Boston in Brass and Bronze: A Guide to the City’s Art and Monuments

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Boston in Brass and Bronze: A Guide to the City’s Art and Monuments

Boston, Massachusetts audio tour: Boston in Brass and Bronze: A Guide to the City’s Art and Monuments
This is a 1.7mi walking tour
It takes an average of 90 mins to complete.
$11.99
Access all 52 locations offline with the VoiceMap app
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About the Tour

Boston’s art is the key to unlocking its rich 400-year history. On this walking tour, you’ll hear the backstories behind the city’s monuments, learn about the artists involved, and discover how Bostonians reacted when the pieces were first unveiled.

For history and art enthusiasts, this tour goes beyond the textbooks, exploring the personalities and artwork that bring the city to life.

The tour starts at James Michael Curley Park, where you’ll hear about how this infamous mayor ran the city for seven months. You’ll follow the Freedom Trail through the city’s historical core and hear about Marquis de Lafayette, a wealthy Frenchman who’s broadly celebrated for his efforts during the American Revolution. The tour ends at the Boston Common Tablet where I’ll tell you about a centuries-old typo on its facade relating to William Blaxton, the city’s first European settler.

Along the way, you’ll:

  • Start to understand how politician James Michael Curly’s statues symbolize the political shift in this city
  • Learn about the compassionate deeds of two famous Bostonian athletes, Red Auerbach and Bill Russell
  • See a statue of Samuel Adams that reportedly bears little resemblance to the man himself
  • Hear about the extensive research that went into John F. Kennedy’s statue
  • Find out how the Democratic Donkey was used as an insult before it became the symbol of the party

Beyond statues, you’ll also see:

  • Faneuil Hall and find out why it’s called the Cradle of Liberty
  • The Old State House, our prior seat of government
  • Quincy Market, Boston’s outstanding food court
  • City Hall and its brutalist architecture
  • The tea kettle that once held eight boys inside

This walk takes one and a half hours, covering 1.6 miles. Boston’s self-image has lots to teach us. Discover a one-of-a-kind blend of history and art in this four-hundred-year-old “City on the Hill” that will leave you with a unique outlook.

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Tour Producer

I work as a historical tour guide specializing in Boston, MIT, Harvard, and The Battle Road from Lexington to Concord. For the National Archives I transcribe historical documents online. Through the Find A Grave Foundation, I offer my services as a volunteer photographer to genealogists and family members. My genealogical research dates back to 1630, the start of the first Great Migration.

I broke new ground historically completing primary research into the five years Paul Revere was a coroner of Boston. Ongoing I am updating the original listing by Edward and Evelyn Stickney of the 429 church bells produced by Paul Revere and Sons. One-hundred and thirty four are confirmed in use as far away as Singapore.

The Arlington Sanctum is my first novel available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. We search out MIAs in every American War of the 20th century.

My educational degree from Temple University and paralegal certificates from Bentley University provided me with the tools to research and present Boston’s unique history.

May I guide you on my fifth tour, The Old City of Boston walking you back to the 17th century? You may prefer my Boston Civil War, Boston Massacre, Boston in Brass & Bronze, and Freedom Trail tour as worthyl options.

We look forward to hearing from you or answering questions through our website or [email protected] or downloading our tour at Voicemap.me/Boston

Preview Location

Location 45

The Embrace - a tribute to MLK

Just ahead, on the right is The Embrace by Hank Willis Thomas, installed in December 2022 and made of bronze. Stop once you reach it.

It is one of the largest statues in Boston by weight, with only the Civil War statue in the Boston Common, taller. The cost was $10 million ...
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How VoiceMap Works

Major Landmarks

  • James Michael Curley Statues

  • Faneuil Hall Marketplace

  • Red Auerbach Statue

  • Larry Bird's Statue

  • Quincy Market

  • Samuel Adams Statue

  • Bill Russell Statue on City Hall Plaza

  • Old State House

  • Readers' Park

  • Boston Irish Famine Memorial

  • Democracy Donkey Statue

  • Boston Latin School (BLS)

  • Boston Athenaeum

  • Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment Memorial

  • Statue of Mary Dyer

  • Daniel Webster's Statue at The State House

  • John F Kennedy Statue

  • Horace Mann Statue at The State House

  • Frog Fishing

  • The Great Elm

  • The Embrace

  • Boston Massacre/Crispus Attucks Memorial

  • Lafayette Mall Monument

  • Brewer Fountain

  • Plaque to William Blackstone Boston Common

Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.
  1. Start location
    Boston, MA 02109, USA
  2. Total distance
    3km
  3. Distance back to start location
    613.77m

Directions to Starting Point

The tour begins at Union Square, at the intersection of Congress and Clinton Streets. The park is sandwiched behind City Hall, opposite Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market.

The Green Line of our transit system drops you off at Government Center on the City Hall plaza. Walk down the rear steps to Union Park.

The Blue line Aquarium stop is two small blocks from the park and our Orange line stops at Haymarket one street up from the park.

Parking is available near Union Park on Clinton Street and John Fitzgerald Surface road or at the end of our tour in the Boston Common garage. On Sundays, you can street park free in you arrive by 9 AM.

If you are taking an Uber or Lyft, direct them to Union Street Park II, aka James Michael Curly Park, at the intersection of Congress and North Street. Should they seem confused GPS Faneuil Hall and walk across the street to the park.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

From beginning to end you will pass many restaurants, coffee, ice cream and fast food shops. If you are in search of food, drink or entertainment, when the tour ends at the Boston Common, we will offer some suggestions easily returning you to the historical district of Boston.

Best time of day

The optimum times are 10:30 and 1:30. You can do this tour all year. Our fall colors enhance your excursion. Sunset is not an issue. Our route is well lit and safe.

Precautions

A precaution. Automobile drivers may legally turn right at many intersections. Locals, fighting gridlock, become aggressive. Be sure you have eye contact even if you have the walk sign.

Exclusions; Our tour does not cover a few statues with a narrow focus, or difficult to reach.

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App Store Review
“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”
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