Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

"A historic vacation destination with deep roots and nostalgia, offering swan boat cruises, river strolls, and numerous museums."

"This is one of our favorite museums in Boston—and the country. At once intimate and unparalleled in its grandeur, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum draws on the vast art collection of its eponymous (and eccentric) founder, who had a thirst for travel, a bohemian lifestyle, and the finest of luxuries. Set within a Venetian-style palazzo, surrounding an elegant courtyard, masterpieces by the likes of Botticelli, Raphael, Titian, and John Singer Sargent share space with impressive architectural elements. Gardner herself carefully curated the collection of more than 17,000 objects, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, textiles, metalworks, ceramics, books, manuscripts, and archival material, all collected during her lifetime. A Renzo Piano–designed wing, which opened in 2012, houses a cafe and gift shop and provides interdisciplinary, multipurpose space for contemporary artists, musicians, and scholars to work and share their creations." - Elizabeth Wellington, Andrew Sessa

"This is one of our favorite museums in Boston—and the country. At once intimate and unparalleled in its grandeur, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum draws on the vast art collection of its eponymous (and eccentric) founder, who had a thirst for travel, a bohemian lifestyle, and the fine luxuries of ancient cultures. Set within a Venetian-style palazzo, surrounding an elegant courtyard, masterpieces by the likes of Botticelli, Raphael, Titian, and John Singer Sargent share space with impressive architectural elements. Stewart Gardner herself delicately arranged the collection of more than 7,500 fine and decorative art objects, 2,700 books and manuscripts, and over 8,000 historic objects from around the world, including sculptures, furniture, textiles, metalworks, and ceramics, that she collected during her lifetime. A Renzo Piano–designed wing opened in 2012, and provides interdisciplinary, multipurpose space for contemporary artists, musicians and scholars." - Paul Rubio, Todd Plummer

"This museum made headlines on March 18, 1990, when two thieves wearing police uniforms were let into the museum and stole 13 works of art in fewer than two hours. The heist still remains unsolved with the empty frames serving as a grim reminder of the theft. Nevertheless, the museum is a Boston must-see if even just for its amazing architecture. Set in Gardner’s Venetian palazzo with a lush, flower-filled interior courtyard and gardens surrounding it, the museum displays Gardner’s 15,000-plus paintings, sculptures, silver, textiles, rare books, furniture, and other objects. The striking glass-enclosed Café G, designed by Renzo Piano, serves lunch and light bites Wednesday-Monday." - MATADOR_NETWORK

"An art museum with a rich collection and a famous art heist history." - Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeare