Playing “I Spy” at the JFK National Historic Site in Brookline, MA
There are several places throughout Massachusetts that honor the legacy of America’s 35th President, John F. Kennedy. A great place to learn about the Kennedy family and JFK’s early childhood is Kennedy’s childhood home in Brookline, Massachusetts, just a couple of miles from downtown Boston.

Designated a National Historic Site in 1967 and overseen by the National Park Service, the five year old home was purchased by Joseph and Rose Kennedy in 1914, shortly after their wedding. Joe Jr., John, (born on May 29th, 1917), Rosemary, and Kathleen (four of the Kennedys’ nine children) and were all born in the upstairs main bedroom. The family lived in the 83 Beals Street house, along with two servants, until 1920 until they moved to a larger home on Abbottsford Road, where they lived until 1927. The Beals Street home received a commemorative plaque from the town of Brookline in 1961, and the home, which had been owned by other families, was repurchased by the Kennedy family in 1966.

The home opened to the public in 1969 as a National Historic Site, and underwent a renovation and upgrade from 2019 through the fall of 2023. About a quarter of all the items and furnishings inside the home are original to the Kennedy family, and positioned and decorated exactly as Rose Kennedy remembers, and the rest of the furnishings are period or replica pieces. Rose Kennedy helped to recreate the home she built with her husband in the early twentieth century.
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Playing I Spy in the Kennedy home:
- The piano (that Rose Kennedy played!), given as a family wedding gift, in the Parlor.
- The kids’ table in the Dining Room, where John and Joe Jr. sat during meals.
- The unique salt and pepper containers on the Dining Room table. The entire table is set with the wedding china of Joe and Rose Kennedy.
- The telephone in the Hallway, a sign of their upper middle class status as most families didn’t have a phone in the 1910s.
- The separate beds in the Main Bedroom, typical of married couples until the 1960s. John, Joe Jr., Rosemary, and Kathleen were all born in this room.
- The infant portraits of Joe Jr., John, Rosemary, and Kathleen on the wall in the Main Bedroom.
- The bassinet used by all four children in the Nursery.
- John’s favorite books (“Billy Whiskers” and “King Arthur”) in the Nursery.
- The hair brush set used by Rose Kennedy in the Dressing Room.
- The modern day (for 1917) toaster and tea kettle in the kitchen (Be sure to listen to Rose’s account of daily life in the home).
- The Main Parlor of the Kennedy home.
- The Dining Room of the Kennedy home.
- The main bedroom of the Kennedy home.
- The nursery of the Kennedy home
- An upstairs bedroom in the Kennedy home.
- Rose Kennedy’s dressing room.
- The kitchen in the Kennedy home.
Looking for other important Kennedy spots? Check out the JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, the JFK Hyannis Museum in Hyannis (on Cape Cod) Massachusetts, and the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas. Check out the index of our presidential sites on the blog here and our index of nearby Boston attractions here.
It’s a beautiful home. God bless the Kennedy family.
What a fun idea for a game! I loved your thorough tips on accessibility, gift shop etc, at the location as well, a very thoughtful touch.
I love Brookline, what a lovely neighborhood. I haven’t visited the JFK National Historic site — it’s on my list now!
Thanks for the great information! I am all set to go! I love the iSpy list for kids! I want to see the unique salt and pepper shakers! 😀
The Ispy list is perfect for kids! Thanks for all the information it will make a trip smooth!
I been learning so much in the past week with my kids and visiting the house and the jfk library . I really recommend tho the whole family to visit this great location.
yes! both spots are wonderful ways to lear about the Kennedy family and American history!