Have an extra day in Boston, someone recommended taking the subway out to Cambrige and see Harvard, etc. I see the main art museum (Fogg) is closed for renovations, still a good side trip? what else to see or any other recommendations. thanks

Harvard has a Peabody Museum of Natural History with a wide variety of exhibits. You could also take the T to the Museum of Science or just hang in Harvard Square. Have you gone to the other art museums, Stuart Gardner or Boston Museum of Art?

yes, we have been to Boston Museum of Fine Art and the Gardner. Looking to move a little outside of central Boston where we are staying until Wednesday. thank you for any suggestions!

Oh, and there is the Contemporary Institute of Art or Institute of Contemporary Art over by the waterfront.

The Fogg/Sackler Art Museum complex is STILL OPEN. It's just that the building is undergoing renovations/expansion, but their "best of the best" is still on view.

In addition, you may enjoy taking a campus tour of Harvard (for tourists, not for prospective students). I've done it twice and it's quite fun.

Lastly, don't forget to visit Brattle Street (aka Tory Row) which has many Georgian-era mansions from pre-Revolutionary days. Longfellow House on Brattle Street is a gem.
http://www.nps.gov/LONG/index.htm

You didn't say when you'll be here, but the last day of the season for Longfellow House is Oct 18.

The Peabody Museum of ARcheology and Ethnology is also worth a visit
http://www.peabody.harvard.edu/
It adjoins the Museum of Natural History.

I am another fan of the Longfellow House mentioned by yk.

RM-

What do you mean when you say "Looking to move a little outside of central Boston"? Cambridge is still very urban, although with a somewhat different "vibe" than Boston.

But it does have a lot to commend it. You can add MIT (an easy walk from Harvard) to the list of things other posters have mentioned. The campus has some outstanding architecture, such as the Stata Center (designed by Frank Gehry) and the Chapel (Eero Saarinen), to name just two buildings. There are also the MIT Museum and the Visual Arts Center, as well as small hidden treasures such as the Compton Gallery, the Hart Nautical Gallery (really cool model ships, from galleons to supertankers), and the Corridor Lab in Strobe Alley (explains how those neat photos of bullets piercing apples and playing cards were taken).

http://web.mit.edu/visit/do.html
http://web.mit.edu/museum/
http://listart.mit.edu/
http://web.mit.edu/museum/exhibitions/compton.html
http://web.mit.edu/museum/exhibitions/hart.html
http://web.mit.edu/Edgerton/www/CorridorLab.html

I knew I could count on this forum to give me a full days worth! Have been staying in the North End for 3 days, plan on taking the red line out to Cambridge tomorrow thanks to all your suggestions. Thank you yk, I have been following your posts while getting ready for this trip! Cranachin, thanks for the website links.

roguemckenzie, I hope you're taking advantage of this beautiful Fall day today! Please let us know if you did go to the Harvard Art Museums or not, as I haven't been there since the renovation...

yk-

I was at the Harvard Art Museums (combined collections) a few weeks ago and enjoyed the exhibits (except the modern art, I must confess). If you can go on Saturday morning, it is free (even if you don't arrive until almost noon). We probably spent 2 hours or so there - definitely worth a visit.

Thanks Cranachin, I was there just before the buildings closed for the renovation (June 2008). I'm curious if I should recommend it to visitors during the partial closure. Sounds like it's still worthwhile to go.

Yes, we went to the Harvard Art Museum and found it very worthwhile! I have to agree with Cranachin regarding the modern art on the first floor. The museum seems to get better with each floor. We also stopped at the visitors center and purchased one of the booklets for the historical walk around Cambridge and really enjoyed the walk. Only disappointment was the longfellow house was closed the day we were there, but the weather was beautiful!!

roguemckenzie-

We did the museum from top to bottom (easier to walk down stairs than up them!), so we had the opposite experience - we saw the best parts first.