Sometimes we are laying in front of the air conditioner and wondering what to do with the rest of the summer. You’ve hit all your regular spots and have been to the beach almost every weekend. You might be wondering what you could even do this upcoming weekend that will be fun, and that’s why we’re recommending visiting the Fruitlands Museum this summer.
“Fruitlands Museum has a diverse collection of art and material culture on 210 acres of land, stunning views, and miles of walking trails.”
1. A Scenic Drive
Winding roads and a beautiful, lush green landscape as far as the eye can see. Sometimes it’s the journey that can make all the difference, and that’s why we recommend taking the historic, scenic Route 2.
If you’re heading from the Boston area, you can drive along Route 2 until you reach and take exit 109A (which used to be named 38A) from MA Route 2 West to arrive at the Fruitlands. With many great stops along the way like Lexington and Concord, you could make a whole day of visiting historic locations along the way.
2. For the History
Whether you have lived your whole life in Massachusetts and think you’ve seen everything it has to offer, it can always find ways to surprise you with its history. Preserved by the Trustees of Reservations, their mission “is protecting places of ecological, scenic, and historic importance.” It is their firm belief that preserving and protecting places in Massachusetts can improve our lives.
The Fruitlands Museum is one of these places, preserved long before even the Trustees by a woman named Clara Endicott Sears around 1914. As a woman born to an affluent family, she focused on using her wealth to better the lives of those around her. Since Sears had a love for literature, it makes sense that the first property she purchased and planned to preserve was the Fruitlands because of the Alcott family.
In June 1843, Amos Bronson Alcott along with his friend, Charles Lane, purchased the farmhouse property to build a transcendentalist, utopian community. Though the lofty goals never saw fruition as they intended, it was one of the first homes the author of Little Women, Louisa May Alcott grew up in.
A handful of years later, the Fruitlands inspired Sears. It became her mission to preserve the structures already there, create a museum and also preserve other buildings such as the 1794 office building built by the Harvard Shakers.
It was later revealed that the land had a deep history with Native Americans who hunted and gathered there. The arrowheads that were found and as well as other artifacts became a part of the preservation and protection that Sears envisioned.
3. Events and Tours
It is strongly recommended to reserve your spot for any upcoming events and tours. Especially for the “Visions of Utopia” which is a “combined Indoor/Outdoor tour of the Fruitlands Farmhouse and Shaker Gallery as we explore the contrasts and overlaps of these two visions of utopia.”
As you walk through the many acres and history of the Fruitlands, you’ll have an opportunity to envision what utopia would be like for you and maybe how to bring it to fruition. “Fruitlands seeks to inspire individuals to find personal connections to the art, nature and history of New England, and offers opportunities for visitors to express their own modern voice through the lens of history.”
And on the fourth Saturday of every month from May through October, the Fruitlands museum also offers “Open House Days” where guests can take a self-guided tour through the historic buildings and grounds.
As we head into August, it’s even more important to enjoy the summer while we can and the Fruitlands will be the best place to see before the cool temperatures settle in.
