Mount Auburn Cemetery
Mount Auburn Cemetery is many things: a public park, burial ground, arboretum, and wildlife sanctuary (it’s very popular with bird enthusiasts). The Massachusetts Horticultural Society established this 72-acre National Historic Landmark in 1831, making it the country's first garden cemetery. The use of natural boundaries is magnificent, and the wildlife, from foxes to wild turkeys, is extraordinary for a busy city. Both features were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, considered the father of landscape architecture.
Numerous architectural styles are represented; similarly, the landscape’s intimate spaces and grand sweeping vistas reflect a wide range of styles, from Victorian to contemporary. With more than 5,000 trees representing 630 taxa, the landscape is horticulturally diverse.
It draws a variety of visitors, including those who enjoy the outdoors, gardening, looking for famous graves, and admirers of funerary art. The pastoral setting includes serene ponds, statues, breathtaking mausoleums, and a view of Boston and Cambridge from Washington Tower (check out the enormous Sphinx). Among the notable sites are the secluded Dell, the more formal and modern Asa Gray Garden, the romantic Bigelow Chapel, and the Mary Baker Eddy monument, which serves as a focal point for the Halcyon Lake landscape.
- Activities: Gardening, looking for graves, and visiting funerary art
- Website: https://mountauburn.org/
- Google rating: 4.8/5.0
- Opening Hours: Mon to Sun 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
- Address: 580 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA 02138
