Top 22 Things To Do In Cambridge, Massachusetts - Updated 2024

Manjiri
Manjiri 
Updated
| 10 min read

Home to world-famous Harvard University, Cambridge is a beautiful city in Massachusetts, USA. Charming Charles River enhances its beauty, as this fabulous city sits across the river from Boston. Cambridge also houses several museums, such as the Harvard Art Museums, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, Longfellow House - Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, and the MIT Museum. In addition to this, Cambridge is also home to the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). You simply can’t miss strolling through the fascinating Harvard Square, which is dotted with cafes, restaurants, and amazing bookstores. Besides, Cambridge is also known for leafy spots, such as pleasant parks and reservoirs, which help you enjoy the fun of hiking, explore fresh pond trails, and go on a boat tour. So, if you plan to explore this wonderful city in Massachusetts in the coming holidays, having a list of exciting things with you will help you enjoy your vacations here to the fullest. Scroll down to find a list of outstanding things to do in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to view this destination in a whole new light.

1. Catch a live show at the American Repertory Theater


Are you fond of watching live shows? If yes, visit American Repertory Theater when you are touring through Cambridge, Massachusetts. Situated in Loeb Drama Center at Harvard University, American Repertory Theater is an outstanding professional theater which is popular for featuring new American drama, live musical performances, and plays. This award-winning theater is one of the most prominent theaters in the USA. So, if you are longing to watch live shows, book your ticket online just with a few clicks and spend an entertaining time watching a live show here.

American Repertory Theater

Address: American Repertory Theater, Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Website: American Repertory Theater

Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 12pm - 5pm (closed on Mon)

Price: 10 USD onwards

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2. Discover the local flora and fauna of Fresh Pond Reservation


Nature-lovers should not miss visiting the Fresh Pond Reservation when exploring the beautiful city of Cambridge. Fresh Pond is a serene sanctuary of upland forests, wetlands, meadows, and wildlife present at the western outline of the city. A 155-acre (62.72-hectare) shallow charming lake adorns this attraction. Exploring this Fresh Pond will help you spot amazing flora and fauna. So, take time out to go for nature walks, family programs, treatment plant tours, and other activities organized here, when you are in Cambridge. Discover a variety of species of plants and watch wildlife and water animals.

Fresh Pond Reservation

Address: Fresh Pond Reservation, 180-220 Fresh Pond Pkwy, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Website: Fresh Pond Reservation

Opening hours: 6am - 8pm (daily)

Price: Free

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3. Explore the incredible collection at the Harvard Art Museums


If you are an art lover, do not miss visiting the Harvard Art Museums, which are famous as a part of Harvard University, to watch incredible collection. It comprises three museums, namely the Busch-Reisinger Museum, the Fogg Museum, and the Arthur M. Sackler Museum. View an amazing collection of Western paintings, photos, sculptures, and prints from Middle Ages in the Fogg Museum. Admire artwork from European German-speaking nations at the Busch-Reisinger Museum. And, watch praise-worthy pieces of art from Asian nations, such as Korea, China, and Japan, at the Arthur M. Sackler Museum.

Harvard Art Museums

Address: Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Website: Harvard Art Museums

Opening hours: 10am - 5pm (daily)

Price: 13 - 15 USD

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4. Tour the iconic Harvard University (from USD 23.0)

Do not miss touring through the world-famous Harvard University when in Cambridge. Learn about the history of this University as you tour through the 25-acre (10.11-hectare) Harvard Yard, which is known to be the oldest section of the university. Learn about the Harvard culture from a student there. Get to see the prominent landmarks of the university that include Widener Library and Memorial Hall. Last, but not the least, visit outstanding Harvard Museum of Natural History, which is famous as the public face for three research museums, namely the Mineralogical-Geological Museum, the Museum of Comparative Zoology, and the Harvard University Herbaria.

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Harvard University Campus Walking Tour from Cambridge

Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes

1987 reviews

5. Delve into the history of Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site


Are you a history buff? If yes, make sure you visit The Longfellow House – Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site when exploring Cambridge. For almost 50 years, it was home to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a well-known American poet. Previously, it was known to be the headquarters for General George Washington. Visit it to explore outstanding literature and arts belonging to the 19th century. The large Georgian mansion here (i.e. The Vassal-Craigie-Longfellow) houses layers of history in its rooms. The house and pleasant garden are open here daily, and you can find tours here seasonally.

Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site

Address: 105 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Website: Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site

Opening hours: Wed - Sun: 9.30am - 5pm (closed on Mon & Tue)

Price: Free

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6. Reignite your love for art at the MIT Museum


Founded in 1971, the incredible MIT Museum in Cambridge, Massachusetts, houses a large collection of holography, robotics, technology-related artworks, interesting maritime history, artificial intelligence, and the history of MIT. This museum features amazing exhibitions, workshops, spectacular galleries, praiseworthy performances, demos, great debates, and conversations which greet the visitor to participate in the ongoing adventure of innovation and research. The MIT Museum also hosts regular events, programs, and festivals. Go for guided gallery tours organized at this museum. Admire the impressive technology-related artworks displayed here. So, take time out of your busy travel schedule and visit it at leisure.

MIT Museum

Address: MIT Museum, 265 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

Website: MIT Museum

Opening hours: 10am - 5pm (daily)

Price: 5 - 10 USD

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7. Visit the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology


Plan to visit the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, an outstanding museum which is affiliated with Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1866 and is well-known for being one of the biggest and oldest museums focusing on anthropological aspects, particularly America’s archaeology and ethnography. It is home to greater than 1.5 million objects. You can find here monumental Maya sculptures, totem poles, photographs, maps, special exhibits, and various crucial artifacts. About one-quarter of the amazing collection exhibits artifacts from North America takes you back to over 10,000 years.

Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

Address: Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 11 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Website: Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

Opening hours: 9am - 5pm (daily)

Price: 10 - 15 USD

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8. Experience the famous City Wine Tours


City Wine Tours in Cambridge not only gives you a unique wine-tasting experience but also helps you learn about the wine of the particular region. These tours take you to the neighborhoods of Boston, provide samples of some excellent quality wines along with scrumptious food, and enable tour-goers to explore some outstanding restaurants and wine shops. These educative and entertaining tours are led by wine experts, who have decades-rich experience in enlightening people about wine. So, if you wish to learn about the wine of this region, you may go for the popular City Wine Tours when touring through Cambridge.

City Wine Tours

Address: City Wine Tours, 67 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Website: City Wine Tours

Opening hours: 9am - 5pm (daily)

Price: 75 USD

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9. Walk through the buzzing Brattle Square

things to do in cambridge ma | walk through the buzzing brattle square
Source: instagram

Take time out of your busy travel schedule and spend some time exploring the bustling Brattle Square at leisure. You can find here many shops and restaurants to visit. Brattle Square is also famous for hosting various street performances by street performers and buskers. In 1980, this buzzing square was restructured to develop a permanent outdoor performance area, where all genres of music were played by bands on the weekends. And, today, you can find many street performances being performed here. Also, buy your choice of beautiful plants and flowers from the florists here.

Brattle Square

Address: Brattle Square, Cambridge, MA 02138

Price: Free

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10. Dine at the unique ArtScience Culture Lab & Café

things to do in cambridge ma | dine at the unique artscience culture lab & café
Source: instagram

Situated in Kendall Square, ArtScience Culture Lab & Café is a great place to enjoy a scrumptious dinner. It’s a fabulous café and culture lab which offers you fine dining experience along with art, design, and science experience. Here, experimental techniques are applied to French cuisine, and you will definitely enjoy eating amazing food served here. Its airy and futuristic setting is sure to delight you. So, make sure you visit ArtScience Culture Lab & Café for dinner when vacationing in Cambridge.

ArtScience Culture Lab & Café

Address: ArtScience Culture Lab & Café, 650 E Kendall St, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA

Website: ArtScience Culture Lab & Café

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 11.30am - 12am; Sat: 5pm - 12am (closed on Sun)

Price: 31 - 60 USD

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11. Watch a show at Sanders Theatre


Watch a show or musical orchestra at the Sanders Theatre during your relaxing holiday in Cambridge. It is a historic theater, which you can find within Harvard’s Memorial Hall. It hosts many renowned musicians, conferences, and student acts. This theater is a famous venue for concerts, lectures, and ceremonies and is known for its excellent acoustics. It can accommodate up to 1,166 individuals and is known for being the biggest meeting place in Harvard University. So, plan to visit this landmark venue to attend a concert of your choice and enjoy spending an entertaining time in Cambridge.

Sanders Theatre

Address: Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Website: Sanders Theatre

Price: 19 USD onwards

Tip from tour guide

Harvard Memorial Hall

Take a look at the rest of the historical Harvard Memorial Hall while here! Built in the 1860s and 70s, this monumental building holds collections of stained glass and paintings. It's used for classes, rehearsals, meetings, and more!

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12. Tickle your taste buds at Flour Bakery and Cafe


Do you have a sweet tooth? If yes, make sure you visit Flour Bakery and Café during your trip to Cambridge. It is a famous bakery and coffee shop in the city offering you a variety of sweets and baked items. Breakfast cookie, chia seed pudding, whole wheat scone, labne, and granola parfait, whole-grain carrot cake, watercress and farro salad, banana bread, whole grain chocolate cupcake, blueberry muffin, a whole-grain oatmeal raisin cookie, and many other delicacies are specialties of this restaurant. You will find tasty sandwiches, soups, and hot bread to eat. So, do not miss visiting Flour Bakery and Café to please your taste buds.

Flour Bakery and Cafe

Address: 114 Mt. Auburn St. Cambridge, MA 02138

Website: Flour Bakery and Cafe

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 6.30am - 8pm; Sat: 8am - 6pm; Sun: 8am - 5pm

Price: 11 - 30 USD

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13. Visit the historic Mount Auburn Cemetery

things to do in cambridge ma | visit the historic mount auburn cemetery
Source: instagram

Situated on the line between Watertown and Cambridge in Middlesex County in Massachusetts, Mount Auburn Cemetery is the first rural or garden cemetery. This burial site is a National Historic Landmark. It is committed to offering beautiful, environment-sensitive, and tranquil burial space. It has features such as reflection pools, scenic overlooks, and woodland gardens, which exhibits its main principle that nature helps to console the bereaved and inspire the living. This space commemorates the dead and comforts the bereaved in a tranquil landscape featuring exceptional beauty and greenery. So, visit the cemetery to discover its history and honor the dead.

Mount Auburn Cemetery

Address: 580 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Website: Mount Auburn Cemetery

Opening hours: 8am - 7pm (daily)

Price: Free

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14. Cycle through the Charles River Bike Path


Are you fond of cycling? If yes, miss no more the fun of cycling when vacationing in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as Charles River Bike Path awaits you. This amazing path follows both the shores of Charles River spanning from Boston to Norumbega Park. Charles River Bike Path has many segments in Charles River Reservation that are separated by bridge crossings and road. You can find many bike recreation opportunities at North Point Park in Cambridge. So, get a bike and explore this mesmerizing Charles River Bike Path as you peddle down the track.

Charles River Bike Path

Address: Charles River Bike Path, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA

Website: Charles River Bike Path

Price: Free

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15. Take pictures at the John Harvard Statue

John Harvard statue at Harvard University
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Jessica Williams used under CC BY-SA 3.0

This is an eye-catching sculpture in bronze by Daniel Chester French located in Harvard Yard honoring John Harvard. It is popularly referred to as the John Harvard Statue. It is also called the ‘statue of three lies’. John Harvard is well-known as the first benefactor of the university popular for donating his library in 1638. Tourists visiting it often rub the toe of the left shoe of John Harvard for luck. The standard pose followed for the photos is placing a hand on the shoe of John Harvard that turns shiny by the human contact. So, plan to visit this prominent statue and click iconic photos here.

John Harvard Statue

Address: John Harvard Statue, 1 Harvard Yard, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Website: John Harvard Statue

Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)

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16. Shop at the Cambridge Antique Market


Do antique items fascinate you? If yes, make sure you visit Cambridge Antique Market when touring through Cambridge, Massachusetts, and buy your choice of antiques. This multistory antique complex accommodates about 150 dealers who offer vintage clothing, artwork, furniture, toys, books, collectibles, dolls, fine silver, lighting fixtures, china, glass, and many other vintage items at reasonable prices. Shop some amazing antiques here.

Cambridge Antique Market

Address: Cambridge Antique Market, 201 Monsignor O'Brien Highway, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA

Website: Cambridge Antique Market

Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 11am - 6pm (closed on Mon)

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17. Unwind at John F. Kennedy Park


Spend some pleasant time at John F. Kennedy Memorial Park during your holidays in Cambridge. It is situated near Harvard Square on the charming Charles River. This beautifully landscaped park features a fabulous fountain with JFK quotations and is adorned by open paths and fields. Rejuvenate your soul by visiting this wonderful park.

John F. Kennedy Park

Address: Dr Paul Dudley White Bike Path, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Website: John F. Kennedy Park

Price: Free

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18. Visit the beautiful campus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (from USD 22.0)

visit the beautiful campus of massachusetts institute of technology (mit)

Your trip to Cambridge won’t be complete without touring through the wonderful campus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which is one of the top universities in USA. Know about innovative research in mathematics, technology, and science. Touring through this beautiful campus will help you learn about the history, alumni, and culture. Do not miss viewing the Great Dome, which houses engineering library of the school and is lovingly called by the alums as the Center of the Universe.

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology Public Tour

Duration: 70.0 minute

351 reviews

19. Venture on a Charles River sightseeing cruise (from USD 20.0)

venture on a charles river sightseeing cruise
Source: www.viator.com

Go on a pleasant Charles River sightseeing cruise when holidaying in Cambridge. This fully narrated, family-friendly tour entertains you with delicious snacks on board and captain and crew narrating the stories about the region. You can choose a morning or afternoon cruise as per your convenience. Board at Lechmere Canal Park and begin your tour through the Charles River. Watch various prominent landmarks, such as Beacon Hill, Boston University, Esplanade Park, Fenway Park, Harvard University, the Back Bay, M.I.T., and other attractions.

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70-Minute Charles River Sightseeing Cruise

20. Check out the Harvard Museum of Natural History (from USD 24.0)

Plan to visit the Harvard Museum of Natural History in Cambridge and watch an incredible collection of 12,000 specimens. Being one of the top attractions in the city, it features permanent galleries displays, which include fossils, meteorites, dinosaurs, gemstones, and one of the Harvard’s most popular treasures ‘Glass Flowers’. Don’t miss the unique opportunity to watch 42-feet (12.8-meter) long marine reptile Kronosaurus, which is known to be 135 million years old, here. Watching various specimens here is sure to interest you. Besides, you can find many outreach programs, such as lectures, hands-on experience for kids, and other events for grown-ups.

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Harvard Tour with Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes

10 reviews

21. Explore the vibrant art scene of Central Square (from USD 75.0)

If you are an art admirer, you should not miss visiting Central Square when touring through Cambridge. Central Square here is popular for its vibrant public art scene which spans from Graffiti Alley to 10 multi-hued murals around Massachusetts Avenue. Try to discover what these murals signify. Please your taste buds by relishing scrumptious delicacies from the local restaurants present here. As you tour through Central Square, you will learn about the history of this region and the significance of self-expression. If you wish to try your hand at painting, you may get an opportunity to paint graffiti all by yourself.

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Central Square Cambridge Food and Mural Arts Walking Tour

Duration: 3 hours

22. Stroll across the iconic Harvard Square (from USD 495.0)

Spend some time exploring the historic Harvard Square. Walk on the grounds of one of the most popular universities in the world, and watch the street performers, socializing students, and chess players who create a unique vibe in this square. Appreciate the historic landmarks which are illuminated by the golden light of the pleasant late-afternoon sun. Stroll along the colonial Brattle Street and watch centuries-old places, such as the Old Burial Ground Cemetery, when here. Do not miss exploring Harvard Yard.

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Private Small-Group Harvard Square Sunset Walking Tour

Duration: 2 hours

Have a great time exploring Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cambridge is a beautiful destination to spend relaxing holidays, and it offers a plethora of exciting activities to make your vacation more enjoyable. Now that you know all these fantastic things to do in Cambridge, Massachusetts, make sure you miss none of them when touring through this mesmerizing city. Cambridge awaits you!

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
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Manjiri Kochrekar is a travel blogger from India. She loves exploring and learning various destinations, their history, culture, and peculiarities. Writing is her passion, which means she enjoys...Read more

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