The French Library & Cultural Center was founded in 1945 and started with a collection of just 500 books. Over the years, the Library has evolved and offers an extensive collection of French books and media as well as language classes, lectures, exhibits, films & concerts. The mission of the French Library & Cultural Center is to promote the culture and language of France & the Francophone world. Their biggest event of the year is their annual "Bastille Day Street Dance." It takes place in July on Marlborough Street between Berkeley & Clarendon Streets and offers dancing, music, food and fun for all. Children aged 3-10 can take French lessons at the French Library and Cultural Center. Each session runs 13 weeks Art exhibitions which change monthly and are free and open to the public.

Overview From the Simmons website: Located in the heart of Boston in the Fenway neighborhood, Simmons College encompasses the many benefits of a small university in the nation's best "college town." For more than a century, Simmons has offered a pioneering liberal arts education for undergraduates integrated with professional work experience. Today, we also offer renowned coeducational graduate programs in health studies, education, liberal arts, communications management, social work, and library and information science. Our MBA program is designed specifically for women. Simmons is a member of the Colleges of the Fenway Consortium. At Simmons, we honor an educational contract to place students first. Our hands-on curriculum integrates intellectual leadership, career preparation, and community orientation, because all three approaches are necessary for success. We are proud of our welcoming, collaborative community that encourages dialogue, action, and respect—and that makes the Simmons experience as thoughtful as it is thought provoking. From the Simmons article on Wikipedia: Simmons College currently consists of three separate campuses located near the Back Bay Fens in Boston: Main Campus: The Main Campus is located at 300 The Fenway in the Longwood Medical Area. It is immediately adjacent to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Boston Latin School. This campus currently consists of five buildings: Simmons College Main College Building Simmons College Main College Building

• One Palace Road
• Main College Building
• Beatley Library
• Lefavour Hall
• Park Science Center

A great deal of construction is in progress on the main campus. In 2006, a major overhaul of Beatley Library was completed, and a large project to replace a surface parking lot with a large underground garage has begun. Above the new garage the college is constructing a new building on the main campus to house the School of Management, currently located on Commonwealth Avenue, and has also begun work on remodeling the Fens Cafeteria. Residence Campus The Residence Campus is located several blocks from the main campus. It is near the Landmark Center and the Fenway and Longwood MBTA stations. The residence campus consists of 13 buildings centered around a grassy quad:

• Simmons Hall
• Dix Hall
• Smith Hall (Quadside Cafe)
• Arnold Hall
• North Hall
• Health Center and Residence Life Offices
• Holmes Sports Center
• South Hall
• Alumnae Hall
• Bartol Dining Hall
• Evans Hall
• Mesick Hall
• Morse Hall

Most of the buildings on the residence campus serve as dormitories, but the campus also includes a large dining hall, a health center, a large fitness center, a public safety office, an auditorium, and several other facilities. The residence campus is separated from the main campus by Emmanuel College and Merck Research Laboratories Boston. School of Management The School of Management is in two buildings in Boston's Back Bay. These are:

• 409 Commonwealth Avenue
• 451 Marlborough Street

The School of Management is accessible from the Hynes Convention Center stop on the MBTA Green Line. In 2006, Simmons announced plans to build a new home for the School of Management on the main academic campus. Construction is underway. Neighborhoods Simmons calls the Fenway neighborhood home. However, it lies in the crossroads of a few other neighborhoods such as Mission Hill and Kenmore Square. Notable Alumni From Wikipedia: Nnenna Freelon, Gwen Ifill, Denise DiNovi, Elinor Lipman, Ann Fudge, Rebecca Miller Sykes, Lonnie Barbach, Sage Vivant, Audra Mika, Bertha Reynolds and Suzyn Waldman. For more information regarding Simmons College, visit Povo's Guide to Simmons College.

Wentworth Institute of Technology is a private, co-educational college of design and engineering. The institution was founded in 1904 by Arioch Wentworth and a group of seven esteemed colleagues as an attempt to promote education in mechanical engineering and mechancial arts, two fields they believed to be grossly underrepresented in the world of higher education. Whether they study construction management or interior design, Wentworth students are always working on projects that have both a theoretical and "real world" application. Most of their programs include some sort of co-op during the third year of study, much like their neighbor Northeastern University.
While Wentworth is known to be predominantly male-populated college, they do boast the first female president (Zorica Pantic) ever to lead a technical institute.
As a member of the Colleges of the Fenway, Wentworth shares its facilities and resources with other local schools, often hosting events and concerts for the COF. Their cafeteria, gym, courses, and athletic fields are open for access to anyone who can furnish a COF ID.
Check out Povo's Guide to Wentworth Institute of Technology. Wentworth's notable alumni include the politician Stephen Lynch and the actor Matt LeBlanc of Friend's fame.

Berklee College of Music, founded in 1945, is an independent music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It has an enrollment of approximately 4,000 students and a 2004 faculty of approximately 430. Berklee offers an accredited four-year baccalaureate degree or diploma. Prominent alumni include John Mayer ('98), Aimee Mann ('80), Melissa Etheridge ('80), Branford Marsalis ('90) and Quincy Jones ('51) among many others.

This boat line offers ferry service, whale watches, sightseeing and chartered boats on Boston Harbor. Whale watches take about 3 hours on high-speed catamarans. Sightseeing options include a 45-minute U.S.S. Constitution cruise, a 90-minute historical tour of Boston Harbor, or a 90-minute sunset cruise. Ferry service includes commuter runs from waterfront suburbs Salem and Hingham, Boston to Cape Cod service, a four-stop inner-harbor city network, and service to the Boston Harbor Islands State Park. Ships accommodating up to 550 people are available for private functions.

For 97 years, CMCB has maintained its mission to provide music education and related services to children and adults who are unlikely to receive private instruction--particularly those from traditionally underserved urban neighborhoods and in financial need, and individuals with physical and/or mental delays and disabilities. CMCB offers Music and Movement classes for children as young as five months. Children under the age of 3 participate in classes designed for adult and child interaction. Children ages 3 to 6 take classes that incorporate dance, art, improvisation, and social play. The program is designed across the ages to promote musical development through experimental learning. Visual Arts classes are available for children ages 5 to 11. Musical instruction for youth is a key component of the CMCB program. Individual instruction is offered in all orchestral and band instruments, plus voice, guitar, and others. The one-month summer program runs from June 25 to July 20.

This is an art gallery with a mission. Their motto is "Gallery Nature and Temptation". There is a beautiful Japanese garden in the back yard, providing a perfect place to meditate. It is also where the New England Haiku Society meets. There are art exhibits that rotate almost monthly. The location on peaceful St. Stephen St., near Northeastern University, is in a residential neighborhood and might not immediately appear to be an education and cultural center, but rather a pretty brownstone residence. The signage is modest and tasteful, so you have to be on the lookout as you walk past, although there is an unobtrusive board with a gallery schedule posted on it. The studio offers classes in painting, ceramics, poetry, life drawing, pastels, and other subjects such as Japanese, calligraphy, Japanese Interior and Graphic Design, and Japanese Tea Ceremony. Kaji Aso Studio is home to Boston's first Japanese Tea House. Special reservations can be made to enjoy the unique Tea Ceremony of Japan with Kai-Seki Dinner. Sunday 4 pm to 6 pm. Fee: $30.00 per person reservations required. From the website Kaji Aso Studio offers experience in the visual arts, music, poetry, philosophy,and Japanese culture. For twenty-five years, the Studio has provided a positive and supportive atmosphere for beginning students and professionals to work together. Members have the opportunity to exhibit and collaborate on central themes. The value of Nature is seen as inspiration and an infinite source of material. The course of study encourages the development of fresh ways of thinking about our relationship to each other and the vast world around us. Kaji Aso Studio is governed by an Executive Director, Board of Trustees and has a Board of Advisors, and is a non-profit, tax exempt organization. It is comprised of dedicated members who administer and teach on a volunteer basis. The energy of new people is always welcome. Student tuition and fees help defray operating expenses and rental of the four -story brownstone that houses Kaji Aso Studio. The KASIA also performs the traditional Japanese tea ceremony on Sundays. See the listing for House of Flower Wind.

Can't think of any better way to relieve the stress of school and work than by punching a punching bag. Claiming they're the "real thing" and featured on the morning show on NBC and CBS, with membership you have access to over 50 boxing classes a week. If you call them, you can set up a free trial lesson and then sign up for a free week of membership. A great alternative to the BU fitness center and small enough to get to know the people around you. Nervous about not knowning anything about boxing? The website claims that over 90% of the members are beginners. Give it a shot. What's the worst that can happen?

Take in the latest production of "Oklahoma!" or "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" at Riverside Theatre Works. Feeling dramatic? Learn stage combat and the skill of improv at Broadway "Bootcamp" or take private lessons in voice, guitar, and piano. This non-profit production company offers lessons starting at age 4. Riverside Theatre Works School of Performing Arts offers exciting programs in all areas of the performing arts (music, dance, and theater) through private lessons and classroom instruction. Programs are designed for all levels of ability and interest. The dedicated staff is made up of professional artists, performers, and teachers. All classes concentrate on the development of technique, creativity, and artistic expression. The goal of the school is to meet the individual needs of each student. During the summer, kids can attend creative drama and Broadway musical camps.

A resource for training low income adults and preparing them for a career.