Lowell is a small city that sits just 30 minutes north of Boston. It sits along the banks of the Merrimack River and is home to UMass Lowell, which is part of the University of Massachusetts. In the 1800s Lowell was a mill town and has several large textile mills and factories. It is now a thriving arts community and offers a wide variety of attractions. Here are some of the top things to do in Lowell.
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Visit Lowell National Park
Lowell National Park is a historic park in downtown Lowell. It includes the canals that Lowell is famous for, along with the old mills. The park is open all year round, but Memorial Day through late November, you can take a canal boat tour. These tours explore the many canals that run through the city giving visitors a waterside view. The park also offers several other tours including the Engineering Innovation Tour, the Working Water Tour, and the Mill and Trolley Tour.
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Discover History at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum
The Boott Cotton Mill is an important piece of Lowell’s history and a large part of the industrial revolution. The mills, built along with the canal system in 1835, employed hundreds of workers in its heyday. It is now a museum where visitors can see the looms, and even get a demonstration. The two looms that are still in operation weave fabric that you can buy in the gift shop. The museum also includes displays that show the rise of the Boott Mills and their decline along with some of the history of the Lowell area.
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Explore the Whistler House Museum of Art
Lowell is a haven for artists and art lovers, and the Whistler House Museum of Art is a great representation of this. It preserves the birthplace of James McNeill Whistler, one of the premier artists in America, and known for his modernist works. Whistler is considered one of the finest etchers since Rembrandt, and this museum houses a permanent collection of his works along with collections from other well-known artists including Frank Weston Benson, William Morris Hunt, and Cullen Yates.
Whistler House hosts several events each year, and they also have youth summer programs for kids who want to learn more about art and work on their own skills.
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Take in a Game at LeLacheur Park
The Lowell Spinners are a Red Sox affiliate that play their games at LeLacheur Park. This is a great place to see a ballgame during the season with fun activities for the whole family. When you watch a Spinners game, you never know if you might be seeing one of the next Red Sox players before they make it big in the MLB. Tickets to the games are inexpensive, and you can even apply for an internship if you want to get some experience working at a real ball field.
These are just a few of things to do in Lowell. You can learn about the history of the city, take a tour of the canals, and even see a ballgame all in one small area.
Image via davidwilson1949 | Licensed under CC BY 2.0
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