En Garde in Worcester!

PLEASE NOTE: The Higgins Armory Museum has been closed. The collection was distributed  to other museums in the Worcester area.

Last weekend, we revisited one of our favorite winter indoor destinations - the unique Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester. Worcester steel magnate John Woodman Higgins assembled this one-of-a-kind collection in the early 1900s, and when when his wife kicked the collection out of their house, he erected a stunning steel building to house it!
On weekends, the Higgins offers demonstrations on armor, swordplay and other aspects of medieval life and combat. There's also a great kids' zone with a giant chess game and dress-up area, and a several authentic pieces of armor that kids can try on. At kids' birthday parties, the birthday boy or girl gets to be King or Queen in the Great Hall (for members only). Originally recommended by stained glass artist Dan Maher for one of our early Dispatches. About an hour from Boston but street access in Worcester is tricky; take a good map. Phone 508-853-9697.

Battleship Cove, Part I

Battleship Cove boasts the world's largest exhibit of naval warships. Located in the shadow of the Braga Bridge in Fall River Massachusetts, the World War II battleship USS Massachusetts stands at the centerpiece of an exhibit that also includes a WWII submarine, and two ships from the Cold War era.

As a kid, my grandfather would take my brother and me to Battleship Cove every year. We had a great time, climbing up and down the ladders and sitting on the AA guns pretending we were in the midst of an attack by enemy aircraft. It was one of the highlights of every summer's vacation.

A couple of weeks ago, I finally got the chance to go back there when some friends with an interest in history were visiting from out of town.

Admission to the exhibit is a very reasonable $14 (and you can get a $1 off coupon on the website). There are no guided tours, but there are plenty of signs and labels that give some fascinating information about life aboard ship while visitors explore at their own pace.

I took a lot of pictures, so I'm going to do this in two parts. First will be pictures of the USS Lionfish, the USS Joseph P. Kennedy, and the missile corvette Hiddensee (built in the Soviet Union for the East German navy, this ship was eventually sold to the US and operated under a US flag as a navy research vessel).

[more photos]

- by Rick S., on the Compleat Day Tripper group on Gather.com

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