Discover 7 Unusual Things to Do in Somerville, Massachusetts

7 Unusual Things to Do in Somerville, Massachusetts

Somerville is one of the most important cities in Massachusetts. The city has some of the most unusual and amazing attractions which are worth a visit. If you ever plan to be in the city, make sure to check these places out.

Museum of Bad Art

The Museum of Bad Art has been exhibiting some really horrible artwork underneath the Dedham community theatre since 1994. Also known as MOBA, the museum was founded when Scott Wilson pulled the first piece, dubbed Lucy in the Field with Flowers, out of a trash heap. The collection has since expanded and now fills two galleries with a range of horrific artworks. There is another underground gallery in the basement of the Somerville Theater in Davis Square, Somerville, MA.

Museum of Modern Renaissance

Another popular museum in the city is the Museum of Modern Renaissance that is clearly a masterpiece by two artistsShaplyko and Sorokina. They both worked together to create an amazing space adorned with their own artwork. Visitors get a great opportunity to explore and enter “inside another world, inside another dimension.”

Its façade has is reminiscent of an Incan ruin and there is a large stone face above the doorway and colorful bull on the door. Though the museum is not open to the public but tours are offered by appointment. Besides, various concerts and the annual Somerville Open Studios are also held here. The lucky visitors are offered a one-of-a-kind experience.

The walls and ceilings of the museum are adorned with fresco-like paintings and mythological themes. They create a stained glass effect with the style the artists call “Mystical Realism.”The building has a beautiful hall that has fresco-like paintings of Russian mythological and religious icons all over the walls and ceilings. The artists used saturated oil colors for the tiger and bull totems, druids, birds, and mermaids.

These artists are from the modern renaissance which they say “adopted the eclecticism of our life and creatively transformed it into its ideal counterpart, where mythological creatures peacefully converse with flowers, and fairy-tale landscapes harmonically incorporate complicated geometrical ornaments. It may be the key to many secrets of existence.”

Mµseum – The Tiny Museum

Known as the “smallest museum in the world,” this was created by head curator Judith Klausner who worked tirelessly for three years. “I’ve always been attracted to small,” Klausner told Boston’s local NPR radio station. “With a small piece of work, your attention is pretty inherently intimate because you’re getting into its space and it’s getting into your space.” Klausner is a local Somerville artist who has always had a passion for the tiny and the disregarded. From her website: “I hope to change the way people see the small and often disregarded ephemera of life.” Klausneradded the Greek letter “µ,” a symbol which means the scientific figure “micro,” into the museum’s name as a visual pun.

Though the Mµseum is very much like an art gimmick, Klausner thinks is it far more important and precious than that. The best way to enjoy the art gallery is perhaps by devoting a quiet afternoon to explore the quiet, white porcelain halls of this tiny art institution. New England artists get an opportunity to display their artwork here while integrating art into the everyday lives of passersby.

Somerville Round House

The Somerville Round House was built in 1856 by Enoch Robinson. It is a columnar residence that features a crenelated circumference around the third story exterior. Robinson was a successful locksmith and business owner who also manufactured decorative hardware. They are still used in many historic buildings, like the Boston Old State House, the Parker House Hotel (now the Omni Parker House), Old Boston City Hall, and the United States Treasury Building in Washington, D.C. His design was valued for inventive craftsmanship like glass doorknobs and perpetual motion machines.

Charles Williams Jr. House

The Charles Williams Jr. Houseis a historic house built in 1858 at 1 Arlington Street in Somerville, Massachusetts. Charles Williams Jr. was a manufacturer of electrical telegraph instruments at 109 Court Street in Boston. It was Williams’ shop where Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas A. Watson experimented with the telephone. On June 2, 1875, it was there at his shop that they first heard indistinct sounds transmitted. In 1877, the first permanent residential telephone service in the world was installed at this house. It connected Williams’ home with his shop on Court Street in Boston. Williams owned telephone Numbers 1 and 2 of the Bell Telephone Company.

Davis Square

Davis Square is one of the most popular cultural destinations in Somerville. There are various interesting places around this area including The Somerville Theatre and Johnny D’s that offer concerts and films. The springtime is among the merriest with Somerville Open Studios offer ArtBeat festival. If you happen to visit the place during fall then you can expect HONK. Moreover, the place is also known as a dining destination with a wide range of restaurants and eateries conveniently located in the area. Whether you love to barbecue or vegan fare, there is something for everyone. The choice of cuisine includes cuisines of Mexico, Italy, China, India, Japan, and more. And there are plenty of new places to have delicious food opening all the time. The ever-increasing options mean it’s time to check in on Davis Square. Here is a walking tour.

There are More Interesting Places to visit in Boston. If you are interested, please have a look at the Article listed below.

Image Credits- Somerville MA Cross