I had a list of the top four places I wanted to visit in Boston:

1) John F. Kennedy Library and Museum

2) Adams National Historic Park

3) Freedom Trail

4) Isabelle Stewart Gardner Museum

The Adams’ houses are closed during the winter, so I crossed that attraction off my list. Seeing only the visitors center left me cold. If the houses had been open, I would have seen Presidential sites for the first six Presidents. But this was not to be.

On our first day in Massachusetts, I headed for JFK’s Library. Since the library has free parking, I drove there, then hopped the transit system, or “T”, to Boston Common, where I picked up my Go Boston card at the welcome center. It was good at every attraction I desired to visit. Instead of standing in line to pay, I showed attraction staff my card and went right in. I hopped back on the T and returned to the library, which is now the furthest east I’ve ever been.

JFK Library and Museum building from its pier

When Jackie Kennedy was choosing a design for her late husband’s library, she chose I.M. Pei, then an unknown, as the architect. The tour starts with a showing of a film about JFK’s life, after which visitors are supposed to go downstairs to the museum exhibits, then end in the memorial pavilion. Somehow, I often don’t do things like other people do.

tour group in the pavilion

I must have exited a different door than the one leading to the exhibits because I ended up in the pavilion. Its only furnishings are some low benches. At 115 feet high, it dwarfs all humans entering. If the pavilion is intended to make visitors feel the weight of history and the brevity of life, it succeeds.

pavilion flag and ceiling

The flag, the room’s only decoration, is 45 feet by 26 feet. The space defines stark.

view of Atlantic Ocean from JFK Library's pavilion

The ocean only a few feet away saves the pavilion from unrelieved severity.

Boston skyline from JFK Library pavilion

JFK’s love of the ocean and of sailing was well known. Among other reasons, he said he loved it because of its changeability. The day I was there, the ocean and sky were nearly the same leaden color. The next day, the ocean was brilliant blue, although the skies continued to be overcast.

I could get addicted to seaside views.

For information on visiting JFK’s Library, go here.

This is my slide show from JFK Library:

Click on the link in the gallery or go directly to gallery here.

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