Every September, Boston’s South End transforms into a living gallery when the annual South End Open Studios invites the public into artists’ private workspaces. For two days, on September 20 and 21, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the neighborhood becomes a creative playground where visitors can wander through historic brick buildings, step into studios usually hidden from view, and encounter the pulse of the city’s artistic community at the following South End locations.
BCA Studios (551 Tremont Street) — find spacious studios and gallery-style exhibitions.
46 Waltham Street — one of the key locations for the studios open to the public.
Wareham Street — home to many artists whose studios open this weekend.
450 Harrison Avenue — includes many artist studios; it’s a lively hub during the Open Studios weekend.
The experience is unlike strolling through a museum. Here, you meet the artists themselves. Painters, photographers, sculptors, printmakers, and textile designers open their doors not just to display finished works, but to share sketches, works in progress, and the stories behind their process. It is intimate, unpolished, and authentic—an invitation to glimpse the raw side of creativity.
The South End itself adds to the charm. Studios are spread across several iconic addresses, including 450 Harrison Avenue, 46 Waltham Street, Wareham Street, and the Boston Center for the Arts on Tremont. Each building has its own character: some are lofty and industrial, others intimate and filled with natural light. Wandering between them is part of the adventure. You might begin with paintings in one studio, then turn a corner to find experimental mixed media or sculptural works that completely shift your perspective.
What makes the event so compelling is the sense of discovery. The weekend is free and open to all, designed to be as inclusive as the art itself. For travelers, it’s a way to experience Boston beyond the landmarks—this is a chance to walk through a thriving neighborhood and witness its cultural DNA in action. It’s not just art on walls, but conversations with the makers, the textures of their studios, and the feeling of being part of a community that has sustained creativity for more than half a century.
For our guests staying nearby at Clarendon Square Inn, the event blends seamlessly with the pleasures of the South End. Between studios, there are boutique shops, cafés, and some of Boston’s most celebrated restaurants, making it easy to turn a day of art into an art-and-dine experience. Comfortable shoes are recommended, as you’ll spend hours moving between studios, and bringing a notebook or camera is wise—many visitors find themselves inspired in unexpected ways.
It is the city not as a postcard, but as a conversation, a canvas, a community. For travelers seeking more than sightseeing, this is a weekend that lingers long after you leave, a memory stitched together by the artists who welcomed you into their world. For more information please visit useaboston.com
BONUS TIP: Check out the nearby SoWa Open Market for farmer’s market, food trucks, , art, and more. Weekends through October. sowaboston.com