The JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Boston is open six days a week, Thursday through Tuesday, from 10:00 AM to 04:00 PM. It is closed on Wednesdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
The museum is usually less busy at the beginning of the week. If you want some quiet time, plan your visit for Monday or Tuesday morning and set aside at least two hours to explore the collection and make the most of your day in the museum.
If you need more time, go to the museum after 2:45 PM, when it offers discounted admission.
The visitor’s journey starts by watching a film narrated by John F. Kennedy. You will immerse yourself into the story of his life not only by looking at photos, documents, and historical artifacts but also by hearing his actual voice and admiring homemade family videos.
The museum showcases key features of Kennedy’s time, from live televised press conferences and glamorous ceremonial events to the Cuban Missile Crisis. One of the most interesting permanent exhibits is dedicated to the Space Race and the US space program.
A considerable part of the museum collection consists of precious gifts presented to President Kennedy and his First Lady by world leaders. For instance, you can see a gold purse studded with diamonds and emeralds, a marble replica of Michelangelo’s Pietà, and an almost two hundred years old Buddha head.
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is located on the tip of Columbia Point peninsula in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. If driving, you can get there via Interstate 93 and leave your car at free parking in front of the museum.
If you prefer public transportation, take the MBTA Rapid Transit Red line to JFK/UMASS station. Then can take a free shuttle bus provided by the Boston campus of the University of Massachusetts. The shuttle bus goes every 20 minutes and stops at the museum’s parking lot.
The admission fee is $18 for adults, $12 for seniors (62+) and college students with valid IDs, and $10 for teens aged 13–17. US Army veterans get a $4 discount.
The museum guarantees free admission to children (12 and under), CAC carriers of the US Armed Forces, and members of the JFK Presidential Library and Museum, the New Frontier Network, and any Presidential Library operated by the National Archives. Entry is also free for holders of EBT Card to Culture and up to 3 additional guests.
In addition, the museum offers special discounts to Massachusetts college and university students and participants of the Public Library Museum Pass Program.