Spring has sprung! We can now explore more of our neighborhoods safely outside. If you are looking for things to do in and around Boston while supporting a great cause, look no further than some of Teak’s nonprofit clients.
Explore a piece of American history at Old North Church + Historic Site.
Old North Church + Historic Site, located in the heart of Boston’s North End, recently opened its doors to visitors after a 13-month closure. Known for “One if by land, and two if by sea,” made famous in the midnight ride of Paul Revere, the city’s oldest surviving church is one of the first institutions to re-open along the Freedom Trail. Self-guided tours offer a more in-depth view of the building that once served wealthy merchants, government officials, and skilled tradesmen. Visitors can walk through box pews, admire the 17th-century angels flanking the church’s 1759 organ, and view the stairs of the famous steeple, known as a beacon of American independence. Tickets are now offered at the reduced price of $5 per person. Proceeds from admissions support the Old North Foundation’s virtual and on-site programs, which inspire children and adults alike to consider the ways in which they can build a more just and equitable world. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: www.oldnorth.com.
Dive into marine conservation and animal care at the New England Aquarium. A trip to the New England Aquarium is the perfect family-friendly outing; the global leader in ocean exploration and marine conservation has something for everyone. Learn about the impact of climate change on ocean health, stop by the penguin habitat, and say hi to the famous Myrtle the Turtle in the Giant Ocean Tank. The New England Aquarium Whale Watch, in partnership with Boston Harbor Cruises, gives visitors front-row seats to view the ocean’s most fascinating and magnificent animals. The Simons Theatre is open on Saturday and Sundays only. Visitors are encouraged to visit www.neaq.org for ticket information and to learn more about what to expect before arriving at Central Wharf. The price of your admission funds critical care of the institution’s nearly 20,000 marine animals and provides virtual and online educational programming for all ages.
Find joy through art with Now + There. Now + There, a nonprofit bringing public art to all neighborhoods of Boston, has two projects for the public to visit safely, at a social distance, and for free. Ambrosia is Cambridge artist Cicely Carew’s bright and luminous installation at Prudential Center. It’s as easy as looking up as you walk through the light-infused halls to take it in. Mexican artist Jose Davila has a sculptural respite in Central Wharf Park called, To Each Era, Its Art. To Art, Its Freedom, where children and families are enjoying climbing and exploring. By June 15, Mentoring Murals will be up at 345 Blue Hill Avenue in Grove Hall between Roxbury and Dorchester. It’s a new project pairing celebrated Black muralists with up-and-coming artists. Printed on fine mesh, the temporary murals will change every three to four months, allowing for a range of artists in age and ability to create visible, large-scale works of art.
Lace up and move your body to help fight cancer for the virtual North Shore Cancer Walk.
Grab your sneakers and hit the pavement for the North Shore Cancer Walk to be held virtually this year. Register today and complete your walk in your own neighborhood by Sunday, June 27 with an online celebration to follow. The event is open to people of all ages and there is no fundraising minimum. Proceeds from the 2021 Walk will be used to continue providing important services at Mass General/North Shore Cancer Center including: genetic counseling, clinical trials, palliative care, support groups, nutrition, and wellness services such as acupuncture, massage, and Reiki. Funds also support the use of “cold caps,” which help in the prevention of chemotherapy hair loss, a traumatic side effect for oncology patients, and the purchase of a sophisticated scope to provide superior magnification for complex oncology surgeries at Salem Hospital. To register or to support a walker or team, visit: nsmc.rallybound.org
Courtesy Steve Rosenthal (2020)
Travel to greener pastures with the Cape Ann Museum.
About one hour north of Boston, the Cape Ann Museum in Gloucester is coming alive with activities this spring on its new CAM Green campus with free family yoga classes, starting May 8 and continuing every Saturday morning in May. A new exhibit inspired by the Great March, which spans Cape Ann to New Hampshire, opens on June 18. The Museum often sells out its popular weekend walking tours that explore the region’s influence on artists like Edward Hopper and Fitz Henry Lane as well as architectural tours and woods walks into Dogtown. In an ongoing exhibit, CAM (Re) Connects, the Museum reflects on the community’s resiliency through the COVID 19 pandemic and looks back at other troubling times in local history. A virtual lecture series continues through June with a look at contemporary working artists as well as a webinar with Historic New England for Pride Month. Cape Ann is a vibrant cultural area, and the Museum reflects that too.
