JFK and Harvard

Today I headed south on the subway and to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. For an American history buff like me it really was a great place to visit. I took the guided tour option although it was quite a loose arrangement and I was able to wander off and look at the different exhibits. They had so many original items and letters from both JFK and Jackie and also an extra exhibit on the Cuba Missile Crisis. This I particularly enjoyed as it featured lots of original documents and actually recordings from ExComm meetings at The White House.

Afterwards I wandered over to the Commonwealth Museum at the Massachusetts Archives just opposite. It was quite interesting to read more about the foundation of the US and to see original copies of The Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights.

It was already mid afternoon by the time I was finished so I took the subway to the other side of town for a look around Harvard University and the Cambridge area. There were lots of summer school kids around and plenty of tourists so in many ways not very different from Oxford. I ended up walking north rather than south in error through some quite pleasant suburban areas but rather than turn around I walked to the next subway station where I caught the train back to my hostel.

Again it's been quite hot today although apparantly this is comfortable weather for Boston. Maybe I'm doing too much activity as I do seem to be quite hot and bothered by the end of the day. I'm tired so am not venturing back out. Instead I'll do some reading, listen to some music and recharge my batteries before my final full day here.

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

Harvard Memorial Hall