John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum & Library
John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum & Library, Boston: Address, Phone Number, John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum & Library Reviews: 4.5/5
John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum & Library
John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum & Library
4.5
About
Relive the Kennedy era in this dynamic combination museum and library, where your visit starts with a short film and then leaves you on your own to explore a series of fascinating exhibits, including the Kennedy-Nixon debate, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the space program, 1960s campaign paraphernalia and displays about Jacqueline and other Kennedy family members. The striking, I.M. Pei-designed building overlooks the water and the Boston skyline.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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Laire Lizzy
Chicago, IL4 contributions
May 2022 • Family
This was one of my favorite parts of Boston! You can easily spend all day in here reading, watching, and listening to everything. We had an 11 am ticket time and stayed until around 4:30 pm. The museum was clean, well laid out, easy to navigate, respectful, and above all it was the perfect tribute to JFK.
Written 22 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
ekelleman88
Hammond, IN144 contributions
May 2022 • Solo
There are displays to read and videos to watch chronicling the Kennedy presidency. Videos include the Kennedy-Nixon debate, TV election coverage from 1960, press conferences, personal Kennedy family home videos, Jackie Kennedys tour of the White House, and speeches made in Germany and Ireland. Great stop for anyone who lived during the 60s or anyone with an interest in history.
Written 8 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
concubhair2017
Dublin, Ireland59 contributions
Apr. 2022 • Couples
We visited the JFK Presidential Library and Museum. A free shuttle bus takes visitors from the nearest T station to the museum.
The building itself is an impressive modern structure situated on the University of Massachusetts campus, and right beside the waterfront - a stunning building in a stunning location.
The immersive exhibition is detailed without ever becoming overwhelming or dull. All aspects of Kennedy’s political career are featured, with artefacts, recreations and substantial video displays. Highly recommended- we happily spent 3 hours visiting all of the displays.
The building itself is an impressive modern structure situated on the University of Massachusetts campus, and right beside the waterfront - a stunning building in a stunning location.
The immersive exhibition is detailed without ever becoming overwhelming or dull. All aspects of Kennedy’s political career are featured, with artefacts, recreations and substantial video displays. Highly recommended- we happily spent 3 hours visiting all of the displays.
Written 30 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Marissa E
Galloway, NJ188 contributions
Apr. 2022 • Couples
This is a great museum with an introductory video of the life of JFK. The artifacts were a great addition to walk through as well
Written 24 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Dawn S
Lowville, NY84 contributions
Apr. 2022
JFK's Presidential Museum & Library is a must if you are visiting Boston. So many exhibits, videos, and artifacts. It brought back so many memories of his Presidency when I was a teenager. I'm now 72.. I could tell my granddaughters and daughter what I remembered from his Presidency.
Written 21 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Rebecca M
Pomona, California, USA80 contributions
Apr. 2022
We really enjoyed the museum. The history of President Kennedy was interesting and the site was located in a beautiful area.
Written 12 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
hrobinson1114
Nashville, TN2,511 contributions
Mar. 2022 • Solo
I’m a big fan of JFK and a bigger fan of Bobby Kennedy. Really, I’m an amateur Kennedy historian. I’ve wanted to come here for years.
While I am glad I came, I had to settle on four stars because I couldn’t stop comparing the museum to the FDR museum in Hyde Park, which I rated five stars. There are many reasons for this, many not under the JFK Museum’s control.
First, JFK’s term was cut tragically short. Because of this, material from his presidency is more sparse, and possibly more guarded. While FDR was President for four terms, and so much of his personal documents and belongings are accessible. For example, FDR’s actual desk is at his library, arranged exactly as he had it when he died. I felt like I was there on the day he died, almost four decades before I was born. The JFK desk, of course, is a replica, and while there are some things from his desk in view, they are in wall displays.
And while there are so many personally written documents in the FDR library, the JFK library relies on a lot of video footage, rather than documents JFK actually laid his hands on. I suppose this is fitting, even if it’s not my preference, because JFK revolutionized the presidency as it related to the media.
There was a lot of Jackie Kennedy’s fashionable outfits, many furnishings and pieces of art. But I don’t feel like I really got to know Jackie the way I got to know Eleanor Roosevelt at the FDR site. I mean, they had the contents of her wallet from the day she died!
Maybe this also has to do with the fact the Kennedy family is so large and so many are still living, and Jackie was living much more recently than Eleanor.
My favorite part of the museum was the attorney general’s office. Again, I love Bobby Kennedy, and I felt really close to him here. His desk did have contents on it, as he would have had them. Family photos. Drawings from his kids. His diplomas.
The JFK administration always strove for the “Camelot” narrative. And then of course the details of his assassination have been kept murky. Possibly because of this, the JFK museum felt academic, felt like a public relations exercise.
Again, still love the Kennedys and so glad to have come here. And maybe because I already knew so much about them, my view is skewed. But I didn’t leave here feeling like I knew them any better, or feeling any closer to them. When I left the FDR museum, I left there and felt I knew them more intimately, and thought about FDR and Eleanor for days after.
While I am glad I came, I had to settle on four stars because I couldn’t stop comparing the museum to the FDR museum in Hyde Park, which I rated five stars. There are many reasons for this, many not under the JFK Museum’s control.
First, JFK’s term was cut tragically short. Because of this, material from his presidency is more sparse, and possibly more guarded. While FDR was President for four terms, and so much of his personal documents and belongings are accessible. For example, FDR’s actual desk is at his library, arranged exactly as he had it when he died. I felt like I was there on the day he died, almost four decades before I was born. The JFK desk, of course, is a replica, and while there are some things from his desk in view, they are in wall displays.
And while there are so many personally written documents in the FDR library, the JFK library relies on a lot of video footage, rather than documents JFK actually laid his hands on. I suppose this is fitting, even if it’s not my preference, because JFK revolutionized the presidency as it related to the media.
There was a lot of Jackie Kennedy’s fashionable outfits, many furnishings and pieces of art. But I don’t feel like I really got to know Jackie the way I got to know Eleanor Roosevelt at the FDR site. I mean, they had the contents of her wallet from the day she died!
Maybe this also has to do with the fact the Kennedy family is so large and so many are still living, and Jackie was living much more recently than Eleanor.
My favorite part of the museum was the attorney general’s office. Again, I love Bobby Kennedy, and I felt really close to him here. His desk did have contents on it, as he would have had them. Family photos. Drawings from his kids. His diplomas.
The JFK administration always strove for the “Camelot” narrative. And then of course the details of his assassination have been kept murky. Possibly because of this, the JFK museum felt academic, felt like a public relations exercise.
Again, still love the Kennedys and so glad to have come here. And maybe because I already knew so much about them, my view is skewed. But I didn’t leave here feeling like I knew them any better, or feeling any closer to them. When I left the FDR museum, I left there and felt I knew them more intimately, and thought about FDR and Eleanor for days after.
Written 19 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Rebecca2528
Aberdeen, UK93 contributions
Mar. 2021
Visited the museum in December 2019 and was far more than I expected. Was expecting a couple of personal belongings but was completely shocked at how large the museum was with multiple videos to watch, sets to walk through and a large amount of personal belongings. Really educational and interesting and in a lovely location too, slightly out of the way for tourists though was a bit of a nightmare to get to.
Written 6 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Irishwarman
Ambridge, PA1 contribution
Apr. 2021 • Business
I’ve visited the library numerous times and have always enjoyed it. I liked Kennedy.
I also visited it in a professional position in the late 90’s; being invited to build its website.
My team and I were ushered upstairs into a meeting room who’s walls were covered in painted murals. As both my group and the museum staff were sitting down to begin discussions, l asked about the murals.
Someone explained they were once on the walls of the now nonexistent White House pool.
Knowing the history of Kennedy’s affairs and poolside indiscretions l couldn’t help but say, “ If walls could talk…”
Needless to say we weren’t invited back.
Truth is hard.
I also visited it in a professional position in the late 90’s; being invited to build its website.
My team and I were ushered upstairs into a meeting room who’s walls were covered in painted murals. As both my group and the museum staff were sitting down to begin discussions, l asked about the murals.
Someone explained they were once on the walls of the now nonexistent White House pool.
Knowing the history of Kennedy’s affairs and poolside indiscretions l couldn’t help but say, “ If walls could talk…”
Needless to say we weren’t invited back.
Truth is hard.
Written 21 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Roger W
New York City, NY59 contributions
Dec. 2021
We like visiting presidential libraries and had wanted to see JFK's for a while. Frankly we were disappointed, great location on the water overlooking Boston and terrific design, but, in our view, lacking substance. Not on a par with many other libraries. Shame because there is a compelling story to tell.
It ran through his life chronologically, story told mostly via TV clips, posters had limited info and type too small. Barely a mention of Bay of Pigs or, surprisingly, Dallas. Told through rose tinted glasses, which to an extent they all are, but Nixon's and Clinton's covered the bases warts and all.
I know not everything was open because of covid restrictions, but it looked tired ... needs a revamp.
It ran through his life chronologically, story told mostly via TV clips, posters had limited info and type too small. Barely a mention of Bay of Pigs or, surprisingly, Dallas. Told through rose tinted glasses, which to an extent they all are, but Nixon's and Clinton's covered the bases warts and all.
I know not everything was open because of covid restrictions, but it looked tired ... needs a revamp.
Written 7 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
PartyTheNightAway
New Jersey2,789 contributions
How much time should I give myself to tour this museum?
Jimharri
Thalwil, Switzerland5 contributions
Is senior pass accepted at jfk library
michaelmM421JS
32 contributions
Yes it is, they even accepted my Australian Seniors card
Hi. We are expecting guests soon and would like to offer a tour of the Kennedy Museum. What is the entrance cost/fees and what are the hours? Thanks. JNR
Deborah K
Saint John, IN512 contributions
I believe the military rate was $8.00 & senior was 10.00. Hours are 9a - 5p. We took a cab from our hotel!
Jean556jean
Leesburg, FL1 contribution
is there public transportation from providence RI to the JFK Library?
Gwen W
Murfreesboro, TN1,747 contributions
Yes and there is also a shuttle from the train to his Library as well
Jdorville
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic89 contributions
¿Dónde se compran las entradas? ¿Las puedo comprar por internet?
MarinaTaleroMonroy
Bogota, Colombia69 contributions
Buenas tardes, Jdorville, usted es turista en la ciudad de Boston? O pasará una temporada larga en la ciudad? Pues, si la respuesta es la segunda las entradas le podrían salir un poco más económicas con un bono de la biblioteca del barrio donde se este hospedando.
Si no tiene descuento, las puede comprar de ambas formas en línea o en la entrada el día de la visita.
200Anne7809
Dallas, TX5 contributions
How do I get there from Black Falcon Cruise Terminal
Choo-Beng G
Singapore, Singapore254 contributions
The best way is either by taxi or Uber.
The museum is located in a fairly out of the way area and I am not sure about buses.
Frequently Asked Questions about John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum & Library
- Hotels near John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum & Library:
- (3.09 km) Homewood Suites by Hilton Boston Seaport District
- (3.10 km) Hampton Inn Boston Seaport District
- (4.63 km) Clarendon Square
- (1.24 km) DoubleTree by Hilton Boston Bayside
- (3.71 km) Seaport Hotel
- Restaurants near John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum & Library:
- (0.42 km) Dunkin'
- (0.46 km) Burger King
- (4.15 km) Mike's City Diner
- (4.07 km) Flour Bakery & Cafe
- (4.54 km) Mike & Patty's
- Attractions near John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum & Library:
- (0.14 km) Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate
- (0.24 km) Commonwealth Museum
- (0.47 km) HarborWalk
- (4.99 km) Freedom Trail
- (6.20 km) Fenway Park