Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Other Ideas: MIT Museum; Boston Children's Museum; Museum of Science, Boston; Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art; Discovery Museum
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is at once an intimate collection of fine and decorative art and a vibrant, innovative venue for contemporary artists, musicians and scholars.
Housed in a stunning 15th-century Venetian-style palace with three stories of galleries surrounding a sun- and flower-filled courtyard, the Museum provides an unusual backdrop for the viewing of art.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum's preeminent collection contains more than 2,500 paintings, sculptures, tapestries, furniture, manuscripts, rare books and decorative arts.
View our Photo Guide for a sneak peek of what you can expect on your visit.
The galleries house works by some of the most recognized artists in the world, including Titian, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, Manet, Degas, Whistler and Sargent.
The spirit of the architecture, the personal character of the arrangements and the artistic display of the enchanting courtyard in full bloom all create an atmosphere that distinguishes the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum as an intimate and culturally-rich treasure.
Current Exhibits - View Current and Upcoming Exhibitions here.
The beautiful indoor courtyard garden that blooms year round is a wonderful treat with stone paths and little benches where you may rest. Family Programs are available for children over five.
The Gardner Museum also features temporary art exhibits. Some recent favorites that are worth a second look include:
Past Exhibits Worth Revisiting
Titian Poesies: Women, Myth & Power - The Titian is back at the Gardner Museum after a massive restoration bringing is back to its original splendor; and all six of Titian's poesie paintings are together for the first time in 440 years! View this special exhibit at eye level. (2021)
Beyond Words: Italian Renaissance Books -
In 2016, The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is showcased some of the city's most stunning, oldest printed books originally created by master artists for scholars, princes, and popes with their exhibition entitled Beyond Words: Italian Renaissance Books.
View Events Calendar
Family Visits
CHILDREN ARE FREE AT ALL TIMES
There is no admission charge for children under 18. Sunday Concerts are appropriate for children 7 and up. Small children should be supervised by their parents at all times.
SINGLE STROLLERS ARE ALLOWED IN THE GALLERIES
You are welcome to bring single strollers into the galleries; however, we ask that you leave tandem or double strollers at the coat check. The Museum offers strollers to borrow on a first come, first served basis. Museum strollers can be picked up from the coat check.
SPECIAL MATERIALS FOR FAMILIES
Family guides for suggestions on fun ways to explore the Museum with children are available free of charge at the information area in the Living Room. Sketching materials are provided free of charge near the Courtyard, just outside the Macknight Room.
History of the Museum:
Designed in the style of a 15th century Venetian palace, Fenway Court was built around the turn of the century to house a fine private collection of Italian Renaissance and old masters' artwork. This private collection is now open to the public.
Isabella Stewart Gardner first welcomed visitors to her museum on New Year's Day, 1903. On that evening guests listened to the music of Bach, Mozart, and Schumann, gazed in wonder at the courtyard full of flowers, and viewed one of the nation's finest collections of art.
Today, visitors experience much the same thing. The Gardner Museum has remained essentially unchanged since its founder's death in 1924.
Three floors of galleries surround a garden courtyard blooming with life in all seasons. The galleries are filled with paintings, sculpture, tapestries, furniture, and decorative arts from cultures spanning thirty centuries.
Find lots more ideas on fun things to do with kids in Boston.
There are many interesting museums to visit in Boston - peruse our Boston Museums guide to find out which one you should visit next.
For more ideas on places to visit in Boston, our Things to do in Boston guide is a great place to start! We've compiled some of our favorite spots for you right here.
The Boston area is known for all kinds of weather, so visiting a museum is one of many fun things to do on a Boston rainy day.
HOURS | ↑ top |
Open Wednesday through Monday, 11:00am -5:00pm and until 9:00pm on Thursday
Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day
COST | ↑ top |
Adults: $20
Seniors 65 and up: $18
Students: $13
Free for kids under 18, people named Isabella, and if it's your birthday
*Insider tip: Get $2 off admission if you are wearing Red Sox apparel of any kind
WEBSITE | ↑ top |
LOCATION | ↑ top |
25 Evans Way, Boston, MA map
Phone: 617-566-1401
Get Directions
Parking:
Paid parking is available at the Museum of Fine Arts garage or lot on Museum Road, two blocks from the Gardner. Metered street parking is also available.
Public Transportation:
Take the Huntington Avenue no. 39 bus or the Green Line E-train to the Museum stop. Cross Huntington Avenue (toward the Texaco Gas Station) to Louis Prang Street. Walk down Louis Prang Street for two blocks. The Museum is on the left.
TIPS | ↑ top |
- Hanging Nasturtiums - Did you miss last year's display? Don't worry! The 20-foot-long cascades of bright orange blossoms come back again every April.
- Chrysanthemum Courtyard - from late September to early November, dozens of varieties of enchanting heirloom chrysanthemums make their appearance in the Gardner’s Courtyard.
- Oh, You Red Sox! - Isabella Gardner was an avid Red Sox fan and season ticket holder. Throughout the year, visitors to the Gardner Museum wearing Red Sox paraphernalia also receive a special $2 off admission. Visitors can also learn more about Isabella Gardner’s Red Sox connections in an archival information binder in the Living Room on the first floor of the new wing.
RELATED LINKS | ↑ top |
- Profiles
- Localities
- Events
- Manet: A Model Family Exhibit at the Isabella Stew..., 10/10/24-1/20/25
- Paris in Ruins: Love, War, and the Birth of Impres..., 12/12/24-12/12/24
Info changes frequently. We cannot warrant it. Verify with Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum before making the trek. If you find an error, please report it...