The Oldest City Park in the United States | Boston, Massachusetts

Since its founding in 1634 the Boston Common has had many different uses. What started as a cow pasture became a campsite for British troops before the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Sometime later, the Common became a public hanging site until a gallows was introduced. Years later it would become a garden, a cemetery, and even the location of riots and protests. As the oldest city park in the United States, the Boston Common is a unique place where nature and history coexist. 

I was lucky that my trip to Boston coincided with some of the most beautiful weather Boston had seen this Spring. Tourist and locals alike were setting up places in the shade to sit and relax. I found myself wondering the park at a snails pace, just enjoying the serenity. Boston Common is a haven in the center of busy Boston. 

xoxo

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum | Boston, Massachusetts

Museums are a way to showcase the true character of a city. From natural sciences to arts, all museums hold artifacts that tell a unique tale of the place you're visiting and the people who helped make it possible. 

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is just as unique as it is telling. From the outside this modern art museum fits in well with its Boston surroundings. However as soon as you step foot inside you know you are about to be transported back in time. 

Isabella Stewart Gardner was one of America's leading art collectors at the start of the 20th century. By 1903 she had built a museum designed to look like a Venetian palace right in the heart of Boston. Her goal was for visitors to be immersed in Renaissance art and architecture, making the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum one of a kind. Around every corner you are greeted with some of the greatest pieces from the Renaissance including works by Botticelli, Matisse, and Degas. It is undoubtably one of the greatest collection on the Eastern seaboard. 

The museum has a dark history as well. It is the location of the worlds greatest property theft in history. In 1990 two men stole 13 pieces valuing $500 million. The robbery remains unsolved and the pieces are still missing to this day. The museum keeps the empty frames on the walls in hopes of their return. There is a $10 million reward. 

There is no shortage of history and art in the city of Boston. As one of America's oldest cities, Boston is rich in culture. However, I highly suggest getting lost in the hallways of the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum for an afternoon. You will not be disappointed. 

xoxo