JFK National Historic Site In MA Reopens After Renovations

BROOKLINE, MA — The John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site in Brookline opened for the season this past weekend in what is planned to be its first full open season in five years following extensive renovations and accessibility updates.

The site will be open through Oct. 30.

Renovations include a new visitor center with a wheelchair lift for access to the ground floor, an accessible restroom and improved retail space.

Work was set to begin in early 2020 but had to be put on hold because of the COVID-19 health crisis. The renovations then began in early 2022 and were completed late last year.

The site located near Coolidge Corner at 83 Beals Street was open briefly at the end of last season from Sept. 30 through Nov. 18.

Visitor hours are from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Sundays with guided tours of JFK's birthplace available each half-hour from 10 a.m to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Self-guided tours are available from noon to 1 p.m. and 4 to 5 p.m.

The voice of Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy is featured on the self-guided tours that bring visitors through the first and second floors. Guided tours are available in English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese. Printed material is available in Chinese, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Russian, Hungarian, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Admission is free and available on a first-come first-served basis.

This year's programming also features a 45-minute Neighborhood Tour of Brookline where Kennedy lived for the first 10 years of his life. That runs each Thursday through Sunday at 2:15 p.m. — staff and weather permitting.

The Origins Tour will also begin at the Sam Adams statue outside of Faneuil Hall each Wednesday at 10:15 a.m. and that will cover areas of the North End and downtown Boston related to JFK and his family.

Both tours are free. Visitors are encouraged to check ahead for availability at 617-566-7937.