Thoreau Path Arbor Day Clean Up

Join your local history museum and WE Tree Boston for a fun neighborhood spring cleaning! (Please note our rain date is April 19th, 2pm)  In celebration of spring, join The West End Museum and WE Tree Boston for an afternoon of cleaning up greenspaces in the neighborhood. Help plants wake up from their winter hibernation and tidy the tree pits. Help keep your community clean and connect with non-profits working to bring greenspace to all.  Meet at The West End Museum to get instructions and supplies from event leaders.  This event is free and open to the public.  This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

The West End Museum

Big Screen Boston: Film Clip Show and Book Talk

Boston is ready for its close up! Settle in for an evening exploring the film history of the “City on a Hill”. Join The West End Museum and author Paul Sherman, whose film reviews have appeared in the&nbsp;Boston Herald, the&nbsp;Improper Bostonian&nbsp;and more, for the highlights of Hollywood’s love-hate relationship with the city. From the&nbsp;Departed&nbsp;to&nbsp;Mystery Street&nbsp;and&nbsp;The Brink’s Job&nbsp;to&nbsp;Next Stop Wonderland,&nbsp;learn to spot street corners and monuments in your favorite films and why so few movies are actually set here.&nbsp;This talk is based on Sherman's book&nbsp;Big Screen Boston. See Boston on the silver screen, tuck some film trivia in your back pocket, and add a few local flicks to your “to watch” list.&nbsp; Books will be available for purchase at this event.&nbsp; This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Harry “Bucky” Lew: An Early Black History of Basketball

Learn about one of the mostly-forgotten pioneers of basketball in this exciting book talk on Harry "Bucky" Lew! Before Chuck Cooper broke the color barrier for the Celtics, there was Harry “Bucky” Lew. A Massachusetts native who dribbled in the same circles as the West End House basketball team, Lew integrated every conceivable role in the game over the course of his 25 year career. Lew’s long career brought him all around New England, but his legacy has mostly been forgotten. Lew played in the West End, where he faced off against a team led by future sportswriting legend Hy Hurwitz. Hy was witness to many historic sports events, including baseball's first Hall of Fame class and the home run Ted Williams hit in his famous final at-bat. If Hy had a vote for basketball's hall of fame too, Lew just might have made it! Join author Chris Boucher and Lew’s granddaughter Wendy Johnson, for this book talk and conversation on one of basketball’s unsung pioneers. Books will be available for purchase at this event. Looking for a sports history double header? Make sure to join us for Title Town in the West End tour on May 2 at 1 pm. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Title Town in the West End: Presented by Boston Sports Tours

Join the Founder of Boston Sports Tours, Kathryn Harris, on a walking tour of sports history in the West End and beyond! Discover how Boston got its Title Town reputation with a walk through the storied history of the Celtics, Bruins, and Patriots. Learn about the powerful beginnings of each team, their rise to elite prominence, and how they gave Boston unforgettable record-setting runs. Get an up-close look at the stories and moments that make Boston a sports trailblazer and mecca. Discover the inspiration and complex connections between the city’s diverse populations and their accomplished sports teams. Unpack the early American values that shaped this modern sports landscape and the cultural victories and challenges along the way. Journey from Government Center to TD Garden – along the Champion’s Parade Route and the Freedom Trail, through Boston’s historic West End and North End, and on to the “Hub on Causeway” – all while discovering iconic sports monuments and hidden sports spots along the way. Tour begins at Government Center MBTA stop, 1 Cambridge Street Boston. End at the West End Museum. This tour will last 2 hours. Attendees will be required to fill out a waiver in advance of the tour. It can be filled out online <a href="https://bostonsportstours.checkfront.com/reserve/document/?template_id=1&amp;return_url=%2Freserve%2Fdocuments%2Fdirectory%2F&amp;kiosk=1">here</a>. Looking for a sports history double header? Make sure to join us for Harry “Bucky” Lew: The First Black Professional Basketball Player Book Talk on May 2 at 11 am. Thank you to our sponsor at Boston Sports Tour for their support! This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Government Center Station

Developers in Dialogue 

Join us for a panel discussion uncovering the mystery of becoming a developer. Ask questions and learn to take the next step in your career. Join The West End Museum for&nbsp;Developers in Dialogue, an engaging panel discussion designed to bring together emerging real estate developers and seasoned industry leaders for an afternoon of insight, connection, and opportunity. This event creates a space for young professionals to learn firsthand from established developers about navigating challenges, building projects, and growing a successful career. Through candid conversation and audience Q&amp;A, attendees will gain practical knowledge and real-world perspectives that go beyond textbooks. The event will conclude with a dedicated networking session, giving attendees time to connect directly with panelists and peers. This event welcomes construction professionals, real estate professionals, investors, and developers of all tiers for a day of dialogue. Thank you to our sponsors at Currently Wine co! This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Immigration, Community, and Identity: A Conversation with Shubha Sunder

Explore themes of immigration and community as experienced in present day Boston in conversation with the past in this dynamic book talk! Hear from author Shubha Sunder on how themes of identity, race, and immigration emerge in her debut novel,&nbsp;Optional Practical Training. Our discussion with Shubha will also explore how input and expectations from others shape our sense of community, where we call home, and how “home” changes due to urban renewal, fading memories, changing communities, and our own migration to newly adopted homes. Join Shubha as she shares her perspective on writing her debut novel and how to capture stories about the communities we call home, even as they change. Shubha Sunder is a 2025 Whiting Award winner and the author of&nbsp;Optional Practical Training, an immigrant novel in conversations. She won the New American Voices Award and was a finalist for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. Her first book,&nbsp;Boomtown Girl, a short story collection set in her hometown of Bangalore, India, won the 2021 St. Lawrence Book Award. She currently teaches in the creative writing MFA program at UMass Boston. Books will be available at this event. An informal book club may be arranged. If interested please email jaydie@thewestendmuseum.org. This project is made possible in partnership with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ilctr.org/for-teachers/teaching-us-immigration-series/immigrant-women-industrial-revolution-lesson-plans-resource-bundle/">The Immigrant Learning Center</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://iir.gmu.edu/">Institute for Immigration Research</a>&nbsp;at George Mason University. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Remnants of Urban Renewal Walking Tour

The story of urban renewal has become synonymous with Boston's West End. In the late 1950's and early 1960's, more than 50-acres of tenement housing were demolished under the premise of 'slum clearance' to make way for luxury high-rise buildings. Around 7,000 mostly working class residents were displaced from the neighborhood. The West End is known for what was demolished, but this tour takes you to the buildings that survived.&nbsp; A number of historically significant buildings were preserved, as was the North Slope of Beacon Hill – a part of the historic West End neighborhood. These buildings represent a lineage of early Boston architects: Charles Bulfinch, Asher Benjamin, Alexander Parris, and Gridley J.F. Bryant.&nbsp; Join former Museum curator, Duane Lucia, on this one and a half hour tour of the pieces of the West End that urban renewal left behind. This tour begins at the West End Museum.&nbsp; This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Boston Trivia Night

It's trivia night in the West End! Test your Boston knowledge and enjoy great food and drinks. You think you know Boston? Here’s your chance to prove it. Bring your friends and love of Boston history for this exciting trivia night full of fun facts and good food and drinks! Fancy yourself a winner? You May well be one after this evening of Spring fun facts as The West End Museum brings you trivia, fun, and friendly competition! Sign up with a team or join one on the spot. Whether you’re a Boston history-buff, a cocktail connoisseur, or just looking for a fun night out, this event has a place for you! The winning team will receive a prize from the West End Museum! Arrive early for a drink and a meal before trivia starts. This event is presented in partnership with the Pennyweight Hotel. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Pennyweight Hotel

Wild Times In the West End: Exhibit Opening and Talk 

There are quite a few stories of mischief, murder, and mayhem that once rocked the West End’s streets. Learn about the gambling bookies on the corners of Causeway Street, the perpetrators of the legendary Brinks robbery who almost got away with it, and why exactly the Last Tenement made it to the present. The crimes of the West End’s past were varied and villainous. Join us for a reception and talk by guest-curator Emily Sweeney of the Boston Globe as The West End Museum brings criminal headlines to life. This mini-exhibit will run from June 3- June 14. Don’t miss it! Copies of Gangland Boston by Emily Sweeney will be available for purchase at this event and throughout the duration of the mini exhibit. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Rebuilding Shattered Worlds: Book Talk and Panel

Join Professor Andrea L. Smith for a discussion on urban renewal, displacement, and community voices in Easton, PA and beyond. Urban renewal demolished vibrant and well-loved neighborhoods across the nation in cities large and small. Join the West End Museum as we host anthropologist Professor Andrea Smith of Lafayette College as she discusses her book on urban renewal’s effect on the mid-sized Pennsylvania city of Easton and the long lasting impacts felt by those displaced in its wake. Hear the story of “Syrian Town,” a multi-ethnic neighborhood that was demolished to clear “blight”. Targeted for its residents’ racial and ethnic makeup, relative poverty, and central location, the history of this diverse neighborhood is captured by Professor Smith who listened in as former neighbors reunited in schools and church basements to reconstruct the collective memories of displaced residents. Professor Smith will be joined by Jared Katsiane, South End artist and member of the Reclaiming History Collective, and Charlie Garguilo, author of&nbsp;Legends of Little Canada,&nbsp;for a panel discussion after the book talk.&nbsp; Books will be available for purchase at the event. If you would like to attend virtually, please purchase a ticket and email jaydie@thewestendmuseum.org. Those living outside of Route 128 may contact Jaydie for a discount code. This program was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Don't Talk About Joe Mac with Author Springs Toledo

Spend an evening uncovering the hidden histories of Boston's gang wars and warriors and one of the criminal underworld's biggest bogeymen. In conjunction with our Wild Times in the West End mini-exhibit, join author Springs Toledo as he traces the history of the infamous Winter Hill Gang. Joseph “Joe Mac” McDonald was a bookie, mobster, and career criminal. A man who graced the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted List, Joe Mac is still only spoken of in whispers. Uncover Boston’s underworld and the man behind so much of it. Books will be available for purchase at the event. If you would like to attend virtually, please purchase a ticket and email jaydie@thewestendmuseum.org. Those living outside of Route 128 may contact Jaydie for a discount code. This program was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Queer History West End Exhibit Opening

Uncover the little known stories of queer West Enders. From artists and authors to activists and brothel owners, the West End has been home to a number of trendsetters, leaders, and artists who embraced a life outside the norm. Celebrate the lives and legacies of LGBTQIA+ West Enders with pride. Light refreshments will be served. Thank you to Queer History Boston for their contributions to this exhibit! Support for this exhibit was provided by Dorchester Brewing. This program was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Scotland Versus Morocco Watch Party

Keep up with the sports event of the year with The West End Museum! Cheer for your team and learn a bit of sports trivia. Can’t make it to Foxborough to watch the kick off? Join The West End Museum for a soccer watch party as Scotland and Morocco face off in the group stage of the world’s biggest soccer tournament.  Settle in at the bar in the Pennyweight Hotel for snacks and drinks while the game gets rolling. During breaks in the action, join host Kathryn Harris, founder of Boston Sports Tours, for sports trivia and fun facts! The Bar opens at 5pm and the game starts at 6pm.  This program would not be possible without support from our partners at Boston Sports Tours and the Pennyweight Hotel. This program was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Shining a Spotlight on the Big Dig

Join us for a lecture by former Boston Globe Project Correspondent Tom Palmer! Learn what went on behind the scenes of the Big Dig. In conjunction with our special exhibit on the Big Dig, join us for a lecture by West End Museum board member and former Boston Globe reporter Tom Palmer as he takes you behind the scenes of Boston’s biggest public works project. Explore project maps, see original archival footage from Big Dig construction sites, and learn what it was like to report on this massive project.&nbsp; Get the scoop on how they dug up the city! Arrive early to access our special exhibit “The Story of Boston’s BIG DIG”.&nbsp; This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

SOLD OUT Bulfinch Triangle Walking Tour

Join the West End Museum for a tour of the curious and storied streets of the Bulfinch Triangle. Boston is famous for its irregular street patterns, but between the rest of the winding streets of the Shawmut Peninsula lies a clear regular-sided triangle. What is it and how did its odd street pattern survive all this time? The Bulfinch Triangle, the area of the West End between Causeway Street and the Haymarket, was once a tidal mill pond, which powered mills in Colonial Boston. It was filled in as one of Boston’s first major land-making endeavors, 50 years before the Back Bay. The triangular street pattern was laid out by Charles Bullfinch, America’s first native-born architect. Over time it was home to a little known section of the Middlesex Canal, four railroad depots, and two major commuter terminals. Join former West End Museum curator Duane Lucia on a guided 1.5 hour walking tour of 400 years of Boston history in the Bulfinch Triangle. Tours begin at The West End Museum. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S19: interest based

Kid-friendly events in Boston

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.

Where

jaydiewem

Experiences