Celebrate International Museum Day & Visit Museums Along the Commuter Rail

International Museum Day is on Sunday, May 18! Let the Commuter Rail be your guide and ride the train as you explore fascinating museums along the way. And with International Museum Day falling on a Sunday this year, you can use the Commuter Rail’s $10 Weekend Pass, which allows you to get off and on the train as many times as you’d like! Whether you love art, science, or history, there’s a museum out there ready to wow you. There are numerous museums to choose from, but here are a few notable options. 

Newburyport/Rockport Line

Salem Witch Museum

(0.62 miles from Salem Station) 

Go back in time to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 at the Salem Witch Museum. This spooky attraction is a 0.62-mile walk from Salem Station and examines one of the most emotional and enduring events in American History. In the museum, you’ll find two presentations: the first is a look into the events of 1692, while the second explores the meaning behind the word witch.

Peabody Essex Museum

(0.65 miles from Salem Station)

Also in Salem is the Peabody Essex Museum, one of the oldest operating museums in the United States. Explore collections of Asian, American, African, and maritime art that dive deep into the world’s expansive history. The museum also houses several exhibits, including the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and the Yin Yu Tang–a 200-year-old Chinese house. It is a 0.65-mile walk from Salem Station.

Hammond Castle Museum

(2.90 miles from Gloucester Station)

The Hammond Castle Museum was the former home, laboratory, and museum of inventor John Hays Hammond Jr.. This medieval-style castle features Renaissance artifacts, interactive exhibits, educational programming, and hosts various community events. Grab a ride-share from Gloucester Station, as the museum is 2.90 miles from the station, or book a self-guided tour of the Hammond Castle Museum with Keolis massAdventures and receive a Weekend Commuter Rail Pass and private transportation to and from the station. 

Cape Ann Museum 

(0.40 miles from Gloucester Station)

Only a 0.40-mile walk from Gloucester Station is the Cape Ann Museum. Founded in 1875, this museum showcases the rich history, art, and culture of Cape Ann. The museum has two distinct locations with four historic structures: a sea captain’s house, the original Gloucester town green, modern galleries for permanent and special exhibitions, art studio spaces, children’s spaces, and an extensive library and archives. Check out painter and graphic artist Fitz Henry Lane’s collection of works, ship models, and a scale model of the 19th-century Gloucester Harbor. 

Fall River/New Bedford Line

New Bedford Art Museum

(0.68 miles from New Bedford Station)

With four gallery spaces full of eclectic art, the New Bedford Art Museum showcases the talents of local artists. Here, you can explore new and rising media and art practices, including sound art, olfactory art, floral art, ceramics, glass, and jewelry making. The museum is about a 0.68-mile walk from New Bedford Station. 

Maritime Museum at Battleship Cove

(1.33 miles from Fall River Depot Station)

Children and adults alike will enjoy this historical and nautical museum. The Maritime Museum at Battleship Cove houses 150 scale models, 30,000 photographs, videos, uniforms, and audio recordings that give an inside look at maritime travel. Plus, you’ll find the famous Titanic exhibit and learn more about the passengers who traveled on the fateful journey. Take a rideshare from the Fall River Depot Station, as the museum is a little over a mile walk. 

New Bedford Whaling Museum

(0.61 miles from New Bedford Station)

The New Bedford Whaling Museum is a must-see for those who love maritime history and culture. A 0.61-mile walk from the New Bedford Station, the museum preserves the artifacts and narratives of New Bedford whalers, seafarers, shipbuilders, and fishermen. Find the largest indoor ship model and scrimshaw collection here, uncover the dramatic history of human interaction with whales, and learn how the museum continues to champion whale and ecological preservation.  

Fuller Craft Museum

(1.50 miles from Montello Station)

Take a rideshare to the Fuller Craft Museum, a space full of craft-based art like ceramics, glass, textiles, and wood. With rotating exhibitions that showcase a deep dive into the world of contemporary craft, the museum also has a sculpture garden and nature trails. The Fuller Craft Museum offers free admission. 

Fitchburg Line

Rose Art Museum

(0.44 miles from Brandeis/Roberts Station) 

Less than half a mile walk from the Brandeis/Roberts Station, the Rose Art Museum is located on the campus of  Brandeis University and showcases over 9,000 works by international artists. Explore modern and contemporary paintings, like sculptures and photographs, that offer a portal into the mystical and surreal. The Rose Art Museum offers free admission. 

Haverhill Line 

Addison Gallery of American Art

(1.05 miles from Andover Station)

The Addison Gallery of American Art offers an extensive collection of American art dating from the 18th century to the present day. Discover more than 28,000 works of art from paintings to sculptures, photography, drawings, prints, and decorative arts. Grab a rideshare from Andover Station since the museum is a little over a mile away. The Addison Gallery of American Art offers free admission.

Lowell Line

New England Quilt Museum

(0.84 miles from Lowell Station)

The New England Quilt Museum in Lowell is the only museum in the Northeast that dedicates its space to showcasing the art and craft of quilting. You’ll find rotating exhibits throughout the year that share the hard work that goes into creating these beautiful quilts. The museum is about a 0.84-mile walk from Lowell Station. There are also Lowell Regional Transit Authority shuttles that run between Lowell Station and downtown Lowell, stopping a block away from the museum.

Lowell National Historical Park

(0.80 miles from Lowell Station)

About a 0.80-mile walk from Lowell Station, the Lowell National Historical Park is a 141-acre park right in the city’s downtown, focused on preserving and interpreting the history of the American Industrial Revolution. Within the park, you’ll find the Boott Cotton Mills Museum, where you can learn about the workers, engineers, and inventors who made an impact on the textile industry. The museum includes a recreated 1920s weave room where Lowell mill laborers worked day after day. You can also catch a shuttle from the station to downtown Lowell. 

Providence/Stoughton Line

RISD Museum

(0.50 miles from Providence Station) 

The RISD Museum is part of the Rhode Island School of Design and features more than 2,000 works of art and design dating from ancient times to today. Walk through galleries of paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, costume and textiles, and furniture from all over the world. This popular museum is a half-mile walk from Providence Station.  

Electromagnetic Pinball Museum and Restoration

(0.97 miles from Pawtucket/Central Falls Station)

Play some pinball at many of the working pinball machines at the Electromagnetic Pinball Museum. With an extensive collection of pinball machines from the 1950s to the present, this museum fosters a love and appreciation for the history, technology, and engineering of pinball. You can also play other arcade games like Pac-Man, air hockey, and ping pong. You can either walk or take a rideshare to the museum, as it is a 0.97-mile walk from the Pawtucket/Central Falls Station.

Attleboro Industrial Museum 

(0.32 miles from Attleboro Station)

About a 0.32-mile walk from Attleboro Station is the Attleboro Industrial Museum, a space dedicated to collecting and preserving the artifacts, photographs, documents, publications, tools, and machinery that relate to the industrial history of the area. Explore the town’s impact on jewelry manufacturing and discover a replica of the original World Series trophy, which was created in Attleboro by the L.G. Balfour Company. The Attleboro Industrial Museum offers free admission.

Museums in Downtown Boston

There are so many museums in Boston where you can ride back in time and explore the city’s rich history and culture. Visit popular museums like the Museum of Science or hidden gems like the West End Museum. You can also join in on a reenactment of the infamous Boston Tea Party with the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum (0.28-mile walk from South Station) or visit the home of Paul Revere (0.51-mile walk from North Station). 

Uncover the rich heritage and history of Massachusetts and Rhode Island by visiting a museum with a little help from the Commuter Rail.