Around Wheelchair Accessible Cambridge

 

My morning post operative appointment went well with my doctor at Tufts Medical Center. I was left with a full day to explore before my evening flight home.

I went back to the Royal Sonesta Cambridge and put my feet up for a while. My feet and legs have been swelling from lipedema, a problem common with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. When I don’t have a place to rest, I am at least able to raise the legs of my power chair.

  

From the hotel I went on an adventure to Harvard University. I have been to many college campuses through my years covering college tennis, but never Harvard.

Cambridge is certainly a nice area, and I felt the New England vibe. I hadn’t had anything to eat except a leftover chocolate peanut butter cookie from the day before. I spotted Brooklyn Bagel Factory and decided to give it a try.

I ordered an egg sandwich, and it came on a fresh, warm bagel, with a latte. It gave me some energy, and I was ready to continue onto the campus.

I soon arrived at my location, the Harvard Museum of Natural History. CityPass gave me an attraction pass I had used for the Museum of Science the day before. 

I saw the Harvard Museum on the list of attractions and was intrigued as I hadn’t previously heard of it.

The front of the museum had steps, but there was a sign pointing at an accessible entrance on the side of the building. It was a bit of going in circles; however, the signage was clear and I found my way to the gift shop.

 

Everyone was extremely helpful and told me that I must start with the exhibition Glass Flowers. I’m so glad I was able to see it. I was impressed with the intricate designs of flowers and plants made from glass.

I spent about an hour going through them. Beyond the plants and flowers, there was also a beautiful area of Sea Creatures in Glass Sea, with cucumbers & squids.

When I finished looking through all the glass creations, I checked out some of the other exhibits. One was New England Forest Plants, Trees, and Animals. There was also a Great Mammal Hall. While I confess to not being a huge fan of Taxidermy, I found the information interesting.

Before I left, I found two more fascinating sections. One was on Minerals, with hundreds in assorted sizes and colors. The other was about Climate Change.

The Harvard Museum of Natural History was impressed, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone coming to Boston. I’m glad I decided to do the Cambridge area on this final trip—at least for now.

I was running late so I took an Uber WAV back to the hotel, picked up my luggage, and headed to the airport. It had been a year of back and forth in Boston for appointments and surgery. I wasn’t going to miss that, but I will miss Beantown!

Another Wheelchair Accessible Trip to Boston

 

I had traveled back and forth to Boston, Massachusetts, for a year to see a surgeon to repair nerve, muscle, and tendon damage in my arm. It all happened when I fell and broke my humerus in two places in April 2024. I looked all around the country for someone to do the repairs.

My second surgery was extensive and I came back to Boston a few weeks later for a post operative appointment. On my previous six trips I had stayed in the downtown area, near the hospital and doctor’s office. Many hotels were sold out or expensive this time and I decided to stay in Cambridge.

 I arrived in Boston early afternoon and took a Lyft to my hotel, the Royal Sonesta Cambridge. One of the things that made these trips easier was the fact that Boston has Lyft and Uber WAV available and fairly easy to get at that airport.

The hotel was huge and had a welcoming lobby, complete with cider from local apples and warm cinnamon donuts. I passed that time as I had already ordered food from Uber Eats to be delivered any minute. If I didn’t have a restaurant previously arranged, I would do this on each trip. There was always enough food for two meals and a Mike’s Pastry order for two days.

 

My room was a little tight to get around in, but there were lots of outlets and USBs on the night table and the bathroom had room to wheel around. I also had a tub with plenty of railings and a chair. I love bathtubs and my one at home is too deep for me to get in so I love having one in a hotel.

I enjoyed my pasta from Alfredo’s and chocolate covered cannoli from Mike’s. I then headed outside and took the smooth path across the Charles River Walk to the Museum of Science.

 

My dad was a scientist and loved taking the family to the Museum of Science in Boston. The last time I had gone was probably twenty five years ago. It’s certainly expanded and changed with the times, as told by the exhibits.

It was all impressive, unusual, and hands-on. The exhibits at the Boston Museum of Science are ever-expanding and give kids and adults a lot to think about. It was also easy for me to wheel around. In fact, accessibility is important here.

 

The Museum of Science offers AIRA Explora support for those with sight impairments, as well as braille, and audio tapes. They also have virtual ASL (American Sign Language) help available. For those with sensory differences, the museum offers noise cancelling headphones, low sensory viewing, and quiet areas.*

The museum is huge and I saw as much as I could before they closed. I spent time in the exhibits for Climate Change, Robots & AI, Arctic Adventure, Hall of Human Life, and an interesting display on the history of cancer studies. Along the way there were many hands on experiences for kids and a look at the earth and space program.

 

I missed the Boston Red Sox Exhibit, the Planetarium Show, and the Live Animal Presentation. You need two full days there if you want to see it all.

I walked by the large Food Court on my way out, remembering that I had food left from lunch. I also enjoyed a beautiful view of the Charles River from the museum.

 

I rolled back to the Royal Sonesta just before dark. I took my food out of the refrigerator and heated it in the microwave, both in my room. I was ready to put my feet up and relax. I would get to see a lot more of Cambridge the next day, after my doctor’s appointment.

 

*For details contact the Boston Museum of Science, accessibility department before you go: accessibility@mos.org or 617-723-2500.