experience

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

In some parts of Boston, you don’t have to travel far to feel like you’re in Europe. A visit to Beacon Hill is an immersion into a 19th-century English-inspired neighborhood, while Back Bay’s brownstones have a 19th-century French design. And, then there’s an impressive Venetian-inspired palace in the Back Bay Fens area…the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The unconventional socialite and formidable diva, Isabella Stewart Gardner, traveled all over the world and amassed a huge, valuable art collection. She and her husband Jack decided to open a museum to display Isabella’s coveted treasures. Jack’s sudden death in 1898 left Isabella to carry on the project herself. The architect, William Sears, was exasperated by Isabella’s numerous demands to revise his design plans. And, “Mrs. Jack”, as she was called, kept a watchful eye over the laborers who seemed to be in constant rebuild mode until meticulous details were perfected to Isabella’s liking. The building was never Isabella’s house, although she did have a small apartment on the 4th floor. Isabella was determined to share her love of art with Bostonians in an ambiance reminiscent of Venice. Finally, on February 23, 1903, her dream became a reality. The grand Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum opened to the public. The moment you step inside you’re embraced by its Venetian ambiance, three stories of galleries housing priceless works of art and carefully curated horticulture. The stunning interior courtyard’s pale pink stucco walls were inspired by exterior facades from buildings in Venice, giving it a quirky, yet elegant “inside out” look. For a brief moment in time, it’s easy to forget you’re actually in Boston… ￭ Visit the museum as soon as it opens @ 11 am to avoid crowds, especially on weekends. Or, plan to visit a few hours before closing time. As darkness descends upon the courtyard, the lights in the galleries add a beautiful glow behind the nasturtiums. The museum is closed on Tuesdays so the amazing horticulture staff can tend to the potted flowers and plants.

experience

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

"Evocative of a 15th-century Venetian palace, this museum houses a world-class art collection."

experience

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

- This gem of a building is right in the middle of the Fenway neighborhood. The museum was the home of a wealthy art collector and there’s a giant picturesque garden/atrium in the center. The building itself is worth a visit, but the museum itself is the site of the largest unsolved art heist in modern history. Among the missing pieces are two Rembrandts. Isabella Stewart Gardner’s wish when she died was for everything to remain exactly how she left it, so the frames of the missing art pieces remain empty to this day, creating a haunting atmosphere. Bonus: if your name is Isabella, you get in for free!

experience

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

The Museum of Fine Art tends to steal the spotlight when it comes to cultural attractions in the city, but I’d argue that the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is just as good for Instagram photos. The courtyard is simply stunning—it feels like you’ve stepped into another world. There are gorgeous flowers everywhere, as well as beautiful tiled walls that are sure to rack up likes in your Instagram feed. Fun fact: You can get into the museum for free if your name is Isabella!