Museums

Modeled after a 15th-century Venetian palazzo surrounding an interior courtyard garden, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum houses one of the most remarkable art collections in the world, including works by Rembrandt, Titian, Raphael, Botticelli, Degas, and Sargent. Special contemporary and historic exhibitions, America's oldest museum music program, and an artist-in-residence program enrich the permanent collection and provide ongoing inspiration for visitors. In 1990, two men posing as police officers made their way into the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and stole $300-million in artwork.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is recognized for the quality and scope of its encyclopedic collection, which includes some of the most rare and important artistic treasures in the world. With 450,000 objects, you will find breathtaking works of art, from masters of American painting to the icons of Impressionism, from exquisite Asian scrolls to Egyptian mummies, at every turn.

Over 70 exhibits feature a variety of aquatic creatures in naturalistic habitats at the New England Aquarium. Meet playful penguins, touch tide pool dwellers, watch divers feed sharks, and more.

Visit the Harvard Museum of Natural History...wander through a garden of 3,000 glass flowers-handmade by a father and son team over a fifty year period-you won't believe they're glass! Explore our halls of animals from around the world. Get face-to-face with one of the first Triceratops ever discovered. Admire a 1,642 pound amethyst geode in our gem and mineral galleries. And don't miss our 42 foot long prehistoric marine reptile!

The Nation's official memorial to John F. Kennedy, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum offers 25 dramatic exhibits, including three theaters and period settings where visitors are inspired by the stirring eloquence of John F. Kennedy, and by the grace and elegance of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. I.M. Pei's magnificent architectural achievement on ten acres of oceanfront park, guests enjoy spectacular panoramic views of Boston Harbor and the city's skyline.

Experience the Museum of Science where science comes alive with over 600 interactive exhibits that let you explore the world around you. It's all hands-on and minds-on. Don't miss the Charles Hayden Planetarium and five story Mugar Omni Theatre.