Museums

The 2013 Free Fun Fridays schedule is out, and it’s time to start planning your family’s summer adventures! Every summer, the Highland Street Foundation gives us the opportunity to visit cultural attractions in Massachusetts for free each Friday, from the end of June through August.

The Free Fun Fridays are truly a gift and offer the chance to visit varied attractions, from art museums to historical villages. This year, the fifth anniversary of the program, there are six options each Friday – some venues are right here in Boston, while others are as far away as Western Mass. With so many wonderful choices, it can be difficult to decide which ones to visit.

I have chosen five to highlight, taking into consideration whether other significant discounts (such as library museum passes) are available at another time, how much money is saved, proximity to Boston, and whether the place is good for children.

You’ve spent three hours at the Boston Children's Museum exploring, dancing, climbing, banging and blowing, and now it’s time to fill those hungry bellies. There are a multitude of options for dining near the museum. We’ve narrowed down the best ones, plus bonus tips for adult-time munching, too.