John Fitzgerald Kennedy
National Historic Site

John F. Kennedy National Historic Site preserves the birthplace in 1917 and boyhood home of the 35th President of the United States. The modest frame house at 83 Beals Street, Brookline, was also the first home shared by the president's father and mother, Joseph P. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, and represents the social and political beginnings of one of the world's most prominent families. Shortly after President Kennedy's assassination in 1963, his family repurchased the birthplace and restored it as a memorial to him under the close supervision of Rose Kennedy. John F. Kennedy National Historic Site was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1965 and established as an area of the National Park Service in 1969.

John F. Kennedy was the grandson of Irish immigrants, the Fitzgeralds and Kennedys, who represented what one biographer calls "both the symbol and substance of one of the most important themes of the second century of American life: the progress of the great wave of nineteenth century immigration, the struggle of newcomers to force open the doors of American life...." This story culminated with President Kennedy's inauguration in 1961, but it began in the house where he was born and the community where he lived and served. Only a few miles from his birthplace is Harvard University in Cambridge where John F. Kennedy earned his college degree, Boston's North End where he won his first election to the U. S. Congress, the Massachusetts State House where he rallied support for his U. S. Senate race, and Faneuil Hall where he announced his candidacy for president.

Restoration of President Kennedy's nine-room birthplace includes a collection of household furnishings, photographs, and significant momentos personally collected and arranged by the president's mother. Many pieces in the museum collection are original to the 1914-1921 historic period, reflecting the lifestyle and various pursuits and interests of the Kennedy family. A taped narrative produced by Mrs. Kennedy in her own words provides a unique and evocative visitor tour.

More than a million people from around the world have visited the John F. Kennedy National Historic Site since it opened to the public. Park Rangers present guided tours of the birthplace, as well as the nearby neighborhood including homes, schools, and church associated with the Kennedy family. A popular trolley tour of Kennedy-related sites in greater Boston is co-sponsored with the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum. A variety of educational materials are also available to students nationwide as part of the JOHN F. KENNEDY: "Let Us Begin" program sponsored by the National Park Service as a "Parks As Classrooms" initiative.


VISITATION:
Highest in April-October; lowest in November-March.
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LOCATION:
Brookline, Massachusetts

ADDRESS:
John F. Kennedy National Historic Site
83 Beals Street
Brookline, MA 02446

TELEPHONE:
(617) 566-7937

OPERATING HOURS, SEASONS:
Open Wednesday-Sunday, mid-March through November, from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. Closed every Monday and Tuesday and major holidays throughout the year; closed seven days a week December through mid-March. Group tours require advance reservations.

CLIMATE, RECOMMENDED CLOTHING:
Spring, summer, and fall seasons are temperate. Winter season may be harsh with periodic snow and cold.

DIRECTIONS:
From I-90/Massachusetts Turnpike:
Exit at Allston/Brighton/Cambridge toll station. From Allston/Brighton off-ramp, merge onto Cambridge Street. Follow 3/4 mile. At second stoplight, turn left onto Harvard Street. Follow 3/4 mile across a major intersection with Brighton Avenue & another with Commonwealth Avenue. After several blocks, turn left onto Beals Street. Follow 3/4 block to #83.

From I-95/Rt. 128:
Exit at Route 9/Brookline East. Follow Route 9 (Boylston Street) approximately 5 miles. Follow signs for Harvard Street & continue 1 mile across a major intersection with Beacon Street (Coolidge Corner). After 4 blocks, turn right onto Beals Street. Follow 3/4 block to #83.

From Downtown Boston by MBTA/Subway:
Take Green Line ("C" - Cleveland Circle) train. Exit at the intersection of Beacon & Harvard Streets (Coolidge Corner). Walk 4 blocks north on Harvard Street. Turn right onto Beals Street. Follow 3/4 block to #83.

FEES, COSTS, RATES:
Entrance to the John F. Kennedy NHS Visitor Center and Bookstore is FREE. Admission to the birthplace home by guided tour only is $2.00 per adult age 17 and older. Children age 16 and under and National Park Pass holders are admitted FREE. Individuals in group tours are subject to the same admission requirements; however, group tour leaders are admitted FREE. Organized educational groups may also qualify for a fee waiver under special guidelines - please inquire when making reservations in advance of the group visit.

FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES:
Visitor Center/Exhibits:
Visitor information, bookstore services, video orientation program, and exhibits on President Kennedy's life and family are located in the basement Visitor Center. A park brochure and walking guide to the nearby Brookline neighborhood are also available.

Programs/Activities:
Guided tours of the John F. Kennedy birthplace home are offered on Wednesday-Sunday at 10:45, 11:45, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00. Special tours of the nearby Brookline neighborhood including the church attended by the President's family, boyhood schools, and second family home are offered periodically during the visitor season and explore some of the factors that influenced the future president between 1917 and 1931.

Special commemorative events celebrating President Kennedy's birthday are offered in late May. Highlights of the 1999 program over the weekend of May 29-30 include free outdoor Celtic and American musical performances, bagpipe music, storytelling, an antique car display, and living history tours of the Kennedy birthplace home. The opening event on May 28 features a public reading of essays and poems by students from the president's alma mater, the Edward Devotion School in Brookline. Call the National Historic Site for more details on upcoming programs - (617)566-7937.

Lodging and camping facilities:
Many opportunities for overnight lodging and camping are found within close proximity to the park and the greater Boston metropolitan area.
Food/supplies:
No food or beverage facilities are available on-site; however, a variety of local restaurants and groceries are located within a few blocks of the park.

Accessibility:
On-site parking is NOT available; however, street parking is available on Beals Street and nearby (2 hour maximum). Access to the basement Visitor Center and first and second floor rooms of the historic house is available by means of stairs only; wheelchair access is not currently available.

Special Needs:
Please call in advance with special needs requests - Tel. (617) 566-7937.


RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES/PARK USE:
Guided tours, exhibits, audiovisuals, publications, and information services are available during regular visitor hours. The park bookstore offers a variety of biographies, histories, videos, memorabilia and other related items for purchase. Walking tours of the Brookline neighborhood are also available with the use of a self-guide tour booklet, From This Time and Place: A Walking Tour of Kennedy's Brookline, available in the park bookstore. Specific information on special on-site and classroom student activity programs is available through the Education Specialist.


RESERVATIONS/PERMITS:
Tours of the Kennedy birthplace home are limited to 12 persons per tour in order to provide a quality visitor experience and minimize stress to the historic fabric. Reservations for each guided tour can be arranged at the Visitor Center Information Desk. Advance telephone reservations are not available to individuals and families; however, groups, including school and bus tour groups, wishing to visit outside the normal operating hours MUST make advance arrangements at least one week prior to the desired visit in order to ensure that staffing is available. Reservations may also be required for special event activities. Space within the historic house is strictly limited; therefore, the park is unable to accommodate special use in the form of group meetings, receptions, workshops, etc.


BASIC VISIT RECOMMENDATIONS:
To fully enjoy available programs, visitors should expect to spend 1 hour at the park. Guided tours of the Kennedy birthplace home are approximately 30 minutes in length. Special group tours and off-site walking tours may be 1-2 hours in length depending on the type of program offered.


ADJACENT VISITOR ATTRACTIONS:
A host of parks, museums, and visitor attractions are located within a few miles of the park. Nearby areas administered by the National Park Service include:
  • Longfellow National Historic Site, 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA (617) 876-4491
    Home of the popular 19th century poet and scholar.
  • Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, 99 Warren Street, Brookline, MA (617) 566-1689
    Home and office of the founder of American landscape architecture.


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Telephone:
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(617) 566-7937
Superintendent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(617) 566-1689 x201
Fax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(617) 730-9884

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Last Modified: 3/11/99
URL: www.nps.gov/jofi/index.htm