During a recent weekend trip to Boston, I reserved an entire day for the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA)…read moreand it was the best decision I could have made. If I lived in Boston, I would become a member so that I could visit at will, even if only for few hours at a time. I am particularly interested in the impressionists, and John Singer Sargent, so I kept mostly to the 2nd floor. The museum is well organized, and there are staff floating around to answer any questions (one staffer even offered some tips to reduce the glare when taking a photo of a certain painting). I had checked out of my hotel so I had baggage with me (don't we all)...MFA has a convenient bag check. I also purchased a sizeable book from the bookshop and the staff put it in a box for me to keep it from being damaged during travel. I saw one temporary exhibit that was a nicely curated mix of multimedia art, and I also enjoyed seeing some of the rooms presented in a gallery style so that I could truly appreciate modern display methods. Six hours here went by in a flash, and I will definitely be back to see more of the MFA's vast collection. p.s. The equestrian sport of polo came from Persia?? Loved this fact! I also really enjoyed the time put into the object labels and the stories they told. "The most outrageous series of ferocious daubs that any slanderer of Venice could possibly imagine," a quote from a critic describing Renoir's Grand Canal, Venice, made me snort laugh out loud!

On a weekend Sunday morning, we went to Museum of Fine Arts with some family visiting…read more We went to the European painting, American Art, and Egyptian section. The entrance was a very smooth process. If you are a member, you can purchase discounted guest passes for your visitors The main staircase reminds me of the Met Museum in New York City the grandeur. I look forward to future exhibits and checking out their special exhibits.

This is a cute concept, and since this is the reason I dropped by, I'll review this highlight…read moreinstead of the Dorchester Brewery. It is more like a collection of art around the brewery, but the signs are funny and it's interesting to note paintings that were donated vs. found in a thrift store vs. found in the garbage. It ranges from funny proportions to some truly bizarre. It's a great activity to giggle at with friends or make up fun commentary on a date. It's a fun little concept, free, and open late, so it's a funs stop in. The brewery features a full bar, arcade and board games and BBQ food as well. The owner even showed us an old cigarette dispensing machine now filled with chocolate packs. There's a lot going on and it is apparent a lot of thought and creativity went into the space. It's certainly not like a traditional "museum" but sometimes you need to see some bad art to really appreciate some good art elsewhere. You'll end up laughing at something.

Okay, so museum may not be the exact right word. This is kind of like a gallery in a brewery. I had…read moreseen an ad for this place on Instagram, and filed it away in my brain. I pulled it out of the file and went to see bad art. We walked in and the guy at the bar was very nice and pointed out the "route" of the paintings. The art was so fun--some worse than others. I really did understand what some of what the artists were thinking, and in other cases I just laughed and scratched my head It's small and we weren't there more than 20 minutes, but it was fun. Btw--it's free!!!

Everything about this museum screams as a must-see when in Boston! The collection varies in era…read morebased on sections of the home. Like most museums but I feel for this one especially, it's important to wear comfy shoes. I had seen amazing photos and videos with the courtyard collection as Isabella Stewart Gardner had a beautiful garden at the center of the building in such a unique way. It's a lovely view from the ground and even from above. It's important to make a reservation ahead of time and pick a window that has decent natural light in my opinion which makes the museum even better of a sight!!

Went on a very rainy weekday around noon. Surprisingly very busy with tours and other visitors…read more Love the layout and that it's kept in original format as she stated in her will. Of course the garden is such a highlight from all angles and levels. Kids were interested in everything! They had fun finding all the works of art on the Map and they also have a kids activity one as well. No surprise the Heist of 1990 is such a draw. Unfortunately the Dutch Room, location of the Heist, is currently under restoration. "Gardner staff are working to restore the Dutch Room so that future visitors can experience it as Isabella originally intended. This floor-to-ceiling restoration will be completed by early 2027. Electricians are upgrading the system for new and improved lighting. We'll be able to see more details, including the painted ceiling that we spent in months cleaning and stabilizing. It comes from a building in Orvieto, in central Italy. Many artists painted its 120 scenes in the 1520s." "While we will wrap up our restoration work in 2027, the room will remain incomplete until all the works of art are returned." - you are allowed to have a purse/bag. They check it when entering - you are allowed to wear a coat or use coat check - large umbrellas need to be left at entrance. Smaller ones can be on you in a a provided plastic bag but be careful not to let it swing around and hit objects - bring headphones and a charged phone to scan QR codes in each room to learn more about the art and highlights from different artists - cool old elevator access and really pretty bathrooms - some bench seating available in rooms and around courtyard (see map for available seating) - don't forget to visit the gift shop for unique gifts and they have ornaments too! Tip: use your local museum library pass Provides up to four (4) people with $5 admission per person. Children under the age of 18 are always admitted for free. Some metered parking but hard to find. Also can park at Levels P1-P3 of the Simmons School of Management Garage. MUST get ticket validated at museum

My husband and I visited ICA Boston last weekend, when we visited Boston for his birthday. We had a…read moregreat visit. We visited to see their current exhibit, "Derrick Adams: View Master," and the exhibit was great. It's the first mid-career survey of Adams's work, and it includes more than 100 artworks spanning 25 years of his career. Most of the works are never-before-exhibited works from Adams's personal collection. Making it even more special? Adams worked with the ICA to create an immersive exhibit - the way the art was displayed was unlike any other exhibit I've seen. I also enjoyed the other exhibit they had at the time, To My Best Friend, which draws from more than 50 artworks Fotene Demoulas and Tom Coté have brought into the ICA Collection. It included works by Lorna Simpson, Sarah Sze, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, and Diedrick Brackens that I really loved. There were two smaller galleries that weren't open when we visited as they set up for two exhibitions, but there was still plenty to see at the ICA Boston when we visited. Both exhibits were great. The building is incredible - with beautiful views of Boston Harbor, a great wine + coffee bar, and an exceptional gift shop. We sat outside at the wine + coffee bar and had a couple of glasses of natural wine while looking out at the harbor. We spent a little too long in their gift shop, which has great books, art items, tchotchkes, and more. I picked up a Viewfinder made for the Derrick Adams exhibit and a hat, too. We didn't have time to take advantage of this, but there's one more thing that makes ICA Boston special: ICA Watershed, a seasonal space located in the East Boston Shipyard and Marina (this year it is open until 9/7/26). Their Watershed location is accessible by a timed water shuttle; visiting it and the shuttle is free with admission to the main ICA Boston location. We had a great experience at ICA Boston. I'd love to return on a future visit to Boston.

Went for a work event and the music was absolutely DEAFENING. Please turn the sound down! I could…read morenot hear the person sitting six inches away from me, so conversation was mostly smiling, nodding, and pretending we understood each other. We would have escaped immediately, but work obligations held us hostage. I would definitely not return due to the loud music. There's no reason to have it up that high. Thankfully, once we were inside the building, the music was less overpowering and there was some good art to look at. The art gets 4/5 stars, and the staff was very friendly, so 5 stars for them. As for the Seaport itself, it's mostly ugly, towering modern buildings, chain restaurants, and exorbitant parking prices, with plenty of suburbanites and tourists milling around. Not exactly overflowing with charm.

My kids and I enjoyed the MIT museum! Lots of cool history and innovation! The museum is kept clean…read moreand staff is friendly and helpful throughout our trip. Be sure to check out the gift shop on your way out!

If you are a science nerd, then you will love this museum. If you're not much into museums, you're…read morenot going to like it a whole lot cuz there's a whole bunch of history and the evolution of science women in science, the space, race, advancement of photographic lenses all kinds of things that the MIT community has contributed to the advancement of our human kind. I loved it cuz I was geeking out. My husband not so much.

BASiCALLY ! All of…read moreyou !! visit WNDR jjj No Questions iV PS !!!!!! There is bar Maximum efficiency ! on size of bottles and quantities of love Of what ; all staff members are so much in loving Of each staff has offering very calm, friendly, less instructive, helpful in very artistic manner ! Let us go to KARAOKE ! I wanna accompanies on my trumpets on your Karaoke As well as on arts exhibitions you already have.

This was such a fun and interactive space. Admittedly, timing is a gamble game because…read moreLarge groups in front or behind you can affect your experience with moving through the exhibits. Staff we friendly. I would not recommend this place for younger children.

Harvard Art Museums is where it's at. My daughter and I spent a couple of hours here and still…read moredidn't see everything. There are so many different exhibits, from ancient pieces to modern art, plus a lot of interactive exhibits to keep things that much more interesting. We caught the Celtic Art Across the Ages exhibit and a Critical Thinking exhibit that had hands-on activities and films. It wasn't just looking at art- we actually got to interact with it which made it way more fun. What I also loved about this museum is that cost is $0 to enjoy all this. Definitely worth checking out if you're in Cambridge, Mass.

Excellently curated art museum which also happens to be free to the public! They have a wide…read morecollection of art spanning from ancient Asia and the Middle East to contemporary work. There's also a nice gift store and a little cafe with a seating area on the first floor. You will find the usual collection of European masters (there's a couple of beautiful Picasso paintings from his blue period) but they also have a wide collection of religious iconography from the middle ages as well as ancient Buddhist and Islamic art. I highly recommend allowing yourself a couple hours to leisurely browse the collection. There are also lockers to secure your valuables.

The RISD Museum in Providence is one of those places that catches you off guard with how much it…read morehas to offer, especially if you are not already familiar with it going in. I found the building spanning six floors, and the spaces were well organized throughout, giving each piece enough room to be appreciated properly without the galleries ever feeling sparse or rushed. It is the kind of museum where I could spend a couple of hours moving through it and still feel like I left things unexplored. The collection is the main reason to visit, and it covers a genuinely impressive range, from ancient artifacts and historical portraits all the way through to modern and contemporary works. The curation does a good job of making those transitions between periods feel intentional rather than disjointed, and the rotating exhibits add a reason to come back beyond what is already on permanent display. The Liz Collins exhibit drew a lot of attention during its run and was a strong example of how well the museum handles contemporary work alongside its more classical holdings. Staff were present and approachable throughout the floors, and coat lockers near the entrance were available, a small but appreciated detail on a longer visit. The building was easy to navigate even on a first trip, and the overall experience felt well managed without being overly structured. One thing worth knowing before planning a trip is that Sundays offer free admission to all visitors, which makes it an easy addition to a Providence weekend without having to think twice. Weekday visits run quieter if you prefer more space and a slower pace through the galleries. For a museum connected to an art school, it holds up as one of the stronger art museums in the region and is well worth the time.

The RISD Museum is worth a visit. I'm sharing photos of the pieces that stood out to me most. I…read morestarted in the RISD student galleries, which were full of impressive work. my favorite was a floor installation that looks like a woven rug but is actually made entirely of salt. So many pieces made you stop and think, "How did they do that?!" I visited the whole museum, but my favorites were the Costume & Textile galleries, the exhibit on kingfishers in art and poetry, the European Grand Gallery with its oil paintings and the 18th/19th‑century American rooms in Pendleton House. I also loved how the museum's architecture fits together like a puzzle across several older buildings and street entrances. That was a surprising add-on to the visit. Extra tip: street parking is nearly impossible. Check their website for the free weekend parking lots (within walking distance) they make the visit much easier.

Wonderful free, one-hour museum staffed by friendly students. A different exhibition each semester…read moreand a very small permanent collection. Unfortunately it's closed between exhibitions so check that it will be open. And free parking! Also a short walk from the BC stop on the Green Line.

An oft-neglected little free gem of BC. I believe they have one exhibition per semester. It's…read morelocated behind the admissions office in Devlin Hall If you go during the week, during the day, don't be put off by the mobs of prospective students/families and current students flooding in/out of class. Once you get past the crowds, you're free to retreat in the quiet, intimate, two floor displays. The guards are very sweet and knowledgeable and will often talk to you about what they know. You can probably leisurely soak in the entire exhibit in a hour or two, which makes for a lovely weekend afternoon outing (or fantastic break from outrageous thesis researching). There have never been more than a handful of people in there when I've visited during the week, and I doubt the weekends are any busier. Last semester there was a Jackson Pollock/Herbert Matter exhibit, and currently the exhibit is Jewish mosaics from the Roman Empire.

History is fun and it's been roughly 30 years or so since I've last visited The Paul Revere House,…read moreso when me and my wife had a few hours in Boston after a red eye flight, we figured this was an easy little walk through for us to earn a new magnet from. We showed up here around noon on a Saturday and they had a pretty good sized crowd waiting to go in. We spent maybe ten minutes in line before paying are (what I think) was $5 or $6 entry and making our way into the legendary home. Don't get me wrong, I don't come to places like this because it's loads of fun, but it is super cool to see history up close and personal and see what a home looked like many years ago when this country was being founded. We spent maybe ten to fifteen minutes checking out the rooms and pieces that were on display before making the way to the gift shop, purchasing our magnet, and being in our way. Overall, The Paul Revere house is a quick and educational stop that I highly recommended to anyone coming through the beautiful city of Boston. It may not be fun for the kids, but it's still cool to be somewhere that helped shape the USA.

Nice to have this house preserved, but tickets are 6 dollars and it probably should be free since…read moreit is so small. It is just two rooms and a small gift shop, and we were in and out pretty quickly. The girl working was not the friendliest, which took away from the experience a bit. They also do not allow photography, which is understandable, but barely anything was original so not sure the significance.