maeve, Morgana, and Mordred; dairy cows Gray, Jasmine, their calves Gigi and Joanie and our friendly flock of heritage chickens will take center stage as we learn about what makes them so unique...
11:00 am to 1:00 pm

CraneExplorer: Family Full Moon Hike in the Dunes

Walk through the Crane Wildlife Refuge in Ipswich Massachusetts with the Trustees under the full moon.
There is almost nothing more peaceful than a evening walk at the Crane Estate, and we would like to invite your family to join us for a unique hiking experience. With the full moon rising over the Atlantic, we’ll start with a sunset stroll along Crane Beach admiring this spectacle before heading...
4:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Nice n' Easy Hike at Breakheart Reservation

Nice and Easy winter hike at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus Massachusetts
Join the Park Interpreter for this weekly guided hike! Each trip will highlight natural and historic features unique to Breakheart. Hikes are moderately paced and range from 2-3 miles over sometimes uneven and rocky terrain. Best for ages 8 years and up. Meet at the Visitor Center.
9:30 pm to 11:30 pm

Sunday, January 12

CraneOutdoors: Family Winter Wildlife Walk

Come explore the dunes on Castle Neck and Crane Beach in Ipswich Massachusetts to learn about winter wildlife.
A CraneOutdoors Family Winter Wildlife Walk will take you on a stroll through the Crane Beach dunes while learning about the plants and animals that call this special place home. You may be familiar with Crane Beach, but have you ever visited the dune trails? The dunes of Castle Neck are a much...
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Monday, January 13

Chess Instruction at Abbot Library

Kids can play clocked chess matches against each other each Wednesday at the Abbot Public Library in Marblehead Massachusetts
Students in grades 2-6 are invited to weekly evening chess instruction by high school student Flynn MacCallum at levels from beginner through advanced players on Mondays in the Children’s Room. The Children’s Room will provide chess boards and pieces. This program is supported by the Oliver P....
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Tuesday, January 14

Music Together - Tuesday in Marblehead

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® of Salem classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45...
10:00 am to 10:45 am