Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Tucked away behind the MFA, it'd be easy to miss the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and that would be a shame. Housed in the former home of its namesake, the museum is a gorgeous sprawl of lush courtyards surrounded by works of art becoming of such a beautiful home. You won't find tons of big names here (although the huge John Singer Sargent painting alone is worth the visit), but what you will find is a lovely collection worth spending an hour or so visiting. Perfect for a sunny afternoon when you can just sit and admire the beauty around you. more

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is like visiting some art-loving person's crowded, huge house that happens to have a big garden inside. In fact that's what you're visiting, and it is really cool. You can go through the whole thing in an hour, but give yourself more time to relax by the courtyard and pause to talk to the employees. The security guards here seem to love working here and are full of trivia, especially about the famous art heist in the early 90s (the spaces on the wall where those pieces hung are still empty - very creepy). Fabulous outdoor gardens in warmer weather. Try to come when it's less crowded - there's a lot to look at in rather small spaces, and the whole place feels holy. more

House museums are my absolute favorite type of museum. An Italian courtyard in the middle of Boston -- who couldn't love that. They occasionally have concerts here, and they have a lovely gift shop (not sure about a cafeteria). As per the terms of Gardner's will, the collection remains displayed as it always has been (this is sad, of course, since the empty frames sit where the paintings were stolen some years ago). It's unfortunate that the location on the E line is somewhat inconvenient, and parking in this area can be really challenging. This museum is a perfect way to spend an afternoon! more

The first thing that will strike you as odd is this place has practically no signage. There are no placards describing each work of art, and sometimes, it's impossible to tell who the artist was unless you're in the know. This can work in two ways. Hopefully, it allows visitors to open their minds and see the art for thsemselves rather than through someone else's interpretation and narrative. Alternatively, it could backfire, and you could be stuck with the art historian snob who won't shut up about their incredible knowledge of the work. Then, you can't just point to a placard to silence them. Either way though, this museum is top-notch. It's the perfect place to go on a daytime date and has a gorgeous garden. more

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston has an excellent collection of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings from the 19th century. This museum probably has a better quality collection of the subject matter than does the Museum of Fine Arts which is located just down the road. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is laid out in an old Victorian mansion and patrons will thoroughly enjoy walking through the many rooms. If your name is Isabella, be sure that you tell them. Your admission will be free :) more

Great museum! This is a great museum one must see when in Boston. It is smaller than the MFA but has some great collections, particularly Italian Renaissance. Visitors will probably enjoy themselves more if they do some advance research on the collections before heading to the museum as there is not a lot of signage or explanations re: the pieces at the museum. more

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is stuffed with works of art collected by Isabella Stewart Gardner. The museum was her residence in the Fenway where she displayed her collection of art. In her will, she left the building and art work as a museum with the condition that everything stay in place. The center of the building has a delightful garden that is a peaceful place to rest and relax in between viewing the art. more

I was slightly disappointed with this museum. I had heard a lot of great things about it but I found it lacking. My recommendation to make this visit worth-while is to read up on the museum and the history before you go. I found that I didn’t enjoy myself because I didn’t know what anything was about. It would help if they gave you a booklet of what everything is and why it is important. It is an extremely beautiful place though, and if you enjoy beautiful gardens you shouldn’t miss it. more

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is a museum to delight all the senses. Nestled behind the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, down the street from Fenway Park and around the corner from the world renowned Longwood Medical Area, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum offers a gateway back into time through art, furniture and collectibles. The museum is housed in Isabella Stewart Gardner's former residence and many of the pieces still remain in the same place they stood nearly a hundred years ago. Visitors delight in the beautifully cultivated indoor garden while making their way up the flights of stairs to the upper galleries. Every aspect of the building is a work of art, from the stone entryways to the carved stairway banisters to the upholstered chairs. The gallery is most notably known for a famous art heist in 1990. Thieves stole various Rembrant and Degas paintings as well as a Vermeer and Manet. The pieces have never been located and the museum has never changed their placement. Empty walls still remain in their former place. more

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is the home of Isabella Stewart Gardner, located in the Fenway of Boston, MA. She had opened up her house for the life of art and music one century back. The Gardner Museum has remained essentially unchanged since its founder's death in 1924. Unchanged but certainly not stagnant. Three floors of galleries surround a garden courtyard blooming with life in all seasons. more

I remember my first visit to this museum. I was awed by the elegance and beauty of the place. Built in to evoke a Venetian renaissance palazzo, the architecture is magnificent. The eclectic collection of artwork is stunning and represents ancient Rome, Medieval Europe, Renaissance Italy, Asia, the Islamic world and 19th-century France and America. The Gardner Café serves lunch Tuesday through Sunday. It is charming and relaxing and the food is delicious. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, a neighbor of the Museum of Art, is a must-see for any tourist or local resident seeking an out-of-the-ordinary escape. more

The building of this art museum is the primary attraction here. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is different from other art museums because of its unique housing. The building is very open and the air is fragrant and fresh because of the many exotic plants in the area. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is a must see if you are in Boston and into art. more

this is a beautiful museum a little different than the rest in that it is in an old house and has a nice roomy and homey feeling. the artwork is beautiful and you feel very connected to it since you can get so close. and it also has that cool story about the heist years ago. don't worry, they got all the pieces back! more