Springfield is the largest city in western Massachusetts, sitting along the Connecticut River about 90 miles west of Boston. It is an industrial city that has seen better days economically, but it punches above its weight for museums: the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame draws fans from across the country, the Springfield Armory National Historic Site tells the story of American military manufacturing, and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden honours the author who grew up here. Basketball was invented in Springfield in 1891 by James Naismith; Theodore Seuss Geisel — Dr. Seuss — was born here in 1904. Few cities of this size can claim two such improbable cultural contributions.
The Museum Quadrangle on State Street clusters four museums — art, science, history, and natural history — in a single complex, making it easy to spend half a day without moving far. Forest Park, at 735 acres, is one of the largest urban parks in New England and includes a small zoo. Springfield is also a practical base for exploring the Pioneer Valley: Northampton and Amherst and their five colleges are both about 20 minutes north.