HaborArts Shipyard Gallery - East Boston

“Hey, did you just park a car there‽”

“Yeah...”

There was no reply to our answer, just outstretched arms and a look of exasperation beneath a generic hat reading “SECURITY.” The physical reaction seemed to indicate that the placement of our vehicle next to others, between two painted lines (despite no signage advising otherwise) was a major transgression—an action so unbelievably preposterous that it left the guard at a complete loss for words.

As we tried to explain, he cut us off...

“What do you think you're doing? This is an active shipyard."

The confusion was cleared up quickly, though. He thought we were trying to score free parking before visiting some sights in the adjacent neighborhood. We were actually just looking for some sort of a visitor’s center or physical marker that indicated we were in the right place.

Smiling and relaxing, the sentinel stated:

“Oh, it’s all around here. You just walk around and have a look. The car’s fine. Have fun!”

The HarborArts Shipyard Gallery exists amongst the surroundings of the Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina. Workers toil and cranes swing while boats (serving both industry and pleasure) come and go.

Per HarborArts:

“Since 2009, HarborArts has been creating a stage for dialogue through public art. Transforming the 14-acre Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina into an outdoor gallery representing local and international artists, HarborArts has brought thousands of visitors through the shipyard to explore the intersection of industry, community, and artistic expression.”

Besides the various installations—the bustle of the shipyard, docks, abandoned pier, sights of Boston, and the roar of jets heading into Logan International made for an interesting afternoon of wandering. A nice surprise to stumble across before leaving town.