Hatch Memorial Shell, Outdoor concert venue in Back Bay, Boston, US
Description
The Hatch Memorial Shell is an outdoor concert venue on the Charles River Esplanade featuring a semicircular shell structure that frames the stage and projects sound across the audience area. Behind the shell lies open grass where visitors spread blankets and settle in to watch performances.
History
The shell opened as a permanent structure in 1941, replacing earlier makeshift wooden and metal versions that had served the venue. It was funded by Maria Hatch as a memorial to her brother Edward.
Culture
The venue hosts free summer concerts and events where thousands of visitors sit on blankets across the grass to enjoy music under the open sky. The shell has become a gathering place for Boston's cultural life, drawing people from across the city to share performances together.
Practical
The venue has no permanent seating, so bring a blanket or cushion and plan to sit on the grass. Footbridges crossing the nearby Storrow Drive provide easy access from surrounding neighborhoods.
Did you know?
Every Fourth of July, a US Army cannon positioned next to the shell fires during the Boston Pops concert as fireworks explode over the Charles River. This spectacle has occurred for decades and has become a Boston tradition.
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