Architecture Tour

Explore a hidden gem of historic Boston architecture! The Chestnut Hill High Service Pumping Station, built in 1888, is a stunning exemple of Richardsonian Romanesque style. Now home to the Metropolitan Waterworks Museum, the original building was crafted over time by not one, but two, of Boston’s official City Architects, Arthur Vinal and Edmund Wheelwright. Join local author and historian Dennis DeWitt for a deep dive into the civic and architectural legacy of this visually stunning site. DeWitt, a Board Member of the Waterworks Museum, will also touch on the 20-year history of struggle and compromise that led to the partial preservation of the buildings on the site, and the modern-day creation of the Waterworks Museum.

As portions of this tour will be conducted outdoors, please dress accordingly for the weather. Should your tour get rained out, the museum will reach out with information about rain dates and refunds. Tours meet on the front steps of the museum. You are welcome to visit the museum after your tour.

Please note that while this tour is wheelchair accessible, we will be traveling across grass, sidewalk, and gravel and the the accessible route may include some steep ramps. We recommend visitors in wheelchairs bring a companion to assist them on this tour.

The Waterworks Museum is pleased to be participating in the Mass Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program by extending a discounted rate of $10 per person on tickets for our Architecture tours to EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholders. This program would not be possible without the collaboration of the Mass Cultural Council and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services’ Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Public Health’s WIC, and the Massachusetts Health Connector respectively. Check out the full list of organizations offering EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare discounts.