Attraction
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Boston's encyclopaedic art museum on Huntington Avenue in the Fenway, with collections ranging from ancient Nubia and Japan to American art and late evening opening on…
Boston Public Garden
A formal garden established in 1837 beside Boston Common, with a lagoon crossed by a small bridge, Swan Boats and the Make Way for Ducklings statues.
At a glance
- Type
- Botanical garden
- Area
- Back Bay, Boston, United States
- Official site
- boston.gov
Good to know
- Free entry
- Swan Boats in warmer months
- Lagoon
- Statues and fountains
Why we recommend it
The Public Garden lies just west of Boston Common, across Charles Street, and the two are often visited together, but they feel quite different. The Common is an open historic green, while the Garden, established in 1837 after a petition by the philanthropist Horace Gray, is a formal, planted space of about 24 acres with monuments, fountains and seasonal planting. It is bounded by Boylston, Arlington, Beacon and Charles Streets.
The centre of the Garden is its lagoon, a shallow pond of about four acres crossed by a small footbridge designed by William G. Preston, which opened in 1867. In the warmer months the Swan Boats glide around the water. They have been running since 1877 and have been operated for more than a century by the Paget family, and a ride is a gentle, short outing that young children usually enjoy.
Between the pond and the entrance at Charles and Beacon Streets are Nancy Schön's bronze statues of the duck family from the children's book Make Way for Ducklings, installed in 1987 and a popular photo stop. At the Arlington Street gate, facing Commonwealth Avenue, stands Thomas Ball's equestrian statue of George Washington, unveiled in 1869. In the north-west corner the Ether Monument commemorates the first use of ether as an anaesthetic. The planting is known for its showy annuals and greenhouse-grown plants, so the Garden changes noticeably from spring through autumn.
Entry is free. It suits families, couples and anyone looking for a quiet hour in the centre of the city, and it attracts many weddings, so expect to see photographers at work on fine weekends. As a general tip, early morning is the calmest time to visit, and late spring to early autumn is when the planting and the Swan Boats are at their best. Allow 45 minutes for a loop, longer if you plan to sit by the water or take a Swan Boat.
The Garden is at the meeting point of downtown and Back Bay. Boston Common is directly across Charles Street, so the two are easily combined on foot, and from the Washington statue at the Arlington Street gate you can continue west along Commonwealth Avenue into Back Bay. The city's Public Garden page links to a printable map that is useful for finding the statues.
Boston Public Garden FAQs
Is the Public Garden free?
Yes. There is no charge to walk around the Garden.
When was the Public Garden established?
It was established in 1837 and covers about 24 acres.
Who runs the Swan Boats?
The Swan Boats have been created and operated for more than 100 years by the Paget family and run in the warmer months.
Where are the Make Way for Ducklings statues?
They are between the pond and the entrance at Charles and Beacon Streets.
What streets border the Garden?
Boylston Street to the south, Arlington Street to the west, Beacon Street to the north and Charles Street to the east.
How long should you allow?
About 45 minutes for a walk, longer with a Swan Boat ride.
What is nearby?
Boston Common is directly across Charles Street, and Commonwealth Avenue leads west into Back Bay from the Arlington Street gate.
Is there a map?
Yes. The City of Boston's Public Garden page links to a map of the Garden.