Exploring Brookline: Bagels, Waterworks, and Museum of Bad Art (yes, this actually exists)

It's another gorgeous June day in Boston and today's adventure is Brookline. I started off the day with a pumpernickel bagel with lox cream cheese from Kupel's (said couples) bakery on Harvard Ave. I am by no means a bagel connoisseur but, I enjoyed it. In fact, I ate half of it before I realized that I forgot to take a picture of it! Plus, I like to support local bakeries rather than places like Panera or Brugger's Bagels if I can. I was also very impressed with Kupel's selection of pastries and breads. I couldn't resist the extra large apricot hamentaschen. And, even better, the store clerk went to the back of the store to bring me one that had been baked that morning and was still warm! I'm definitely going back to try some of the other baked goods very soon!

I walked through the Coolidge Corner area and found a toy and candy shop. This seemed like something from bygone days and I couldn't resist stopping for some candy. The older lady who was running the small store was writing a draft of a letter and was telling me how she thought it was important to write drafts of the letters you send in a notebook before writing the final draft. I have to agree, it is nice to have a record of what you wrote someone and you are less likely to make spelling mistakes if you write a first draft. I do love the art of letter writing even though it appears to be dying in this age of technology and "progress."

Anyway, I bought a Ring Pop, something I hadn't had since the 3rd grade. Ahh, the good old days where candy was the highlight of a day....

The main event of the day was the new Waterworks museum at the Chestnut Hill reservoir. This museum opened last spring and you can visit it Wednesday from 11am-9pm and Thurs.-Sun. 11am-4pm. AND, it is free! I was the only person there so I had a guided tour and enjoyed chatting with the two volunteer museum guides. The male guide was very excited about explaining how the pumps worked whereas the female guide was more interested in the impact of the waterworks on urban development. Thus, I had a comprehensive tour with both of those perspectives.

Normally, the museum is a self guided tour although the staff is more than glad to answer questions. You can start the tour by watching a 10 minute video about the history of the waterworks. Boston was one of the first American cities to provide clean water to its citizens. At the time, there was a 20 year long debate on whether the waterworks should be public or private. The scientists won out over the politics (a rare occurrence) as it was emerging at the time that clean water may reduce outbreaks of common diseases such cholera and typhoid fever. The central argument was that clean water was a basic human right. The Boston Metropolitan Waterworks was built in 1886-1887 and expanded 10 years later to meet the increasing water needs of bustling turn-of-the-century Boston.

To this day, Boston has a complex system of reservoirs which are located west of the city and the waterworks museum was the location where the water from all the reservoirs was tested and then pumped to the city. There are three pumps on display. There are two vertical pumps and one horizontal pump. The main pump, the Allis, was used up until 1976. Imagine, a pump lasting almost 100 years! I usually reserve the word beautiful for things like flowers or poetry but I have to say that the pumps really are beautiful. They don't make them like this anymore. One is partially encased in carved walnut and all of them are impressive and massive. Boston took great pride in the waterworks and the building that houses them is made of stone in the Romanesque style. In the day, people would actually come visit the waterworks and ride in carriages around the reservoir. Today the adjoining reservoir is just used in case of emergencies such as the Boston water emergency in May of 2010.

The interactive exhibits have excellent computer simulations to help explain how the pumps work. There is also information about the impact of the waterworks on public health and the early science of regulating the safety of a water source. Drinking a glass of water will never be the same after visiting this museum!

To end the day, I stopped by the Brookline branch of the Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) located at Brookline Access TV off of the Brookline Hills T station. There were only a few pieces of art on display. More can be found at the Somerville branch or online. Still, good for some laughs.

The waterworks is a must see and I highly suggest taking the time to discover some of the local shops and bakeries in Brookline.

Kupel's Bakery

I was so absorbed in eating the bagel that it was almost gone before I remembered to take a picture!

I will return.....

Apricot hamentaschen fresh from the oven

Toy and candy shop

Ring pop. Bling Bling!

Coolidge Corner T station

Timberframe

Waterworks Museum

Allis vertical pump with the engine on top

Beautiful

One of the main steam control valves for the Allis

Worthington horizontal pump

The Leavitt pump which has carved walnut encasing part of the machine

Reservoir

You won't take water for granted after visiting the Waterworks Museum!

   

Partial collection of the Museum of Bad Art

Not terrible but wait, is she holding a chocolate chip cookie?

Failed attempt to copy the picture below this "masterpiece." The latex gloves attached to the bottom just make this creepy!

Entitled "He was a friend of mine." Not bad but why put a dog in the negative space? Did the cat kill him for stealing her food or something?