I'm kind of cheating - the glass and beads are peripheral at best to this site, but it's so beautiful I couldn't resist. This site features a portion of the Boston Public Library called "The Sistine Chapel of Boston."
Now, I have seen the Sistine Chapel, so I don't think I'd go quite that far, but the room is incredible. The BPL is pretty darned amazing all by itself, and for those that like glass and artwork, Boston is definitely a must see. And the Sistine Chapel is so freaking enormous that it really overwhelms the visitor.
At Harvard, there's a whole museum of absolutely perfect life sized models of plants and flowers made of glass by one person. If they weren't in cases, you'd never know they weren't cut yesterday. The Museum of Fine Arts has one of the most amazing Egypt exhibits outside of Cairo (it's fair to compare it to the British Museum.) We even have a huge glass globe of the Earth which can be toured _from the inside_, and is amazingly cool.
Well enough about my home town, here's the link:
The ones who took commercial tours, either before or afterward, were not exceptionally happy when they compared it to their customized KathyNV tour. I think the only exception would be a Boston Duck Tour: they're in WWII amphibious vehicles, and you get to cruise over Boston's "interesting" streets and into the Charles River. Children (of all ages) get a turn driving the vehicle once it's in the water. It's incredible fun, and I take Duck Tours whenever possible.
And if you're nice to me, I can take you to the NECCO wafer factory, where you can get amazing amounts of really cool candy for almost nothing. $10 is more than you can carry, and believe me, I've tried. They make sky bars, gummi lobsters, all kinds of chocolate and different novelty candy, and nearly all of the printed Valentine hearts made in the US. Wicked nice people, too.
Another beady place of interest is the Boston Children's Museum. Really. They have a shop that sells bits of industrial stuff that companies no longer need. Want 50 of the Scottie dogs from the Monopoly game? No problem - Parker Brother's games is a supplier. How about dice, hourglasses, Mr. Potato Head noses, foam tubes or the wooden handle and base for a rubber stamp? It's all there, and sold by weight. Again, if you spend $10, you'll stagger out of there under the weight of your stuff.
Boston isn't cheap for hotels, but once you have a place to stay and a local guide, you can have an amazing time for very little money. For less than $10, you can cruise the harbor islands all day, tour Civil War ruins and picnic on your own private patch of beach. Mnay, many museums are free to enter, and the ones that cost are usually pretty inexpensive. (the Aquarium is the sole exception)
Renting a car here is a stupid idea, parking is almost non-existent, and even locals like me occasionally get lost since the street patterns change all the time. Besides, public transportation is ubiquitous, cheap and fast. Boston Drivers deserve their ferocious reputation.
But enough about my wonderful home. Take a look at the site, drool, and plan your visit to see my part of the world.
Kathy N-V