The building where one of America’s most revered presidents began his life was tiny as well as modest. Eight people shared the home with its small but comfortably furnished rooms and its single bathroom.

John F. Kennedy was born in the master bedroom and spent the first three years of his life here with his parents, three siblings and two live-in domestic helpers. Tours and interpretation at the site focus on the day-to-day life in the household, from the simple details like favorite books and meals, to the rituals that shaped the psyche of the future president and his brothers and sisters, including their mother’s theory of “scientific motherhood” and the quizzes both parents would devise at the dinner table to encourage curiosity and learning. Visitors can take guided tours with rangers or visit in the middle of the day for a self-guided audio tour at their own pace; the site closes during the winter months.

Updates on John Fitzgerald Kennedy

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