Top Things to do in New England
Top Hotels in New England
- 1. The Verb Hotel
- 2. The Godfrey Hotel Boston
- 3. Seaport Hotel
- 4. Hampton Inn Boston Seaport District
- 5. Homewood Suites by Hilton Boston Seaport District
- 6. The Glen House
- 7. Hyatt Place Boston/Seaport District
- 8. The Revolution Hotel
- 9. Southbridge Hotel And Conference Center
- 10. Gorges Grant Hotel
10 Museums in New England That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in New England, New England including Yale University Art Gallery, Museum of Fine Arts, Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House, The Jenney, Cole Land Transportation Museum, Stamford Museum & Nature Center, Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum, Farnsworth Art Museum, Portland Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art.
Restaurants in New England
1. Yale University Art Gallery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 953 reviews
Yale University Art Gallery is the oldest college art museum in America. The Gallery’s encyclopedic holdings of more than 250,000 objects range from ancient times to the present day and represent civilizations from around the globe. Spanning a block and a half of the city of New Haven, Connecticut, the Gallery comprises three architecturally distinct buildings, including a masterpiece of modern architecture from 1953 designed by Louis Kahn through which visitors enter. The museum is free and open to the public.
Reviewed By 397markc397 - Hudson, United States
I know people are attracted for special exhibits, and the one during my visit was indeed very special, however the gallery is well worth a visit at any time. A very diverse and deep amount of art is always on display, and along with the helpful and friendly security staff, its a true pleasure to visit! Just a note on the current exhibit: Matthew Barney Redoubt. Absolutely breathtaking. If you miss this at least google. Its stunning!
2. Museum of Fine Arts
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 8,156 reviews
Boston's oldest, largest and best-known art institution, the MFA houses one of the world's most comprehensive art collections and is renowned for its Impressionist paintings, Asian and Egyptian collections and early American art.
Reviewed By Laura843 - Boston, United States
Some suggested ideas for planning your trip: • Weekends: Try and go as close to opening time as possible on Saturday and Sunday [10am.] There are less crowds early in the day on weekends • Limit What You See: Plan to take in a limited number sections of the museum if possible. It's a lot easier to remember/savor what you've seen if you don't overwhelm yourself. You can preplan your route by looking at the museum floorplans & exhibitions online. • Audio Tours or Guided Tours: Try to add on an audio tour, or tour an exhibit with a guide who knows more about the artwork. Learning about the people who made that art, how they made it and the time period that the art was created is fun! Check the website mfa.org Programs>Gallery Activities & Tours for the schedule • Eat at the New American Cafe: Although it's pricey, and has a limited menu, the food is nice with fresh ingredients...and it's a great way to sit down for a bit and savor the museum experience while sitting in the cavernous open-spaced courtyard next to the new New American wing of the museum. • John Singer Sargent Murals in the Rotunda & Grand Staircase: Although technically part of the building, and not an exhibit... There are some beautiful murals painted in the ceiling and surrounding area of the Rotunda painted by John Singer Sargent on canvas, and then adhered to the walls. See the photo I posted below. • Parking: It's not easy or inexpensive to park in this neighborhood... if you can take the "T" it's just a short walk to the MFA from the Museum stop on the "E" Heath Street MBTA's Green Line. • Discounts: This can be an expensive trip... kids between 7 and 17 are admitted free after 3pm on weekdays, and some of the combo tickets for Boston include MFA admission. The museum occasionally does free days... check the website... but be forewarned they can be crowded. Many universities have institutional memberships so a current student ID is useful!
3. Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 240 reviews
Also called the Beauport Sleeper-McCann House, this fantasy mansion of more than 40 rooms is perched on the rocks overlooking Gloucester Harbor.
Reviewed By george4880 - Bradford, United States
Very interesting house. Room after room kept the way Sleeper designed it. Lots of his collections and recycled floors and walls etc. With Covid only four people to a tour which was great. Unfortunately the gardens were neglected due to the museum not being allowed to open. Great view of the water.
4. The Jenney
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 499 reviews
Historic Plymouth Tours and Educational Programs. Your journey into history begins here. Discover Plymouth's History - a Walking Tour: Hear about the people, places, and events that shaped the beginning of our country as you walk through the historic district of Plymouth. Forefathers Monument Tour - This hidden gem is the largest free standing solid granite monument in our country. The faith of the Pilgrims will become real to you as you learn what each of the five statues represents. Business Not as Usual - Pilgrim Economics and Conversations with a Pilgrim: Our guides help visitors learn all aspects of the Pilgrim family including economics, education, government, and faith. All tours require a reservation. Visit our website for tour times and information. Open seasonally.
Reviewed By E9625YOjonathanm - Tuxedo Park, United States
If one didn't know better, it would be easy to believe that Leo Martin was the 103rd Mayflower pilgrim (or perhaps the 105th depending on how you count, but let Leo explain that to you himself). It was a true pleasure to spend time with someone so dedicated to helping us truly understand what we thought we already knew. The museum itself has an abundance of simple, well-presented information. It is not an exhibit of artifacts, but one focusing on the ideals and principles that helps puts the events of 1620 and beyond in perspective. Although it is possible to visit the Jenney Museum without taking advantage of one of the excellent tours, my wife and I highly recommend the Plymouth walking tour which covered a remarkable amount of ground in a little over an hour. Stops included Town Brook, Brewster Gardens, Leyden Street, Burial Hill, and of course, the Rock in all its glory (again I encourage you to experience Leo's commentary for yourself). Leo's presentation was a near-perfect combination of fact, philosophy, anecdotes, and witty commentary. At the conclusion I felt that I didn't just know about the Mayflower pilgrims, but that I knew the Mayflower pilgrims. This was truly the highlight of our visit to Plymouth!
5. Cole Land Transportation Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 334 reviews
Museum dedicated to preserving and displaying Maine's land transportation equipment.
Reviewed By dblgs - Meriden, United States
Very wonderful staff that had great info Spent 2.5 hrs taking time to view items Great history Clean and great presentation
6. Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 295 reviews
Seasonal fun awaits you at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center. The 118-acre property is home to Heckscher Farm, an 18-acre working farm; Overbrook Nature Center; the Bendel Mansion, with changing exhibitions and pieces from the Museum’s permanent collection; an otter pond; Nature’s Playground; the Stamford Observatory; Animal Embassy; and more than 80 acres of hiking trails. The Wheels in the Woods Trail provides a universally accessible nature trail. Come discover, learn, and enjoy!
Reviewed By kzsull01 - Windsor, United States
My husband and I visited the Stamford Museum and Nature Center in Stamford Connecticut on Monday, April 19th, 2021. We found out about this museum because it is part of the CT Art Trail Passport Booklet, making it a good value. We visited primarily to see the Special Exhibit ‘Global Garden: Resonant Beauty, A Solo Exhibition of Orchid Paintings by Patricia Laspino’, which was excellent, being very inspirational. We were very impressed with this exhibit and feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to see it, since it is only on view until April 25th. I give this museum an excellent rating because of this exhibit. However, after it is over, I am not certain what will be on view at the museum because there is a gap of time between when this exhibit ends and when the next exhibit begins on May 21st, and the museum does not appear to have a permanent exhibit always on view. I provide more details about this exhibit in the Special Exhibit section of this write-up. The museum is located inside the Bendel Mansion, which has large rooms with nice architecture inside, but no rooms were set-up with furnishings depicting how it looked as a mansion. The one issue we had with our visit was finding the museum from the farm parking lot. The directions say to park in the Heckscher Farm parking lot and not in the museum parking lot at this time. The museum is not close or even in view from the farm parking lot. We were provided with 2 maps as we entered the grounds, one in black and white the other a Trail Map. The museum is not very distinctively marked on the map that is in black and white, it just blended in with everything else. The Trail Map had it designated in red. Nevertheless, it took a while to find the museum from the Hechscher Farm parking lot. We were glad the weather was very nice because if it had been rainy or cold out, the walk from the parking lot to the museum wouldn’t have been very nice, in particular because it is hilly. So wear comfortable shoes. However, there was plenty of free parking in the Heckscher Parking Lot at the time of our visit. It just wasn’t convenient to the museum. Special Exhibit: ‘Global Garden: Resonant Beauty, A Solo Exhibition of Orchid Paintings by Patricia Laspino’: The paintings in this exhibit were both beautiful and impressive and together with the write-ups depicted a great mixture of art, culture, history, science, nature and addressed the impacts of Climate Change and Global Warming on various species of orchids as well as other types of flowers, including peonies. Each painting had a write-up with a title, flower facts, including specie of orchid or flower, bird (if applicable), native range (where each orchid grows) and artist notes. The artist notes were definitely quite interesting and educational and depicted specific features and characteristics about each orchid, including historic and scientific information, growth patterns, and the stories and experiences that the artist had with the flower. This exhibit is truly amazing!! I never knew that there were so many diverse species of orchids from all over the world. The paintings and associated write-ups within this exhibit nicely reflect the many years of research studies that the artist put into their creation, effectively addressing the flowers and paintings from the perspective of their beauty, diversity, preservation and stewardship. It is definitely apparent that the artist was influenced by several artists, including Georgia O’Keeffe, as well as her botanist background. This exhibit was very well done and worth seeing. The Heckscher Farm, Gardens, River Otter, Nature Center and Much More: It was a nice walk through the farm, both to and from the museum. There was a nice variety of animals, to see and take pictures of that were all well-kept and had plenty of room to move about. The animals included chickens, goats, sheep, pigs, horses, cows and much more. The grounds and surrounding landscape were also scenic and nicely maintained. We particularly enjoyed the River Otter, who didn’t come out until we opened the gate to where you could view him. Interesting information about River Otters, their environment, including their habitat and diet, was on display. The Overbrook Nature Center and Gift Shop had taxidermy artifacts representing animals from the area on display, with educational write-ups as well as snakes and a rock collection. Interesting information about the seasons, bird migrations and the Atlantic Flyway were also on display. The vegetable gardens were not in bloom at the time of our visit but did have garlic and leaves to strawberry plants sprouting up. These gardens, which are planted with over 50 varieties of fruits and vegetables, including dozens of heirloom varieties, would be nice to see later in the season. The farm, which has an interesting history, is definitely great for families with young children but could also be enjoyed by adults. Picnic tables were available on the grounds making it nice for a family picnic. There were a variety of different trails, which we did not have an opportunity to take based on the amount of time we had available to us at the time of our visit. One that we missed, which would have been interesting to see, was the Sculpture Trail that appears to be relatively close to the museum based on the map in black and white. Our visit took about an hour and 20 minutes, with an emphasis on viewing the Special Exhibit in the museum, but included the areas mentioned above going to and from the museum. It is great that this museum has been able to remain open with a wide range of hours during the pandemic and that we didn’t need timed tickets, giving a lot of flexibility in terms of the time of our arrival. The only issue we had with our visit was that we were not able to park close to the museum.
7. Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,469 reviews
This monument commemorates the Pilgrim's first landing in Provincetown (not Plymouth), where they conceived, wrote and committed to the Mayflower Compact - the foundational document for the democracy America enjoys today. The Monument is the tallest all-granite structure in the U.S. rising 353 feet above sea level, and at the top, visitors are provided the most spectacular view of Cape Cod.In addition to the MOnument, the Provincetown Museum presents the unique cultural heritage of this historic town with special exhibitions and permanent displays.The Monument and Museum has ample parking, is open daily from APril 1st through November 30, and NEW this year - a food concession call the "Shallop Cafe" where visitors can enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking Provincetown and the Bay.
Reviewed By sls8806 - Sugar Land, United States
Taking the route of the Pilgrims landing all starts here. The museum is well set up and sets the story with artifacts, and timeline and explanation of the first landing. Step outside and walk to the monument. If you are in better physical health to climb the steps to the very top, you will get a breathtaking 360 degree view and a sticker at the end of the adventure! The day we went there were gale force wind warnings and rain. It really brought home what those early settlers went through and how brave they truly were!
8. Farnsworth Art Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 952 reviews
Celebrating Maine's Role in American Art, the Farnsworth Art Museum offers a nationally recognized collection of works from many of America's greatest artists. With 20,000 square feet of gallery space and over 15,000 works in the collection, there is always something new on view at the Farnsworth. The museum has one of the largest collections of works by sculptor Louise Nevelson. Its Wyeth Center features works of Andrew, N.C. and Jamie Wyeth. The Farnsworth's library is also housed in its Rockland, ME, campus. Two historic buildings, the Farnsworth Homestead and the Olson House, and Julia's Gallery for Young Artists complete the museum complex.
Reviewed By jerb2014 - Bristol, United States
This museum has a very large collection of three generations of the Wyeth family and should be a got to for anyone visiting or staying in Rockland. There are other artists represented from the 1800's on and it is a good place to learn a bit about the history of the area. Tickets prices are $15, with a discount to $13 for seniors. Well worth it. It is open usually from 10 t0 5.
9. Portland Museum of Art
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,515 reviews
With an extensive permanent collection and nationally renowned exhibitions, the Portland Museum of Art is rightfully taking its place as the best regional museum in the country. The PMA boasts a considerable permanent collection, with beloved works of American, European, and Contemporary art, as well as significant holdings of Maine art-highlighting the rich artistic tradition of the state and its artists. The museum brings it all to life with unparalleled programming. From special member-only events, free school tours, and a commitment to family activities, to PMA Movies, curator talks, and exclusive tours of the Winslow Homer Studio-it's all happening at the PMA.
Reviewed By newengland50 - Franklin, United States
At this time (April 2021), the Museum is accepting reservations for visiting. Although Portland is a small city, the Museum has a national class collection. It ranges from New England artists to works from around the world. The building is well laid out and it is easy to navigate. You will find well-known artists, such as Renoir and Wyeth, and stunning sculptures. It is well worth the trip. Every staff member was friendly and happy to answer questions. There is also a small gift shop.
10. Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 946 reviews
This innovative and internationally renowned museum showcases more than 80,000 works of art from Paul Revere's silver and caricatures of 18th century Europe, to French Impressionists and the avant-garde works of recent alumni. A 12th-century Japanese Buddha has its own room with benches for meditating.
Reviewed By margatemensch2016 - Coconut Creek, United States
Recently,I returned to Providence and the delighful RIsd Art Museum.I devoted my day to studying its quality European paintings and sculpture.I did not see everything in this art museum that has a broad range of Art.Old Master personal favorites were Spinello Aretino's"Saint Anthony Abbott Enthroned",Jacopo di Cione's"Taking of Saint Peter",Giusseppe Cesari's"Perseus and Andromeda".Aert de Gelder's"Esther and Mordecai",Francisco Collantes'"Hagar and Ishmael".Marinus Van Reymerswaele's"Money Changers",and Giovanni Pannini's"Colliseum".19th Century favorites were Jean Victor Bertin's"Tivoli",Edouard Manet's"Repose",Claude Monet's"Bassin At Argentieul"(awesome French Impressionism),Carolus Duran's"Portrait of Manet",and Edgard Degas'"La Savoissiene".I also savored the fine Gothic and Renaissance Period sculptural works that were on display such as Ivory Diptych from 13th Century France depicting Nativity and Crucifixion,and Tillman Riemenschneider's "Pieta",among others..Kudos to a fine art museum in historic Providence.
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