8 things to do in Boston when it rains

Boston on a rainy day

Museum · Fenway–Kenmore

1.Museum of Fine Arts

Look up in the rotunda and main staircase at the murals Sargent painted for the museum in the 1920s.

Time needed

3 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• Art
• Rainy day
• Iconic

Museum · Fenway–Kenmore

2.Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Anyone named Isabella gets in free, as does everyone on their birthday.

Time needed

1.5–2 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• Art
• Couples
• Rainy day
• Off the beaten path

Aquarium · Downtown and the Waterfront

3.New England Aquarium

Whale-watching trips to Stellwagen Bank take about three to four hours; take seasickness precautions if you need them.

Time needed

2–3 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• Kids
• Rainy day
• Nature

Architecture · Back Bay

4.Boston Public Library, Central Library

Sit in the courtyard on a sunny day; it is one of the calmest spots in Back Bay.

Time needed

1 hour

Cost

Free

• Free
• Architecture
• Rainy day
• Off the beaten path
• History

Museum · Charles River

5.Museum of Science

Book planetarium and Omni shows when you buy entry; the lightning show is included with admission.

Time needed

3–4 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• Kids
• Rainy day

Gallery · Seaport District

6.Institute of Contemporary Art

Find the Mediatheque, a stepped room whose single window frames nothing but the water below.

Time needed

1.5–2 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• Art
• Views
• Rainy day
• Architecture

Museum · Dorchester

7.John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

Take the Red Line to JFK/UMass and use the free shuttle bus to the museum.

Time needed

2 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• History
• Views
• Rainy day

Experience · Back Bay

8.Mapparium

Combine it with a walk around the long reflecting pool of Christian Science Plaza outside.

Time needed

45 minutes

Cost

Low cost

• Off the beaten path
• Rainy day
• Kids
• Architecture

Grouped by area

Booking and timing

Of these 8, 1 free, 1 low cost, 6 mid-priced. Book ahead for Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The longest visit is Museum of Science; group the rest by area to save travel time.

• Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Entry is by timed ticket; book online for weekends.

How to fit them into 5 half-days

Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.

• Half-day 1 (Fenway–Kenmore): Museum of Fine Arts, at least 3 hours.
• Half-day 2 (Fenway–Kenmore and Downtown and the Waterfront): Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum → New England Aquarium, at least 4 hours.
• Half-day 3 (Back Bay): Boston Public Library, Central Library → Mapparium, at least 2 hours.
• Half-day 4 (Charles River): Museum of Science, at least 3 hours.
• Half-day 5 (Seaport District and Dorchester): Institute of Contemporary Art → John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, at least 4 hours.

The wettest months

• May: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 12 rainy days, busy crowds. Mild and green; college graduations from mid-May push hotel prices to their highest, so book early.
• January: highs of 3°C (37°F), about 11 rainy days, very quiet crowds. The coldest month, with snow and biting wind; museums are quiet and hotel rates are among the lowest of the year.
• March: highs of 8°C (46°F), about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds. Raw and changeable, with late snow possible; the city warms up for St Patrick's Day.

The neighbourhoods they are in

• Back Bay — Victorian brownstones, Newbury Street boutiques and Copley Square
• Downtown and the Waterfront — Faneuil Hall, the aquarium, harbour cruises and the Rose Kennedy Greenway
• Seaport District — Glass towers, waterfront restaurants and the ICA on the harbour
• Fenway–Kenmore — Fenway Park, the Museum of Fine Arts and student bars on Lansdowne Street

More of Boston

All things to do in Boston · Where to stay · When to go.

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