Historical Landmarks, Archaeology & Art
- MACRIS - Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System Records for 16,357 properties listed by street address. From the menu, select “Boston.” INV indicates Massachusetts Historical Commission information. NR indicates nomination forms of the National Register of Historic Places, US Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Not all properties have INV and/or NR records. Photographs of buildings.
- National Archive of Data on Arts and Culture (NADAC) The National Archive of Data on Arts and Culture (NADAC) is a repository that facilitates research on arts and culture by acquiring data, particularly those funded by federal agencies and other organizations, and sharing those data with researchers, policymakers, people in the arts and culture field, and the general public.
- MACRIS Maps (Massachusetts Historical Commission) The MACRIS Maps online mapping application displays historic resources included in the Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS) maintained by the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC).
- Boston Landmarks Commission Landmarks (Analyze Boston) Landmarks within the City of Boston.
- Boston Landmarks Commission Historic Districts (Analyze Boston) The boundaries of locally designated historic districts in Boston that require design review for exterior alterations to buildings.
- Boston Murals (BostonMaps) This project is rooted in a larger initiative to provide more access to the City of Boston's public art collection.
- Chinatown 6 Hudson Street (City of Boston) We conducted Chinatown's first archaeological dig at the site of the former Ruby Foo's Den restaurant. The archaeological dig at 6 Hudson Street recovered 1,699 artifacts. The vast majority of these artifacts date to the 1980s, when the home was demolished. Links to the artifact image database, artifact spreadsheet, and more.
- Brook Farm Archaeological Site (City of Boston) Archaeologists carried out several surveys at Brook Farm in the 1990s documenting over 5,000 years of history at the Landmark-designated property. Links to the Artifact Catalog spreadsheet, searchable Artifact and Image database, and interactive and downloadable 3-D Images,
- Boston Common Archaeology (City of Boston) Archaeologists have conducted several surveys on Boston Common. These surveys have revealed long-buried stories of its many uses.
- Paul Revere House and Lathrop Place (City of Boston) In 1983, archaeologists surveyed the yard of the ca. 1680 Paul Revere House. In 2010 and 2011, they surveyed 5 and 6 Lathrop Place, two 1835 row houses on what was once the back yard of the Revere house property.
- Malcolm X House (City of Boston) Archaeologists recovered 18,207 artifacts during this relatively small-scale survey. Links to the artifact catalog, artifact images, field photos, and more.
- Endicott Street Brothel (City of Boston) In the early 1990s, archaeologists excavating ahead of the Central Artery Project (Big Dig) uncovered the privy of a mid-19th century brothel. The brothel was located at 27-29 Endicott Street in the North End. The excavation of the privy yielded 8,140 artifacts. See the artifact catalog, vessel catalog and digital images.
- Boston Latin School (City of Boston) Archaeologists surveyed the front yard of Old City Hall to find evidence of the 1635 Boston Latin School. 8,104 artifacts came out of the four test trenches. See links to artifact catalog, field notes, and report,
- Clough House Archaeology (Analyze Boston) Catalog of archaeological artifacts excavated in 2013 from the rear of the Clough House, 21 Unity St., North End, Boston. Data set created to complete analysis and report of the archaeological survey. Collection spans 1715-1950 and includes colonial artifacts and artifacts from English, Irish, Italian, and other immigrant peoples living in the house after 1800.
- Old North Crypt (City of Boston) Archaeologists conducted a dig in the crypt at Old North Church in the North End. Links to the artifact catalog, artifact image database, field potos, and more.
- National Monument Audit (Monument Lab) The National Monument Audit, produced by Monument Lab in partnership with The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, assesses the current monument landscape across the United States. Monument Lab’s research team spent a year scouring almost a half million records of historic properties created and maintained by federal, state, local, tribal, institutional, and publicly assembled sources.
- Arts on the T (MBTA) Since 1967, the MBTA has enlisted the help of local artists to bring character to our system. When you ride with us, you'll find more than 100 pieces of artwork featured on 6 of our transit lines. Click on each line to see the artwork and descriptions (as pdfs)
Libraries & Museums
- Facts & Figures: Boston Public Library Usage reports, accomplishments, and more.
- Library Statistics: Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) The MBLC collects and analyzes financial, demographic, staffing, and service data from public libraries in Massachusetts. Use the table below to sort and filter by year or report type. Data for most reports goes back to 2006. For reports from 2010 on, you can download data as an Excel spreadsheet.
- Library Directory (Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners) Find libraries in Boston.
- Public Libraries Survey (PLS) (Institute of Museum and Library Services) he Public Libraries Survey (PLS) examines when, where, and how library services are changing to meet the needs of the public. These data, supplied annually by public libraries across the country, provide information that policymakers and practitioners can use to make informed decisions about the support and strategic management of libraries. Browse research briefs and over 25 years of research publications about the Public Libraries Survey (PLS).
- Special Collections Directory (Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners) Find special collections / archives in Boston.
- Cartinal (Leventhal Map & Education Center, Boston Public Library) Documentation, guides, and resources for GIS, data, and mapmaking from the Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library
- Museum Data Files (MDF) (Institute of Museum and Library Services) Explore our list of about 33,000 museum-related organizations in the United States. MDF integrates data from several sources, including IMLS administrative records of discretionary grant recipients and IRS records of tax-exempt organizations, among other sources.
- Find a Member Museum (American Alliance of Museums) Use our member directory to find a museum in your city. You can search by a single field or multiple fields. Includes museums in Dorchester and Boston.
Featured Article on Boston and Historical Landmark Data
- Journal of Cultural Heritage 14, no. 4 (2013) (ScienceDirect) Geographic information technologies were employed to create a high resolution, spatially accurate representation of the 1775 landscape of Boston's Inner Harbor and to conduct a geospatial and temporal assessment of the location, extent, and preservation potential of an American Revolutionary War battlefield and its associated cultural resources.
