Step back fifty years and fall in love with Boston all over again. The Boston Athenaeum’s radiant new exhibition, “Where’s Boston? 50 Years Later,” brings the legendary photographer Constantine Manos’s iconic 1970s portrait of the city back into focus just in time for America’s 250th anniversary.
Back in 1975, Manos spent nine glorious months roaming Boston’s streets, commissioned to capture the city for its Bicentennial. From Boston Common to Franklin Park, his black-and-white images overflow with the city’s energy and diversity: parades bursting with joy, bustling diners, lively flea markets, and neighbors sharing a game in the afternoon sun.
The exhibition is more than a trip down memory lane. The Athenaeum invites today’s Bostonians to become part of the story: visitors are asked to step forward with their own memories and help identify the people in the photographs. A digital guide pairs the vintage images with fresh oral histories from the neighborhoods Manos documented, weaving past and present into one joyful conversation.
On view in the Norma Jean Calderwood Gallery through December 12, 2026, the exhibition is included with first-floor admission, and Athenaeum members enjoy it free. Pair your visit with the accompanying book, “Constantine Manos: Bostonians,” available in the Athenaeum gift shop.
Photo: Boston Athenaeum
