Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1976, 150 years after Mayor Josiah Quincy opened the original market. The
South
Market building
reopened on August 26, 1977, the
North Market building
on
August 26, 1978.
The central corridor of Quincy Market is the food court, where you can find any-
thing from a cream puff to a full Greek dinner, a slice of pizza to a fresh-shucked oys-
ter. On either side, under glass canopies, are full-service restaurants as well as pushcarts
that sell everything from crafts created by New England artisans to hokey souvenirs.
Here you'll find a bar that exactly replicates the set of the TV show
Cheers.
In the
plaza between the
South Canopy
and the South Market building is an
information
kiosk,
and throughout the complex you'll find a mix of predictable chain stores and
unique shops (see chapter 9). On warm evenings, the tables that spill outdoors from
the restaurants and bars fill with people. One constant since the year after the mar-
ket—the
original
market—opened is
Durgin-Park
(p. 115), a traditional New
England restaurant with traditionally crabby waitresses.
The original
Faneuil Hall
sometimes gets overlooked, but it's well worth a visit.
See p. 154 for a full description.
Between North, Congress, and State sts. and Atlantic Ave.
&
617/523-1300.
www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com.
Marketplace Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun noon-6pm. Food court opens earlier; some restaurants close later. T: Green
Line to Government Center, Orange Line to Haymarket or State, or Blue Line to Aquarium or State.
Institute of Contemporary Art
Even if you think contemporary art isn't for
you, the ICA is a blast. The city's first new art museum in nearly a century is a work
of art in its own right. The cantilevered building—designed by the New York firm
Diller Scofidio + Renfro, whose work on this landmark project helped boost its grow-
ing reputation—juts out above the harbor, affording dizzying views of the water, the
waterfront, and the airport. Besides being an irresistible draw, the architecture reflects
the institution's curatorial philosophy that art is inseparable from everyday life, rather
than a singular experience reserved for special occasions and field trips. The ICA
showcases 20th- and 21st-century art in every imaginable medium, including film and
video, music, literature, and dance. Opened in 2006, the 65,000-square-foot museum
gives the institution the space it needs to create a permanent collection for the first
time since its founding (under a different name) in 1936. Visitors have already
enjoyed works by Louise Bourgeois and Anish Kapoor that wouldn't have fit in (liter-
ally or figuratively) elsewhere in Boston, and the schedule of events, concerts, films,
and other activities seemingly can't expand quickly enough. Special exhibitions during
Let's All Go for a Harborwalk
The concept is irresistible: The
Harborwalk
is a pathway that traces 47 miles of
Boston's shoreline, allowing public access to multimillion-dollar views of the
water. In theory, the Harborwalk extends from East Boston to Dorchester; in
practice, the pathway isn't continuous. Distinctive royal blue signs with a white
logo and text point the way along the Harborwalk, which is an ideal route to
take from downtown to the Institute of Contemporary Art, on the South Boston
waterfront. The ambitious project has been in the works since 1984 and is more
than three-quarters complete. Learn more by visiting the website,
www.boston
harborwalk.com
, which features a map and a downloadable audio tour.
Tips
