Hatch Memorial Shell

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Location: Back Bay

Inception: 1941

Official opening: 1941

Address: 47 David G. Mugar Way, Boston, MA 02108

GPS coordinates: 42.35730,-71.07370

Latest update: December 8, 2025 13:41