New England Holocaust Memorial
The New England Holocaust Memorial is a free, open-air memorial in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, honoring the six million Jewish victims and the millions of others systematically murdered during the Holocaust. Six glass towers, each 54 feet tall, stand above a black granite path in Carmen Park, right on the Freedom Trail near Faneuil Hall. No ticket or booking is required to visit, and it's open to the public at all hours. This guide covers exactly where to find it, what the towers mean, how to visit with a guide or on your own, and how to fold it into a Boston Sightseeing tour. For the full story behind its design, inscriptions, and founding, see our complete guide to the New England Holocaust Memorial.
Location And History
The memorial sits in Carmen Park, between Union Street and Congress Street in downtown Boston, at 98 Union Street. It opened in 1995, designed by San Francisco architect Stanley Saitowitz after he won a global design competition with more than 500 entries, and founded by Stephan Ross, a Holocaust survivor who settled in Boston and spent years working to see it built. Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel spoke at the memorial's 1995 dedication ceremony. The six glass towers are inscribed with 2,280,960 engraved numbers in total, echoing the tattooed identification numbers branded onto prisoners' arms in the camps, and together they stand for the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. For the full history, including the memorial's inscriptions and the threats and attacks it has faced over the years, read our in-depth guide to the memorial.
Visiting the Memorial: Hours, Location, and Tickets
Planning a stop at the memorial takes only a few details: whether you need to pay, when it is open, how to reach it by T or car, and what tour options exist for a deeper visit. The answers below cover each of those in turn.
Is there an admission fee or ticket required?
No. The memorial is a free, outdoor public space, and no ticket or reservation is needed to walk through it.
What are the memorial's hours?
The memorial is open to the public at all hours, year-round, since it's an uncovered outdoor space rather than an indoor exhibit. Confirm current conditions before visiting, since outdoor access can be affected by maintenance or weather closures.
How do I get there?
The closest MBTA stop is Haymarket, served by the Green and Orange Lines, about a two-minute walk away. State Street and Government Center are slightly farther alternatives on the Blue, Green, and Orange Lines. Metered street parking is nearby, though open spots can be hard to find. Paid garages nearby include the Haymarket Garage and the Government Center Garage.
Can I take a guided tour?
Yes. The Jewish Community Relations Council offers guided group tours booked in advance. For a self-guided option, a Mobile Tour accessible by QR code adds survivor interviews and historical context to your phone as you walk, and a Virtual Tour with 3D photos is available online for anyone planning ahead.
What To See
As you walk beneath the six towers, each one represents one of the six major Nazi extermination camps: Majdanek, Chełmno, Sobibor, Treblinka, Bełżec, and Auschwitz-Birkenau. Together, the towers also evoke the candles of a menorah and the six years of mass extermination between 1939 and 1945. Steam rises from grates in the dark granite path below, with small lights flickering beneath the glass, so the walk feels closer to stepping inside a quiet ceremony than visiting a typical outdoor monument.
Survivor testimony is etched directly into the towers. On the Sobibor tower, a panel carries the words of Alexander Pechersky, who recalls watching the camp's gas chambers from his barracks and deciding, "We must not simply escape." Another panel carries the words of Gerda Weissmann Klein, who recalls that Ilse, a childhood friend, once found a raspberry in the camp, carried it in her pocket all day, and presented it to her that night on a leaf. Our complete guide to the memorial covers every inscription along the path in full, including the closing quotation at the far end.
Nearby Attractions
After you visit the New England Holocaust Memorial, there's plenty more of Boston's history within walking distance. The Freedom Trail, the red-brick path that highlights sites from the American Revolution, runs directly past the memorial, so you can continue along it in either direction. Faneuil Hall Marketplace sits just around the corner for shopping and dining, and a stroll through the charming North End neighborhood brings you to Boston's Italian district a few minutes further on. History fans can also continue the trail to the Old State House and the Boston Massacre Site, both a short walk away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the New England Holocaust Memorial a museum?
No. The memorial is six open-air glass towers along a granite path, with nothing indoors and no collection to browse. If you're picturing an indoor museum visit, this is a different kind of stop, a quiet outdoor space built for walking through, not touring exhibit by exhibit.
Do I need tickets to visit the New England Holocaust Memorial?
No. It's a free, outdoor public memorial with no admission fee and no ticket required, open to visitors at all hours.
Can I book a tour of the New England Holocaust Memorial?
Yes. The Jewish Community Relations Council offers guided group tours by advance booking, and a self-guided Mobile Tour is available by QR code for anyone visiting on their own schedule.
What do the six towers at the memorial represent?
Each tower stands for one of six major Nazi extermination camps. Taken together, the six also evoke a menorah's candles, and they stand for the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and the six years of mass extermination between 1939 and 1945.
Where is the New England Holocaust Memorial located?
The memorial is in Carmen Park, between Union Street and Congress Street in downtown Boston, directly on the Freedom Trail near Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market.
What's the closest T stop to the memorial?
Haymarket is the nearest station, on the Green and Orange Lines, roughly a two-minute walk. Government Center and State Street work too if Haymarket's exit is further from where you're coming from.
Planning Your Tour with Boston Sightseeing
To make the most of your visit to the New England Holocaust Memorial and other Boston attractions, consider booking a tour with Boston Sightseeing. The double-decker hop-on hop-off bus serves two stops within a short walk of Carmen Park: Stop 1, New England Aquarium, which also covers the Faneuil Hall Marketplace area, and Stop 2, Old State House Museum. Check the current tour map to see which one suits your route. Commentary along the way covers Boston's history and landmarks, and with convenient stops throughout the city, you can see Boston at your own pace.
Our Tour Packages
Single Ride Pass
$33.25
Explore Boston in 90 Minutes
Ride above the crowd and enjoy the panoramic view of Boston
- Boston City Tour Single Ride Pass
- Stop-1 to Stop-8
- Blue Route Tour
- Double-Decker Bus Tour
- 90 Minutes Tour
- 1 Day Validity
- Hop-on Hop-off Tour
- Charlestown Sightseeing Tour
Hop-On Hop-Off All Day
$41.55
Boston City Sightseeing Tour
Experience historic Boston with unlimited hop-on hop-off at your own pace.
- Stop-1 to Stop-8
- Hop-on Hop-off Boston Tour
- Blue Route Tour
- Double-Decker Bus Tour
- 90 Minutes tour
- 1 Day Validity
- Shuttle Bus Service
- Charlestown Tour
Hop-on Hop-off Boston & Charlestown Tour
$48.65
Boston & Charlestown Tour
Experience the charm of Boston & Charlestown with Boston Sightseeing at your own pace.
- Hop-on Hop-off Boston Tour
- Stop-1 to Stop-11
- Hop-on Hop-off Charlestown Tour
- Blue & Orange Route Tour
- Double-Decker Bus Tour
- Shuttle Bus Tour
- 120 Minutes Tour
- 1 Day Validity
2 Days Boston & Charlestown Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
$70.40
2 Days Boston & Charlestown Tour
Explore Boston & Charlestown with Boston's first double-decker bus at your own pace.
- Hop-on Hop-off Boston Tour
- Stop-1 to Stop-11
- Hop-on Hop-off Charlestown Tour
- Blue & Orange Route Tour
- Double-Decker Bus Tour
- Shuttle Bus Tour
- 120 Minutes Tour
- 2 Days Validity
Cruise Terminal Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
$52.00
200 Minutes Hop-on Hop-off
Get onboard from Boston Cruise terminal and explore the historic beantown with Boston Sightseeing double-decker bus.
- Hop-on Hop-off Boston Tour
- Stop 1-8, 12-15
- Blue & Purple Route Tour
- Double-Decker Bus Tour
- Shuttle Bus Tour
- 200 Minutes Tour
- 1 Day Validity
- Charlestown Tour
Boston & Cambridge City Tour
$63.00
Guided Photo & City Tour
A 3.5-hour guided shuttle tour featuring Boston’s most iconic neighborhoods, Cambridge highlights, waterfront views, and curated photo opportunities.
- Guided Boston & Cambridge sightseeing tour
- Approximately 3.5 hours
- Curated stops and photo opportunities
- Climate-controlled shuttle bus transportation
- Live local tour guide
- 45-minutes Quincy Market lunch break
- Same-day tour experience
- Double-Decker Bus Service
- Hop-on, hop-off service
Attractions To Explore Near This Stop
15 Hidden Gems in Boston Worth Adding to Your Itinerary
Most visitors come to Boston to experience iconic attractions such as the Freedom Trail, Fenway Park, Boston Harbor, and Harvard University.
Best Boston Tours For Every Type Of Vacation
Compare the best Boston tours for every traveler, including Boston sightseeing tours, Freedom Trail tours, harbor cruises, food tours & more.
13 Best Fun Things To Do In Boston In Winter
Winter in Boston may be chilly, but that doesn't mean the city slows down. It's a popular time of year for tourists and locals alike...