Museums
Springfield is the home to the five museums that make up the Quadrangle: Science, History, D’Amour Fine Arts, Smith Arts, and Dr. Seuss. The National Dr. Seuss Memorial Sculpture Garden is found outdoors. The Museum of Springfield History opened and features a world-class collection of Indian Motorcycles and a Springfield-built Rolls Royce. The Indian Orchard section of the city also has a converted mill that is now artists' studio space.
Springfield is part of the Museums 10 collaborative which features themed exhibits year-round. Hartford's Wadsworth Atheneum is a 30-minute drive, and the many museums and galleries of the Berkshires are less than an hour away, along with Tanglewood, Jacob's Pillow, and the many other cultural riches of that region of Western Mass.
Culture & Music
If music is what you crave, subscribe to the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. Visit Theodores’, voted the best blues club in the region. Dewey’s offers jazz. A variety of concerts are held throughout the summer in the Downtown area as well as in city parks. The Springfield Jazz Festival has become a much-loved summer event. The Community Music School offers children and adults classes in every instrument imaginable, and teachers and students give frequent public performances. It also hosts the Children's Choir of Springfield. There is an annual Swing Concert held at the Springfield Armory National Historic Site (with free swing dance lessons!). The Drama Studio offers classes in acting, directing, and all aspects of theater and performance to children and adults. The Springfield Public Forum is one of the country's longest-running free lecture series and features nationally-renowned speakers. The World Affairs Council brings in speakers from every corner of the earth to discuss international affairs. There are book groups sponsored by the City Library. The Springfield Museums also feature a weekly Museums a la Carte lecture.
The historic Mattoon Street neighborhood hosts to the longest-running arts festival in the region. The local colleges also offer many arts-related activities,
West Springfield's Majestic Theater, and the many productions put on by the local colleges. The summer brings repertory theater to nearby Williamstown and other locations in the Berkshires, as well as the New Century Theater in Northampton and the Miniature Theater of Chester.
Dining
Those who enjoy dining out will love living in Springfield. The celebrated Student Prince restaurant (known as The Fort to the locals) has been serving German food in downtown since 1935. The 350 Grill offers classic American dining indoors and on its lovely outdoor patio in warm weather. Nadim's Mediterranean Grill offers fine middle eastern cuisine. Italian Vietnamese, Mexican, Japanese restaurants, and more -- a menu to suit all tastes can be found in this remarkable city.
Sports and More...
Professional sports events in Springfield are held by the Springfield Thunderbirds home games and the Western Mass Pioneers, a professional men's soccer franchise with women's and junior's affiliate teams. Six Flags New England is a few miles from Downtown.
What else is there to do? Lots! Explore Springfield on a visit, or contact ChooseSpringfieldMass to learn more about your own areas of interest.