Frank's Favorites

The Boston Athenaeum Sparkles after Complete Restoration
Enlarged and rebuilt in 1913, this National Historic Landmark is a little-known jewel tucked away at the top of Beacon Street in Boston, a few steps from the State House. It's a private library (only 1049 ownership shares exist) founded in 1907, and this treasure-trove of books - including George Washington's library collection and authentic Confederate imprints - are just some of the treasures to explore. It's an ideal spot for musing and browsing. The nooks and crannies, including a charmingly hand-painted elevator, are of another era. Tours are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reservations required. Hours are M-F 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Closed in August. For more information, visit their Web site.
The Boston Athenaeum
10  1/2 Beacon St, Boston
(617) 227-0270

Boston Public Library - oldest in the country
Largely unknown is the vast collection of art housed in this landmark building -- works by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, John Singleton Copley, Winslow Homer, John James Audubon, Rembrandt, Picasso, and Tousouse-Lautrec. Don't miss the historic murals by Sargent depicting his series on "Judaism and Christianity," which he himself considered one of his greatest achievements. On the same floor in an anteroom, is a little-known memorial to the famed anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti. After you view the art and the various displays, head for the center of the Boston Public Library's Old Wing and discover one of my favorite hideaways, the recently-renovated Atrium, a classic urban oasis, a place to sit and read and just dream amidst this Italian Renaissance atmosphere . . . the plants and flowers in the area are a volunteer project of the Back Bay Garden Club.
There are free tours beginning at the Dartmouth St. lobby Sundays at 2, Mondays at 2:30 Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays at 11 a.m.
Boston Public Library, 666 Boylston St., enter at Dartmouth St., Boston
(617) 536-5400

Massachusetts Institute Technology (MIT).
There is some exceptional outdoor sculpture that graces the campus grounds. (Some outstanding Henry Moores, Alexander Calder and Louise Nevelson to name just a few.) Stop by the List Visual Arts Center for a map and take a self-guided tour. Group tours with a guide can be scheduled ahead of time. The view to the river and beyond is magnificent.
MIT Campus, Memorial Drive, Cambridge (617) 253-4400

Mount Auburn Cemetery
It may seem strange to recommend a cemetery as one of my favorite outdoor venues . . . 176 acres of great natural and landscaped beauty. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's great for bird watching and photo-taking, and aside from its idyllic beauty, as you meander the foot paths with map in hand, look at some of the folks you can say hello to. They all decided to make Mt. Auburn Cemetery their final stop.
Mt. Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge 617-547-7105

Edwin Booth (1893)
Mary Baker Eddy (1910)
Fanny Farmer (1915)
Winslow Homer (1910)
Isabella Stuart Gardner (1924)
Amy Lowell (1924)
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1882)
Buckminster Fuller (1983)
Edwin Land [Founder of Polaroid] (1991)

And an unlikely duo in the Crematoria:

Sister Corita Kent
Robert Mapplethorpe