Museums and galleries in Boston

47 museums and galleries in Boston, from the big collections to small independent spaces.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first. Showing the top 40 of 47.

BuyCharlestown
Artist Group of Charlestown
The AGC was started in 2002 and has become a staple of the Charlestown art scene ever since. There are many different types of art offered in this gallery. In addition to the group selling its own art, artists from the community who aren't members can display their art. Anything from watercolor paintings to sculptures to photography is on sale at the exhibits. In the spring and summer there is an outdoor festival held at City Square.
BuyEast Boston
Atlantic Works Gallery
The art scene in East Boston has exploded over the years with the redevelopment of the East Boston Artists Group's Atlantic Works Art Gallery. Here you can drop in, view art at the dozens of studios artists keep in the historic building and, of course, purchase something for your wall.
Sat Sun 1PM-5PM
DoSouth End
Boston Center for the Arts
This non-profit coordinates multiple spaces in the South End, and is dedicated to hosting original events alongside visual and performing arts. Supports working artists by connecting them to the community, and patrons of the arts. Check the calendar daily for new performances, gallery openings, open studios, and more. The BCA has used the historic Cyclorama as its principal building since its inception in 1970. The city of Boston funded redevelopment costs in an effort to revitalize the South End area and the art scene.
Times and locations vary$0-50
SeeSouth Boston
Boston Children's Museum
Look for the iconic milk bottle out front. The Children's Museum is the best place in the city to go with kids ranging from newborn to about 9. Featuring many interactive exhibits designed for kids, as well as the Kyoto House—a real traditional Japanese home moved from Japan to Boston. Kids love the three story climbing structure, it allows them to move around without using the boring elevator or stairs. The museum also supports fitness and environmental sustainability programs, and they even have a green roof! Definitely worthwhile if you're bringing the kids with you to Boston.
Sat-Thu 10AM-5PM, Fri 10AM-9PM$16
DoSouth Boston
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
Fantastically enormous indoor space holding showcases, expos, and other conventions all year long. Hosts everything from mega productions like PAX East, Boston Tattoo Convention, and Anime Boston. To smaller, quirkier events like Berklee Jazz Festival and the Harvard Model UN opening ceremonies.
DoDowntown
Boston Duck Tours
An institution in their own right, these modified World War II DUKWs give a great, breezy, 80-minute tour of the city by land and sea, all in the same vehicle. One of the most famous, or at least most visible, tours in Boston. Visitors will sing songs, quack like a duck, and irritate passing Bostonians going about their business. It doesn't get any more touristy than this. Tours also depart from the Prudential Center and the Museum of Science.
Mar-Nov 9AM-sunset$40 adult, $33 seniors, $27 kids 3-11, $11 infants & toddlers. Add $2 per ticket if you book online and $4 if you book over the phone
SeeSouth Boston
Boston Fire Museum
The history of firefighting in Boston on display. Mostly artifacts from the 20th century, but a few items are much older. Only open on Saturdays, this museum is often overlooked, so you're likely to receive more of a personal tour from the staff. They're not burned out from saying the same thing over and over.
Sat 10AM-4PMFree, donations appreciated
DrinkDorchester
Boston Harbor Distillery Tour & Tasting
Tours and tastings every Saturday at the Boston Harbor Distillery. An old manufacturing warehouse has been tastefully updated into a wonderful rustic waterfront drinking environment. See and learn how these spirits are made. Spirits include Putnam New England Rye Whiskey, Lawley's New England Spirit, Seymour's Local Roast Coffee Liqueur, Seymour's Boston Cream Liqueur, and the Spirit of Boston Samuel Adams collaborations. Tours run every half hour and include drink tastings at the bar. Distillery also has an exhibit on display of an old Boston map collection in the back gallery. Merchandise, cigars, and spirits can be purchased in the store. Parking is plentiful.
Sat 1PM–7PM$10.00
DoSouth Boston
Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
Listen to colonial music while you climb aboard 18th-century ships afloat in Boston Harbor. Once aboard historical re-enactors teach you about the original tea party, and let you "toss the tea into the sea". These interactive participatory tours last about an hour. Be prepared to wait to get into this very popular and widely regarded tourist attraction.
April 1-Oct-31ː 10AM-5PM daily. Nov 1-Mar 31: 10AM-4PM daily$29.95 adult, $21.95 child
SeeCharlestown
Bunker Hill Monument
For the history buffs in the family there is the Bunker Hill Monument. Even for those who are unfamiliar with history that dates back to 1775 will enjoy the history lesson given on the site of this revolutionary war landmark. Climbing to the top of the monument is free, but during the months of April, May, and June, a pass must first be obtained from the nearby Bunker Hill Museum, which are issued on a first-come, first-served basis.
Mid-Mar to Nov: 9AM-5PM daily; Dec to mid-Mar: Mon-Fri 1PM-5PM, Sat-Sun 9AM-5PMFree
SeeCharlestown
Charlestown Navy Yard
Boston Navy Yard
Another Historical landmark are the grounds of the Charlestown Navy Yard, which was established over 200 years ago. The navy yard is located in the Boston National Historical Park, and from here you can access a visitors center, museum, and of course the USS Constitution and the Cassin Young.
24 hours dailyFree
SeeDorchester
Commonwealth Museum
Massachusetts Archives
Operated by the Massachusetts Archives, this often overlooked museum takes musty old documents and brings them to life. Several exhibits showcase the State's own copies of the Declaration of Independence & Bill of Rights, the original Mass Bay Colony charter from 1629, and of course the requisite ephemera from Paul Revere and John Hancock. This place is not on a lot of to-do lists, but it's definitely worth stopping in if you're doing the JFK Museum already.
Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM; 9AM-3PM Memorial Day-Labor DayFree
SeeDowntown
Faneuil Hall
The Cradle of Liberty
It was built in 1742 as a market building adjacent to a busy waterfront dock. Town meetings held here between 1764 and 1774 heard Samuel Adams and others lead cries of protest against the imposition of taxes on the American colonies. The building was enlarged in 1806. Social justice leaders like Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Lucy Stone brought their struggles for freedom here in the 19th century. A museum and gift shop dominate the first floor. Most people pronounce it with two syllables like "FAN-yull", while a minority prefer the three syllable "fan-YOU-ull" pronunciation. You'll be fine as long as you don't say anything crazy like "fa-KNEW-lee".
9AM-5PM dailyFree
SeeBack Bay-Beacon Hill
Gibson House Museum
The Gibson House was one of the first to be built in Back Bay, and has an unparalleled state of preservation that includes wallpaper, textiles, furnishings, and family artifacts and collections. A nice reminder that no matter how rich you were in 1860, you couldn't buy air conditioning!
Wed-Sun 1-3PM$9, students and seniors $6, kids $3. Cash only
DoDorchester
HallSpace
A contemporary art gallery exhibiting work by both emerging artists and established but under-recognized artists. View the website to see the current exhibition.
Fri–Sat noon–5PMFree
SeeSouth Boston
Institute of Contemporary Art
ICA
Formerly located in a cramped and tiny building next to a firehouse in the Back Bay, the ICA moved to its new home in 2006. The modernist building is the first new art museum to be built in Boston in over 100 years, and allowed the ICA to launch its first permanent collection. The permanent collection is small, but there are always temporary exhibitions taking place with works from up-and-coming artists. The Water Cafe in the building features food by Wolfgang Puck Catering.
Tue Wed Sat Sun 10AM-5PM, Thu Fri 10AM-9PM$15 general, $13 seniors, $10 students, under 17 free
SeeFenway-Kenmore
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Not your typical museum experience. Modeled after a 15th-century Venetian palazzo, the museum displays Mrs. Gardner's evocative home as it was when she lived here. She collected many masterworks, unappreciated at the time, and displayed them in a most unconventional manner. The juxtaposition of artworks from different cultures and time periods still delights visitors today. While the museum contains works by famous artists like Rembrandt and Velazquez, the main attraction is not in any particular work, but in how each room is laid out: not only the paintings and tapestries, but also the furniture and architecture in every corner of the building are valuable works of art. Gardner's will stipulates the works of art must remain in her original arrangement. This is the reason one wall remains blank, after an unbelievable art heist in early 1990. Thirteen pieces were stolen, valued at over $500 million dollars; the works of art remain missing to this day.
Wed-Mon 11AM-5PM$20 adult, $18 senior, $13 student
SeeDorchester
JFK Presidential Library and Museum
The JFK Presidential Library and Museum opened in 1979, designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei who called it "the most important commission in my life". Visitors walk through exhibits in roughly chronological order. Starting with Kennedy on the campaign trail, and moving through the Cuban missile crisis, the space race, and civil rights issues. A dark claustrophobic hallway shows the events on the day of his assassination, before delivering you to a massive glass atrium of light and air. It's really quite moving. A more than worthwhile visit for those with an appreciation of American history, the museum can be toured in half a day.
9AM–5PM dailyAdults $18, seniors and students $12, teens $10, kids free
BuyBack Bay-Beacon Hill
Leica Store and Gallery
Boston Park Plaza
Not everyone has a few thousand dollars burning a hole in your pocket to throw at a new camera. But if you appreciate photography or industrial design a little window shopping here is time well spent.
Mon-Sat 10AM-7PM, Sun 11AM-6PM
SeeSouth End
M Fine Arts Galerie
Founded in Soho, New York, it offers the best selection of contemporary European painters to its clients. M Fine Arts Galerie was established in 2016, continuing the work of Axelle after the previous owner passed away. You will find an ever-evolving selection of new, museum-quality paintings here, due to the exclusive representation of many European artists such as Patrick Pietropoli, Fabienne Delacroix, André Bourrié, Brian Stephens and Diana Nicosia.
10AM-6PM daily
SeeAllston-Brighton
McMullen Museum of Art
Devlin Hall
The museum holds an extensive permanent collection, which spans the history of art from Europe, Asia and the Americas, and has significant representation of Gothic and Baroque tapestries, Italian paintings of the 16th and 17th centuries, and American paintings of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Mon-Wed, Fri 10AM-5PM, Thu 10AM-8PM, Sat Sun noon-5PMFree
SeeNorth End
Museum of Science
The Museum of Science is colossal—easily one of the biggest in North America. It has IMAX theaters, 3D theaters, and a separate planetarium. The museum not only has an enormous permanent collection spanning several stories, but it has the largest Van de Graff generator in the world, which produces frequent electricity shows, a weather generator, many multimedia presentation areas, and at least 2 temporary exhibitions at any given time. A few exhibits remain that were designed by Charles and Ray Eames, but they are showing their age. The roster of events changes daily, and is distributed upon entry. It's worth a visit as long as you are all right with the possibility of getting a migraine.
9AM-5PM daily (Summer until 7PM)Adults $25, seniors $21, children $20. Plus another $8-10 for the Omni Theater and Planetarium
SeeDowntown
New England Aquarium
Home of a 200,000-gallon (757,000-L) fish tank, the New England Aquarium offers a riveting museum experience which showcases an incredible variety of fish and other types of animals. It has a humongous IMAX theatre, whale-watching tours operating from its pier, and a marine mammal arena out back. It also is known for its penguins, which are a fascinating experience even on their own. It's well worth a visit.
Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM, Sat Sun 9AM-6PM$27.95, Senior 60+ $25.95, Ages 3–11 $18.95
SeeBack Bay-Beacon Hill
Norman B. Leventhal Map and Education Center
An independent geographic research and education center including an exhibition gallery that features changing thematic exhibitions, a public learning center with research books, and a reading room for rare map research. It is ranked among the top ten in the United States its collection of over 250,000 geographic objects, the significance of its historic (pre-1900) material, its advanced digitization program, and exceptional educational programs to advance geographic literacy among students in grades K to 12.
Free
SeeBack Bay-Beacon Hill
Old South Church
Third Church
As one of the finest High Victorian Gothic churches in New England, the Old South Church is a stunning aesthetic landmark within the Back Bay. The interior is filled with sumptuous materials, musical instruments, and stained glass. After a misguided makeover in the 1950s, a painstaking restoration took place during the late 1980s. Historical members of the congregation include Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and William Dawes; Paul Revere's lesser known counterpart. (Although this building would be news to them.) Willard Sears, one of the architects responsible for this structure, also takes credit for the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, another European inspired masterwork.
Sun 9AM-noon, Thu 6PM-7PMFree
SeeFenway-Kenmore
Panopticon Gallery
Hotel Commonwealth
Founded in 1971, Panopticon Gallery is one of the oldest galleries in the United States dedicated solely to fine art photography. The gallery specializes in 20th century American photography and emerging contemporary works. Check their calendar for up to date information on their current exhibition. They also carry many interesting, hard to find, fine art books in their store.
Tue-Sat 9AM-3PM
SeeBack Bay-Beacon Hill
Rose Nichols House Museum
Built in 1804, the four-story Nichols House Museum showcases how the better half lived atop Beacon Hill around 1900. Kept in the family for generations, it was opened to the public in 1961.
Tue-Sat 11AM-4PMAdults $10, children under 12 free
SeeRoxbury
Shirley-Eustis House
The house was built in 1747 as a summer home for William Shirley (1694–1771), Royal Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. It is one of the last remaining mansions of royal governors in the United States. After the Revolutionary War, the home was seized as "Loyalist property" in 1778 and sat unoccupied for four years. For the next 100 years the home would pass through the hands of many wealthy Bostonians, Ambassadors, and Governors. Eventually it fell into being used as a tenement building, and in 1911 it was once again abandoned. Two years later, the founder of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities took on a new role, and began the work of preserving the house. The structure was again extensively renovated during the 1980s. The work included an award winning restoration to the grounds, including an orchard, period perennial beds, parterre gardens, and a large formal lawn. Today it is used as a living museum, be sure to check the events calendar for what's new.
Thu-Sun 1PM-4PM$7 adults, $5 students/seniors
BuySouth End
SoWa Open Market
The SoWa Open Market is a vibrant collection of open air markets featuring over 150 local artisans, farmers, specialty food vendors and food trucks. This weekly event draws many thousands of visitors from across New England and beyond. The Market has four main components, the vintage market, the arts market, the farmer's market, and everyone's favorite, the beer & wine garden. This is In addition to the scores of everyday retailers, and highbrow art galleries housed in the surrounding buildings. This event is so popular, all nearby restaurants will have multi-hour table waits, and streets become almost impassable to vehicles. Yes, even your Uber will have a hard time picking you up here, so be prepared to walk.
Sun 10AM-4PM May 1-Oct 31Free
SeeDorchester
The Kennedy Institute
Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate
This political museum offers a variety of engaging interactive exhibits relating to Sen. Edward Kennedy's life, as well as the history of the American senate. A huge digital screen invites you to draft and pass a law (and tricks you into learning along the way)! While other exhibits deal with the current political issues affecting Washington today.
Tue-Sun 10AM-5PM$16, Senior/youth/veteran $14. Child (6-17) $8
SeeBack Bay-Beacon Hill
The Museum of African American History
African Meeting House, Abiel Smith School
Dedicated to preserving the historically accurate contributions of African-Americans during America's colonial period. The perfect point to begin walking Boston's Black Heritage Trail.
Mon-Sat 10AM-4PM$5, children under 12 free
SeeFenway-Kenmore
The Museum of Fine Arts
MFA
As the fourth largest museum in the US, the Museum of Fine Art is known for its impressive assortment of French Impressionist paintings as well as its extraordinary collection of ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art. The MFA also has one of the largest collections of Japanese art outside of Japan. A new modernist Art of the Americas Wing was completed in 2010, architected by Norman Foster. A visitor could simply rush through the highlights in a few hours, or linger all day and take it all in properly. The museum also has a great collection of early American art, including the portrait of George Washington used on the dollar bills you might find in your wallet right now.
Wed-Fri 10AM-10PM, Sat-Tue 10AM-5PM$30, youth 7-17 $14, 6 and under Free
SeeDorchester
The Pierce House
Ten generations of the Pierce family called this house a home, from its construction in 1683 until it was turned into a museum in 1968. This is not the house of a wealthy merchant, this is where working class colonists (and later Americans) lived out their lives. Touring the home today offers a unique journey through centuries of American history. You can see how the home was adapted over time to fit the needs of each new generation of occupants. Some original features remain, much of it wooden, surprisingly. On street parking available.
Rarely available hour long tours, check their calendar$5, students $3
SeeCharlestown
USS Constitution Museum
Tour famous Old Ironsides, but first enjoy all-ages hands-on exhibits on sailing skills and crafts.
Apr-Oct 10AM-6PM daily, Nov-Mar Thu-Sun 10AM-5PM dailyFree
SeeFenway-Kenmore
Warren Anatomical Museum
Countway Library of Medicine
This small exhibition is tucked away on the 5th floor of Harvard Medical School's Countway Library of Medicine. It was designed by Mr. Warren in the mid 1800s to teach his medical students about anatomy. The real highlight here—among the charts, specimens and 19th century medical instruments—is the skull of Phineas Gage. Phineas improbably survived 12 years after a large iron bar was driven through his brain.
Mon-Fri 9AM-5PMFree
DoNorth End Not mapped
The Sports Museum
If you love sports, check out The Sports Museum. A variety of memorabilia from Boston teams is on display.
Mon-Fri 10AM-4PM, Sat Sun 11AM-4PM$12, students and seniors $6
SeeSouth End
Adelson Galleries
520 Harrison Ave
Wed-Sun noon-6PM
SeeBack Bay-Beacon Hill
Barbara Krakow Gallery
10 Newbury St
Tue-Sat 10AM-5:30PM
SeeSouth End
Boston Sculptors Gallery
486 Harrison Ave
Wed-Sun noon-6PM
SeeBack Bay-Beacon Hill
Eugene Galleries
76 Charles St
Mon-Sat 11AM-6PM, Sun noon-6PM

Browse all 621 places in Boston

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Boston (CC BY-SA 4.0).