Guest Program

Welcome to Boston, an exciting city with a rich history, diverse culture, world class institutions, and great museums.

Boston is home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Celtics, Red Sox, and Patriots. Dining is as varied as the culture: from fresh-caught fish and lobster to North End's Italian fare, to the finest haute cuisine. Take the family to the Science Museum, Filene's Basement, and hop on the amphibious Duck Tour of the city and harbor. A variety of fun filled tours are being planned for you and your guests.

Guest Hospitality Suite

Location: Westin Boston Waterfront, Harbor Ballroom 1 – Conference Level
A hospitality suite is planned for all guests of IMS 2009 technical attendees. Guests are invited to relax, enjoy a bite to eat and take advantage of the activities planned throughout the city of Boston. All tours will depart from the guest hospitality suite and a representative from the city will be available for questions about Boston. A continental breakfast and light refreshments will be served daily.

The hospitality suite will be open from Sunday, 7 June through Thursday, 11 June from 7:00am – 4:00pm and is reserved for guests of attendees only. IMS 2009 attendees are encouraged to take advantage of the food, beverage and services available at the Boston Convention and Exposition Center (BCEC).

Tours and Special Events

Sunday, June 7, 2009

HARVARD UNIVERSITY AND THE JFK LIBRARY
With Stop at Harvard Museum of Natural History to view Glass Flowers
You will explore the world famous Harvard University area where the young JFK lived and studied. You will stroll through Harvard Yard, the original campus of the oldest university in the country. You will have time to browse in Harvard Square, with its shops, boutiques, and over 25 bookstores. Following Harvard Square, your guests will stop at the Harvard Museum of Natural History to view the showplace that houses unique glass flowers. Since the 1880's the Botanical Museum of Harvard University has been the showplace of the unique “garden in glass.” True to life glass models of over 700 plant species have inspired reactions ranging from amazed admiration to disbelief. The accuracy of their forms corroborated by botanists, attests to the artistic and scientific skill of their creators, Leopold Blaschkka and his son Rudolf. Their family, originally from Venice, included numerous artistic technicians who had, through many generations, developed great proficiency in the working of glass, enamel and metals. In addition to being a popular attraction, the glass flowers collection serves as a useful adjunct to the study of botany and is regularly used for that purpose by the students of Harvard and other colleges in the Boston area. Your tour will continue as you travel from Cambridge to the shoreline of Dorchester Bay, where you will visit the spectacular John F. Kennedy Library, designed by I.M. Pei. First you will see a short film about President Kennedy, and then you will walk the campaign trail, view the famous Kennedy/Nixon debates, see the often-humorous press conferences, and continue on through the highlights of his presidency. You can sit in on the strategy sessions during the Cuban Missile crisis; see the Kennedy oval office and the gifts the Kennedy's received during his presidency, as well as mementos from his personal life. For a short time, you will re-live the thousand days of "Camelot".
Time: 12:30pm to 5:00pm
Price: $55.00 per person
Includes: Roundtrip transportation via executive coach, professional guide service, admissions and taxes

BOSTON DUCK TOURS: THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE
Unless you fought in World War II, you probably haven't ridden on a "duck" before. This "duck" is an authentic renovated amphibious landing vehicle, retrofitted to take you on a special historical tour of Boston, with a very special splashdown right into the Charles River for a breathtaking waterside view of Boston, the kind of view that you can't get anywhere else. The tour starts off impressively at your hotel when your chartered "duck" and conDUCKtor call for you. Your tour will last approximately 70-80 minutes, during which you'll see the highlights of Boston's Freedom Trail and other famous landmarks. You'll cross over the Charles River, and once on the Cambridge side, your "duck" becomes waterborne, for the ride of your life.
Time: 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Price: $42.00 per person
Includes: Private duck rental, professional guide service and taxes

Monday, June 8, 2009

IMS 2009 Golf Tournament - Cancelled

07:00 - 14:00 Granite Links Golf Club, Quincy, MA

Start your week off right; relax with fellow conference attendees at the IMS 2009 Golf Tournament.

In the format of a four-man scramble, the tournament will take place at the Granite Links Golf Club (www.granitelinksgolfclub.com), set amidst a former granite quarry with spectacular views of the Boston skyline and voted "Top Ten Best New Upscale Golf Course in the US".

Individual and team prizes will be given after the tournament and attendees can choose to participate in a lunch after awards are announced. Please oin us to celebrate the conference, of which you, the participants, are a key ingredient. All skill levels are welcome.

Note: Transportation departs Boston Convention and Exhibition Center at 06:30. Check-in 07:00 and Shotgun Tournament runs from 08:00 - 13:00. Continential breakfast and lunch will be provided at the Tavern Restaurant, named one of the fifty "Best 19th Holes in the Country" by Golf Digest! Return trip to Boston departs promptly at 14:00.

Click here for more information on the golf tournament!

A TOUR OF NEWPORT AND ITS MANSIONS
Newport, Rhode Island, is rich in both history and culture. A town which was established in the colonial era, made a name for itself during America’s Gilded Age, and since has become the yachting capital of the world. Today, the town thrives as a hub for American culture and visitors are faced with an abundance of activities, quaint B&B’s, museums, shops, beaches, and outstanding restaurants. Newport is not to be missed.

Located seventy miles south of Boston, guests will be whisked to Newport for an opportunity to explore the town and experience the lifestyles of the rich and famous while touring the infamous mansions. You will visit the spectacular "Breakers" mansion, the summer "cottage" of Cornelius Vanderbilt, Chairman and President of the New York Central Railroad system. In 1893, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, commissioned architect Richard Morris Hunt to design and create a 70-room Italian Renaissance- style palazzo inspired by the 16th century palaces of Genoa and Turin.

Guests will also have the opportunity to tour The Marble House, built for William K. Vanderbilt. Constructed between 1888 and 1892, the Marble House was to become a social and architectural landmark that set the pace for Newport's subsequent transformation from a quiet summer colony of wooden houses to the legendary resort of opulent stone palaces. Inspired by the Petit Trianon at Versailles, the cost of the house was reported in contemporary press accounts to be $11 million, of which $7 million was spent on 500,000 cubic feet of marble.

After a morning spent touring these homes, guests will have the opportunity to explore Newport Harbor and will subsequently enjoy a luncheon at one of the town’s most charming restaurants. The group will then take pleasure in a tour of the famed 10 mile Ocean Drive for a view of the area’s estates and gardens which dot this beautiful shoreline.

Time: 8:30am to 5:00pm
Price: $115.00 per person
Includes: Roundtrip transportation via executive coach, professional guide service,
admissions, tours, luncheon and taxes

COMPLETE TOUR OF BOSTON: 350 YEARS IN A DAY
With Guided Trolley Tour
Boston is comprised of many neighborhoods, each with its own architecture and atmosphere. You'll have an overview of the city when you see the major neighborhoods and the historic sites that make Boston such a fascinating place to visit. You'll see Beacon Hill, Boston's most prestigious address, and visit the Back Bay, an elegant section of Boston which, one hundred years ago, was built according to the plan of Paris' Bois de Bologne. You'll pass by the Midtown Cultural District, Chinatown, and the South End, which boasts the largest Victorian neighborhood in the United States. Fenway Park is on your route, and the Fens section of Boston, which contains the Museum of Fine Arts, Symphony Hall, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum will also be seen. You'll drive by the Waterfront and then walk into the North End, Boston's famous Italian neighborhood where you will visit the Old North Church to see where the lanterns were hung to signal the beginning of Paul Revere's famous "midnight ride". Boston's Freedom Trail continues from here. You will see the USS CONSTITUTION, as well as the Massachusetts State House, the Old South Meeting House, Boston Common, and other sites along the Trail. To enhance the above tour, your guests will be guided in an Old Town Trolley.
Time: 9:00pm to 1:00pm
Price: $40.00 per person
Includes: Roundtrip transportation via Trolley, professional guide service, admissions and
taxes
Note: This tour involves a considerable amount of walking on hills and cobblestones.
Participants should be aware of these conditions and are advised to wear walking shoes.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

WRENTHAM VILLAGE OUTLETS - Cancelled
Wrentham Village is one of the easiest to negotiate and most attractive outlet shopping areas in the country. With 170 outlet stores, one can find impressive savings at Barneys New York Outlet, Bebe, Donna Karan, Gap Outlet, Hugo Boss, Kenneth Cole, Liz Claiborne, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, Reebok, Sony, Timberlan, Versace, Williams-Sonoma and much more! There are shops of every kind, as well as many areas to relax and enjoy refreshments during your visit. You will be given a map, as well as a variety of coupons prior to your arrival. Wrentham is located approximately 45 minutes from Boston and the drive is well worth it! Here you can truly “shop ‘til you drop”!
Time: 10:00am to 5:00pm
Price: $35.00 per person
Includes: Roundtrip transportation, professional guide, coupons, maps and taxes

THE BOSTON FREEDOM TRAIL WALKING TOUR

In 1958, local journalist William Schofield had the idea that Boston's sites could be more accessible to residents and visitors, and conceived of the Freedom Trail. Follow the Red Bricks Road! The Freedom Trail is a 2.5 mile red brick or red painted line that travels through Beacon Hill, downtown Boston, the North End and Charlestown. A natural and easily accomplished idea, the sixteen historic sites between Boston Common and The Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown were connected by a red line, and The Freedom Trail was born. In addition to the historic sites, the beauty of the sights, sounds,
and neighborhoods along the way makes walking The Freedom Trail an instantly popular activity. Whether taking a brisk walk or a lazy day stroll slip into a cozy pub for coffee, tea or a more spirited beverage or relax in an outdoor café for refreshing summer cooler. Be sure to wear layers, bring an umbrella and be sure to put on your most comfortable walking shoes! This tour will be enhanced as your guests go on a ride on Boston’s famed Swan Boats!
Time: 9:30am to 1:30pm
Price: $33.00 per person
Includes: Professional guide service, refreshments and ride on swan boats
Note: This tour involves a considerable amount of walking on hills and cobblestones. Participants should be aware of these conditions and are advised to wear walking shoes.

BOSTON RED SOX
Enjoy a Red Sox game at America's most beloved stadium - Fenway Park
Your senses will light up as you step onto Yawkey Way and catch a smell of a “Fenway frank,” hear the cheers of the most dedicated fans, and see the most authentic stadium in America. Visit the home of the 2004 and 2007 World Champion Red Sox team as they battle it out with their opponent. This is the park where the Babe pitched, the Kid hit, Yaz dazzled, and famed players such as Manny and “Big Papi” Ortiz still thrill young fans today. Soak up the rich history, hear the echoes of the past and get a glimpse of the Green Monster. Throughout the duration of the game your guests have the opportunity to shop in a licensed Red Sox gift shop for authentic Red Sox souvenirs right in the Park and on Yawkey Way. Enjoy the excitement and intensity of a Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees evening game!! All guests are on their own for transportation to Fenway Park. Price includes seat only.
GAME START TIME: TBD
RED SOX 2009 FENWAY PARK
Bleachers: $165.00 – Limited number of seats are available

Boston Pops Performance
Boston Pops Performance on this evening is a Judy Garland program consisting of all of her well-known songs with special guest, Linda Eder, a fabulous Broadway singer who will accompany the orchestra with her fabulous vocals. All guests are on their own for transportation to Symphony Hall. Price includes seat only.
TIME: 8:00pm performance
COST: $51.00 – Limited number of seats are available

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

GLOUCESTER AND ROCKPORT – SCENIC CAPE ANN
You'll see some of the Northeast’s most beautiful coastline, as well as the "Man at the Wheel" - the fisherman's Memorial Statue on Gloucester harbor. Gloucester balances it’s intertwined past and future with assurance and skill. The city, long renowned among artists for the purity of its light, has traditionally been the home of internationally known painters
like Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper and Fitzhugh Lane and sculptors like Walker Hancock. In addition, the Cape Ann Symphony makes its home in Gloucester as does the critically acclaimed Gloucester Theatre Company, whose director and playwright, Israel Horovitz, is known on and off Broadway. But the beautiful harbor that attracts a sizeable artistic population is also a working harbor which is one of the top three fishing ports in the Northeast. The picturesque fishing fleet, manned primarily by Portuguese and Italian residents of the city, supports a major fish packaging and freezing industry. There will be a photo stop at the Fisherman’s Statue and a visit to beautiful Hammond Castle perched on the Atlantic. John Hays Hammond, Jr. built his medieval style castle between the years 1926 and 1929 to serve both as his home and as a backdrop for his collection of Roman, medieval, and Renaissance artifacts. Visitors are welcome to explore the castle on a self-guided tour of eight rooms including the great hall, indoor courtyard, Renaissance dining room, two guest bedrooms, the inventions exhibit room, the Natalie Hays Hammond exhibit room, the tower galleries, as well as several smaller rooms and passage ways. Luncheon will be enjoyed at a local restaurant and then you will be driven further north to Bearskin Neck in Rockport, world-renowned home of artists and artisans. Here you can capture your own photograph of "Motif #1"- one of the most photographed and painted scenes in America. Time will also be allowed for shopping and browsing before returning to your hotel.
Time: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Price: $98.00 per person
Includes: Roundtrip transportation via executive motor coach, professional guide service, lobster lunch and all taxes

BIKE YOUR WAY THROUGH THE STREETS OF BOSTON - Cancelled

Why see the city through the windows of a bus, when you can see the city in a much more intimate way… on bike!! Without question this biking experience provides the best way to see all that Boston has to offer in a fun and exciting setting. Boston is notorious for its vast history, its quaint community districts and its traffic! Why put yourself through that? On bike you will have better access to all of the sites of the city. The signature city view tour allows you to pedal from historic Fenway Park, home of the World Champion Boston Red Sox, through modern and dynamic Back Bay, into historic Beacon Hill, with a stop for a cup of coffee and a pastry in the Italian North End. You will see parts of Boston off the beaten path and experience the diversity of Boston’s contemporary and classic neighborhoods. You are sure to enjoy this unique way of seeing the city.
Timing: 9:30am to 1:30pm
Price: $100.00 per person
INCLUDED FEATURES:
Bike Delivery Fee to Hotel
Professional Tour guide Service
Bike and Helmet Rentals

Customized city tour of Boston on Bike
Water
Best of Boston Staff
All taxes and gratuities

LEXINGTON AND CONCORD - THE SHOT HEARD ROUND THE WORLD - Cancelled
You will see many historic sites on this visit to Lexington and Concord. This tour includes a stop at historic Lexington Green, the site of the initial skirmish of the Revolutionary war. Surrounding the Green are three historic homes, all of which played a significant role in the events which occurred in April 1775. You will have a private tour of one of these homes and learn what role it played as our country declared its freedom from England. You will travel the Battle Road between Lexington and Concord. You will visit the Old North Bridge, see the Minuteman Statue and stand on the site where "the embattled farmers stood and fired the shot heard round the world". While in Concord, you will pass by the homes of Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne, three of Concord's most famous residents.
Timing: 9:00am to 1:30pm
Price: $52.00 per person
Includes: Roundtrip transportation via executive motor coach, professional guide service, admissions and taxes.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

MASTERPIECES OF ART
With Lunch at Bravo Restaurant
Bostonians have always supported the arts and the Museum of Fine Arts is a grand example of this commitment. You will view the incomparable collections of paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, drawings and photographs, representing Eastern and Western cultures from ancient times to the present. To make these collections even more meaningful, our fine arts lecturer will interpret The masterpieces of art as they were perceived by various artists and cultures throughout the ages. This is a fascinating tour and one you will long remember. Following the tour your guests will have time on their own to browse through the museum and gift shop, and then head to the West Wing Galleria to will enjoy a delicious seated luncheon at Bravo Restaurant.
Time: 10:00am to 2:00pm
Price: $107.00 per person
Includes: Roundtrip transportation via executive coach, services of a professional guide, admissions, docent tour of the Museum of Fine Arts, Lunch at Bravo Restaurant at MFA.

BOSTON DUCK TOURS: THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE - Cancelled
Unless you fought in World War II, you probably haven't ridden on a "duck" before. This "duck" is an authentic renovated amphibious landing vehicle, retrofitted to take you on a special historical tour of Boston, with a very special splashdown right into the Charles River for a breathtaking waterside view of Boston, the kind of view that you can't get anywhere else. The tour starts off impressively at your hotel when your chartered "duck" and conDUCKtor call for you. Your tour will last approximately 70-80 minutes, during which you'll see the highlights of Boston's Freedom Trail and other famous landmarks. You'll cross over the Charles River, and once on the Cambridge side, your "duck" becomes waterborne, for the ride of your life.
Time: 11:00am – 1:00pm
Price: $42.00 per person
Includes: Private duck rental, professional guide service and taxes