The World’s Largest Copyrighted Piece of Artwork
This massive gas tank sits off Route 93, just south of Boston. Artist Corita Kent was commissioned in 1971 by Boston Gas to paint the tank, and delivered this bright rainbow of colors. Kent, an active Vietnam War protester, is alleged to have shaped the profile of Ho-Chi Minh into one side of the blue stripe. The tank is closed to visitors, so don't expect to get too close. It's best viewed from afar anyway. (Globe file photo)
Location: Dorchester
Public Transportation: Driving on I-93 offers the best view.
Cost and Hours: Free, open 24 hours/day

Samuel Adams Brewery
Famous as a patriot, Samuel Adams was both a revolutionary and a brewer. Today, you can tour the Samuel Adams brewery in the Boston neighborhood of Jamaica Plain, where you can go behind-the-scenes to see the brewing process and catch a fresh, free sample (21 and over).
Location: 30 Germania St. Jamaica Plain, Boston
Public Transportation: Stoney Brook (Orange Line)
Cost and Hours: Tours are free and held 2pm W (5/1-8/31) & Th; 2pm & 5:30pm F; 12pm, 1pm & 2pm Sat

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
For a personal encounter with works from the likes of Rembrandt, Titian and Raphael, visit the once private collection of socialite Isabella Stewart Gardner. The museum was once a private home, and it's modeled on a 15th-century Venetian palace and boasts three floors of galleries around a Mediterranean-style garden courtyard. The Gardner Museum was the site of a high-profile art theft in 1990, when a Vermeer and a dozen other works were stolen. The empty frames still hang on the wall today, as Gardner's will mandated that nothing in the collection is to be moved or re-arranged. (Globe file photo)
Location: 280 The Fenway, South End, Boston
Public Transportation: Museum (Green Line)
Cost and Hours: $10 ($11 on weekends), Seniors: $7 College Students: $5 w/ I.D. Members and Children under 18 are free.Tues-Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

The “Plywood Palace”
Decadently dominating the Boston skyline, the glass John Hancock Tower is a 60-story high mirror in the sky. Finished in 1973, early problems with heat and wind caused many of the glass panels to fall out, endangering people below. The problems were fixed long ago, but for a short-time the tower was known as “The Plywood Palace” for the wood used to temporarily cover the holes left by the falling glass.
Location: 200 Claredon St., Back Bay, Boston
Public Transportation: Arlington (Green Line)
Cost and Hours: Public access inside the building is limited

"Reverse the Curse" Road Sign
What was once a landmark that echoed the ruthless cry of Boston Red Sox fans all over New England is now priceless memorabilia. After an 85 year drought of not winning a championship, the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series and the Department of Conservation and Recreation removed the sign and donated it to the Red Sox foundation. Prior to the championship, “vandals” would continuously use spray paint to change the wording of the sign from "Reverse Curve" to "Reverse the Curse."
Location: Storrow Drive and Longfellow Bridge
Public Transportation: Charles/MGH (Red Line)
Cost and Hours: Free, open 24 hours/day