Boston Museums and Art Galleries

(Boston, Massachusetts - MA, USA)

The museums of Boston range from American to European, local to national, and surprisingly include the greatest collection of Monet paintings outside of Paris. Both the Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner museums are amongst the best-known and most popular in Boston.

Families will love the Children's Museum and its various fun spaces, which include the Art Studio, the Construction Zone, the Gallery, the Japanese House, Peep's World, the Playlab and the Science Playground, amongst many others. Also of note in Boston is the Museum of Science, with its Mugar Omni Theater, drawing crowds of all ages. The South End and Brookline areas boast an especially diverse range of galleries, some of which showcase the regions up-and-coming artists. Many of these cultural attractions also come with special interactive displays and educational programs, and offer discounts for tourists and students.

MIT Museum

Address: 265 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, 02139, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (617) 253 5927
Discover the fascinating world of science and technology with many interesting exhibits, including 'Holography: The Light Fantastic', 'Robots and Beyond: Exploring Artificial Intelligence at MIT' and 'Thinkapalooza'. This award-winning attraction celebrates a host of scientific achievements and attracts around 100,000 visitors each year.
Open hours: daily - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for children, students and seniors, children five years old and under are free, free on Sundays between 10:00 and noon

Gibson House Museum

Address: 137 Beacon Street, Boston, 02116, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (617) 267 6338
Gibson House is one of the first Back Bay residences, built in the mid-19th century and full of original Victorian features. It remains as an unspoiled residence of the wealthy Victorian Gibson family and many of the formal rooms are still filled with original furniture and personal possessions. This private, non profit-making house is a favorite film location. Guided tours are available.
Nearest subway station: Arlington Street - Green Line
Open hours: Wednesday to Sunday by guided tour - 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for children, students and seniors

Children's Museum

Address: 308 Congress Street, Boston, 02210, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (617) 426 6500
This fun museum is certainly not just for children! Hands-on and interactive exhibits creatively demonstrate many things, including scientific laws and the human body. Popular features include bubble-making machinery, a two-story climbing sculpture and 'Boats Afloat', where children can build a wooden boat and float it down a ten-meter channel. There is a safe toddler zone for under threes and a parent resource room, as well as a shop full of children's books and gifts.
Nearest subway station: South Station
Open hours: Sunday to Thursday, Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Friday - 10:00 to 21:00; Members only hours, Saturday and Sunday - 09:00 to 10:00
Admission: charge, children under one year old and members are free, discount available Friday between 17:00 and 21:00, discount available Saturday to Thursday from 16:00 to closing time

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Address: 280 Fenway, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (617) 566 1401
This Venetian palace in situated right in the middle of Boston and is one of the most popular museums in the city. Isabella Gardner's home is now a museum displaying her eclectic and impressive collection of American, European and Asian art, featuring pieces by Rembrandt, Botticelli, Raphael, Titian and Matisse. This includes paintings, sculpture, ceramics, textiles and an interesting collection of furniture. Visitors to the museum are also allowed access to the spectacular courtyard, which is full of plants and flowers.
Open hours: Tuesday to Sunday - 11:00 to 17:00, 3rd Thursday of the month - 10:00 to 20:00; last admittance - 16:20
Admission: charge, discounts available for students and seniors, members and children under 18 years old with a parent / guardian are free

John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library and Museum

Address: Columbia Point, Boston, 02125, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (617) 514 1600
The enormous museum and library are dedicated to the memory of John F. Kennedy, the nation's 35th president and 'to all those who through the art of politics seek a new and better world'. Featuring many exhibits, historic JFK papers, photographs, video presentations and three theaters, the museum includes a full-scale replica of the president's Resolute desk, originally presented as a gift to President Hayes by Queen Victoria. Set within a 9.5-acre / 4-hectare park, fully landscaped with pine trees, shrubs and roses, the site also features mockups of the 1960 Democratic convention floor and a recreation of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy's office at the Justice Department.
Open hours: daily - 09:00 to 17:00; last introductory film - 15:55; Research Room, Monday to Friday by appointment only - 8:30 to 16:30
Admission: charge, discounts available for children, students and seniors, children 12 years old and under are free

Museum of Fine Arts

Address: 465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, 02115, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (617) 267 9300
This large, traditional art gallery is Boston's oldest, largest and best-known art institution. It is home to around 200 galleries of paintings and sculptures, housing one of the world's most comprehensive art collections. The most famous works are by artists Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso and Rembrandt, amongst others. Permanent and rotating exhibits include jewelry from the 18th century and other fine works of art. The Museum of Fine Arts is renowned for its Impressionist paintings, Asian and Egyptian collections and early American art.
Open hours: Monday, Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday - 10:00 to 16:45; Wednesday to Friday - 10:00 to 21:45
Admission: charge, discounts available for children, students and seniors, members and children five years old and under are free

Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

Address: Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, 02138, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (617) 496 1027
Ranking as the leading world cultures museum in the whole of Massachusetts, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology stands close by, in the neighboring university city of Cambridge. With regularly changing displays, the main exhibits here offer information about a number of different topics, such as the Plains Indian wars, the Pacific's island cultures and the native communities of the American Southwest. Currently there are some 3,000 items and artifacts on display, representing just a tiny percentage of its overall collection, which numbers more than six million objects, relating to North America, as well as ancient Mesoamerica, Oceania and also Africa.
Open hours: daily - 09:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for children, students and seniors, members and children two years old and under are free

Museum of Science

Address: 1 Science Park, Boston, 02114, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (617) 723 2500
This enormous science center features interactive exhibits on natural history, astronomy, medicine and physical science. With hundreds of hands-on displays there is something exciting for everyone, whether you spend a couple of hours or the whole day. Exhibits including touching lizards, watching chickens hatching, seeing lightning being created and an IMAX theater with star gazing and laser shows. This attraction is a must for all ages and you will be sure to learn something new about science and technology.
Open hours: Saturday to Thursday - 09:00 to 17:00, Friday - 09:00 to 21:00; summer hours (July 5 to Labor Day), Saturday to Thursday - 09:00 to 19:00, Friday - 09:00 to 21:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for children, seniors and members, Exhibit Halls are free for members

Sports Museum of New England

Address: 100 Legends Way, Boston, 02114, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (617) 624 1235
This museum highlights New England's athletes and teams through exciting video footage, memorabilia and many interactive exhibits. This is a fun museum for the entire family.
Open hours: daily - 10:00 to 16:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for children and seniors, library members and children nine years old and under are free

Harvard University Art Museums

Address: 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, 02138, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (617) 495 9400
These three museums - Fogg Art Museum, Busch-Reisinger Museum and Arthur M. Sackler Museum - house over 150,000 works of art from all over the world, both present and past. This is one of the world's leading art institutions and the Fogg Art Museum also houses the Straus Center for Conservation, which is renowned for its research and development of scientific and technology-based analysis of art.
Open hours: daily - 10:00 to 16:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for children and seniors, children under ten years old and library members are free

Cahoon Museum of American Art

Address: 4676 Falmouth Road, Cotuit, 02635 , MA, USA
Tel: +1 (508) 428 7581
Named after Ralph Cahoon, an American contemporary primitive painter, this museum is located in the house and studio where he lived and worked. This Georgian colonial-style home was built in 1775 and contains many wonderful, permanent art collections, including the paintings of Ralph and Martha Cahoon. The museum also hosts several special exhibitions each year.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 16:00, Sunday - 13:00 to 16:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for students and seniors, children under 12 years old and members are free

Cape Cod Museum of Natural History

Address: 869 Main Street / Route 6A, Brewster, 02631, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (508) 896 3867
With two floors of exhibits, including aquariums and displays about whales, birds, snakes and the many indigenous plants and animals in Cape Cod, this museum also features three nature trails - woodland, salt marsh and bay shore. They also offer canoe trips, seal cruises and many education summer workshops for children.
Open hours: January - special programs only; February to March, Thursday to Sunday - 11:00 to 15:00; April to May and October to December, Wednesday to Sunday - 11:00 to 15:00; June to September, daily - 09:30 to 16:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for children and seniors, children three years old and under are free

Commonwealth Museum and Massachusetts Archives

Address: 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, 02125, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (617) 727 9268
This museum features changing and permanent exhibitions, which concentrate on the wealth of Massachusetts history.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 09:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Longfellow House National Historic Site

Address: 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, 02138, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (617) 876 4491
Now displaying art work from around the world, Longfellow House was George Washington's headquarters from 1775 to 1776 and also Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's home from 1837 to 1882.
Open hours: April to October by guided tour only, Wednesday to Sunday - 10:00 to 16:30; grounds, daily - dawn to dusk
Admission: charge, children under 15 years old are free, grounds are free

Harvard Museum of Natural History

Address: 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, 02138, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (617) 495 3045
The museum of natural history also features the Botanical Museum, the Museum of Comparative Zoology, and the Mineralogical and Geological Museum. Exhibits cover a wide range of interesting animals and plant collections.
Open hours: daily - 09:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discount available for children, students and seniors, children under 3 years old and members are free

The Jackson Homestead

Address: 527 Washington Street, Newton, 02458, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (617) 796 1450
This 1809 Federal-style farmhouse is now a nationally accredited museum, which offers exhibitions and displays on topics of New England's history, including the underground railway.
Open hours: Tuesday to Friday - 11:00 to 17:00, Saturday and Sunday - 12:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discount available for children, seniors and Newton residents

Museum of Afro-American History

Address: 46 Joy Street, Beacon Hill, Boston, 02108, MA, USA
Tel: 1 (617) 725 0022
This museum is part of the Black Heritage Trail and aims to impart knowledge to its visitors of the contributions of African Americans during the time of colonial New England. Many historical artifacts and exhibits are displayed - and the Abel Smith School and African Meeting House are part of the complex.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 10:00 to 16:00
Admission: charge, discount available for children and seniors, children under 12 years old and members are free

Institute of Contemporary Art

Address: 100 Northern Avenue, Boston, 02210, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (617) 478 3100
This well-known art gallery exhibits contemporary and sometimes controversial art, both of a national and international nature. As well as paintings, sculptures and visual art, expect to also find music themes, video presentations and various interpretive programs.
Open hours: Tuesday and Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday - 10:00 to 17:00; Thursday and Friday - 10:00 to 21:00
Admission: charge, discount available for students and seniors, children under 17 years old and members are free

Saugus Ironworks National Historic Site

Address: 244 Central Street, Saugus, Boston, 1906, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (781) 233 0050
With working waterwheels on site, the ironworks here were the first integrated ironworks in North America and were used from 1646 to 1668. This is an archeological site and the ironworks have been reconstructed.
Open hours: April to October, daily - 09:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Grand Circle Gallery

Address: 347 Congress Street, Boston, 02210, MA, USA
Tel: +1 (800) 959 0405
Opened in July 2010, the Grand Circle Gallery exhibits vintage travel posters and photography.
Open hours: Wednesday and Friday - 11:00 to 14:00, Thursday - 11:00 to 19:00, Saturday - 11:00 to 15:00
Admission: free