It consists of landscaped gardens, promenades, plazas, fountains, art, and specialty lighting systems that stretch over one mile through Chinatown, the Financial District, the Waterfront, and North End neighborhoods.

Officially opened in October 2008, the 17-acre Greenway sits on land created from demolition of the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway as part of the Big Dig project.

The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy was established as an independently incorporated non-profit organization in 2004 to guide the emerging park system and raise funds for an endowment and operations.

[3] Since February 2009, the Conservancy has operated the park, leading the maturation of this new civic space, strengthening its physical beauty, and encouraging a sense of a shared community in Boston.

In the 1940s, planning began for a "Highway in the Skies" that would alleviate traffic congestion and provide a direct route for moving goods in and out of Boston.

Community and political leaders seized the opportunity to enhance Boston's city life by providing additional parks and gardens to connect some of its oldest, most diverse, and vibrant neighborhoods.

On October 4, 2008, tens of thousands of visitors came together for the park's inaugural celebration with the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy.

Designed by Carol R. Johnson and Associates[12] and May Sun,[13] Chin Park has a large plaza, as well as a serpentine walkway edged by bamboo within bright red sculptural elements and a fountain that suggests a waterfall and shallow riverbed.

In 2011, the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy partnered with local community groups, residents, and abutters to add the plaza tables, chairs and shade umbrellas,[14] while the City of Boston renovated neighboring Mary Soo Hoo Park to the south.

[15] Located between Congress and Summer Streets along Atlantic Avenue, Dewey Square Park joins the major transportation hub of South Station to the Financial District.

The park has gardens, lawn areas, and the adjacent plaza, which was designed to draw in commuters and nearby workers and residents.

During the warmer months, the Wharf District Parks host the Greenway Open Market,[28] food vendors, concerts and fitness classes.

Large events also occur across the Wharf District Parks, such as the Boston Local Food Fest and the FIGMENT participatory art festival.

The Wharf District Parks are home to the Mothers’ Walk, a curving pathway that consists of pavers engraved with names and personal messages.

[37] They were designed by two teams of landscape architects: Boston's Crosby, Schlessinger, Smallridge LLC[38] and Seattle's Gustafson Guthrie Nichol Ltd.[37] Lawns surrounded by densely planted perimeter beds are designed to evoke a formal feel of past European style gardens with boxwood hedges enclosing an array of perennials.

A trellis and "pergola" along the eastern edge offer public seating and a vantage point that overlooks both greenspace and historic buildings.

[41]Big Dig planners debated the mix between open space and buildings on the land to be freed up by the removal of the elevated highway.

"[43] The 1991 environmental certificate for the project adopted this idea, mandating that not more than 25% of the surface could be developed, with the rest maintained as public open space.

"[42] The 2001 Central Artery Corridor Master Plan[46] followed the 1991 mandate by designating specific parcels for open space or for development.

[51] Big Dig plans called for the creation of a pair of one-way surface roads extending the length of the Greenway, to handle local traffic.

A permanent installation, Harbor Fog,[95][96] by Boston artist Ross Miller, is located in the Wharf District Parks.

Annually, PAN recognizes the best 50 new public art installations and has recognized Os Gemeos, “The Giant of Boston” (2012); Shinique Smith, “Seven Moon Junction” (2014); Kyu Seok Oh, “Wandering Sheep” (2015); Matthew Hoffman, “MAY THIS NEVER END” (2016); Mehdi Ghadyanloo, “Spaces Of Hope” (2017); Meredith James, “Far from this setting in which I now find myself” (2017); and Mark Reigelman, “The Meeting House” (2017); and Anne Lilly, "Temple of Mnemon" (2018).

A series of temporary murals are rotated each fall on the 70' x 76' wall of the air intake structure overlooking Dewey Square Park.

In 2012, Brazilian twin brothers Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo (Os Gêmeos) painted a mural on the wall, in conjunction with their first solo exhibition in the United States at Boston's Institute of Contemporary Art.

[110][111][112][113] For the first time in 2017, The Greenway curated a year-long site-specific series of Public Art installations throughout our parks entitled Playful Perspectives.

Works of artwork included Mark Reigelman's Meeting House, Meredith James' Far from this setting in which I now find myself, Aakash Nihalani's Balancing Acts I/II and Chris Templeman's Make and Take 3D printing Rooster Machine.

In 2018 The Greenway installed GLOW, a public exhibition of commissioned light-based artworks, historically significant Massachusetts light based roadside architecture, and interactive experiences that showcases the rapidly evolving concept of light and art, helping to shape our sense of place, and our collective and individual identities.

Artworks included Erwin Wurm's UFO, Computer Generated Graphics (CGI) by Chris Labrooy, No Direction by Julie Libersat, and OPERANT (An Oldowonk Cataract) by Karl Unnasch.

Annually ~100 free fitness classes are held through the Greenway, including yoga, cardio dance, strength and conditioning circuits, and parkour workouts.

[132] The Conservancy has planted a series of new garden spaces, including a wildflower meadow, to create a "pollinator ribbon" to attract and support beneficial insects.