What to do and see in Massachusetts, United States: The Best Art Museums

February 21, 2022 Stefan Strunk

Discover the best top things to do in Massachusetts, United States including Museum of Fine Arts, The Clark Art Institute, Atwood Museum, Martha's Vineyard Museum, Sandwich Glass Museum, Somerville Museum, Fruitlands Museum, Provincetown Town Hall, Peabody Essex Museum, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
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1. Museum of Fine Arts

465 Huntington Ave Avenue of the Arts, Boston, MA 02115-5597 +1 617-267-9300 [email protected] http://www.mfa.org
Excellent
80%
Good
17%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 8,156 reviews

Museum of Fine Arts

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!

2. The Clark Art Institute

225 South St, Williamstown, MA 01267-2878 +1 413-458-2303 http://www.clarkart.edu/
Excellent
85%
Good
11%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1,378 reviews

The Clark Art Institute

The Clark Art Institute is best known for its French Impressionist paintings by Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, and especially Pierre-Auguste Renoir, with more than thirty paintings by the artist. The collection is also rich in American paintings by Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, George Inness, Frederic Remington, and Mary Cassatt; Italian and Northern Renaissance masterpieces; portraits and landscapes by European masters; and an extraordinary collection of silver, porcelain, and furniture. An active program of special exhibitions brings great works of art from around the world to the museum. Designed by renowned Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando, the recently opened Clark Center is the centerpiece of the Clark's campus. The center includes special exhibition galleries as well as retail and dining spaces. It overlooks a dramatic three-tiered reflecting pool, integrating indoor and outdoor spaces and creating a stunning visual connection to the woodland surroundings and other buildings located on the campus. This sweeping new landscape design transforms the Clark's 140-acre campus and underscores new sustainability initiatives. In 1950 the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute was founded as a permanent home for the private art collection of Sterling and Francine Clark. In 1955 Sterling-who was an avid horseman with strong family ties to Williamstown and Cooperstown, New York-and his wife Francine presided at the official opening of the museum, sharing their magnificent yet little-known collection with the world for the first time. Since the founding, the museum has gained international stature for the quality of its collection, innovative special exhibitions, and Research and Academic Program.

Reviewed By ogerkan - New York City, United States

The Clark is a pretty special place. The building itself and the grounds are amazing. The story of the Clark's and their passion for collecting fine art is inspiring. The Renoirs (20 or so) are amazing and are mostly presented superbly in a large hall. There are Monets, Pissaros, a Van Gogh, Degas and Rodins scattered around as well. Nice cafe and gift shop on the premises round it out.

3. Atwood Museum

347 Stage Harbor Rd, Chatham, MA 02633-2229 +1 508-945-2493 [email protected] http://www.chathamhistoricalsociety.org
Excellent
95%
Good
5%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 151 reviews

Atwood Museum

Exhibit hours and days vary throughout the year. For details please visit our website. **Advance reservations are required during the pandemic.** Most, but not all exhibits may be open at this time. ** New exhibits this year include: - An outdoor Wetu (Wampanoag dwelling), - The Turning Point - Mayflower Exhibit, - WWII Commemoration, and - Honoring the Suffrage Movement. Explore Cape Cod of centuries past with 12 galleries in 14 exhibits, starting with a tour of a historical dwelling built circa 1752. Discover Cape Cod's captivating history, art, and culture at the Chatham Historical Society's Atwood House Museum. In addition to the 18th century Atwood House, Museum highlights include: a Mural Barn with works by Alice Stallknecht, the Nickerson North Beach Camp, a fishing gallery, Double Take Then and Now photo exhibit, Main Street Cape Cod, stories of the Pendleton and other shipwrecks, several rotating exhibits, a research facility, a popular gift shop and more.

Reviewed By EllieR33 - Leeds, United Kingdom

We visited last week, on a very wet day in Chatham, as we were looking for something indoors to do, and most things were closed as it was the end of September. This place was a lucky find, we must have spent a good couple of hours there and could have taken longer. The tour of the original old house that forms part of the site, the beach cabin out back, the displays of clothing, shells and war history were all fascinating. We especially enjoyed learning about the story of the rescue of the crew members from the Pendleton shipwreck. The staff here are friendly, and informative, thoroughly recommended if you're in Chatham

4. Martha's Vineyard Museum

151 Lagoon Pond Road, Vineyard Haven, Martha's Vineyard, MA 02568 +1 508-627-4441 [email protected] http://www.mvmuseum.org
Excellent
83%
Good
8%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 12 reviews

Martha's Vineyard Museum

The Martha's Vineyard Museum (MVM) is a historical and cultural institution collecting art, artifacts, oral histories, documents, and photographs that help tell the stories of Martha's Vineyard from its formation as an island to the present. Founded as the Dukes County Historical Society in 1922, it was officially renamed the Martha's Vineyard Museum in 2006 to better reflect its focus on both collecting the history of the island and presenting, educating, and sharing it with the public. In 2011, MVM purchased the 1895 Marine Hospital site in Vineyard Haven and set out to transform it into a new museum. MVM made the decision to maintain ownership of part of its original Edgartown campus in order to continue to steward the historic Cooke House and create a public garden for the community. In March 2019, the Vineyard Haven site opened to the public with great fanfare and a blockbuster exhibit celebrating the island's profound influence on the work of Thomas Hart Benton.

Reviewed By cjonesbos - Boston, United States

We ended up here on a rainy day while waiting for our ferry time to go home. It was much better than we expected. The old Marine Hospital has been beautifully redone and has gorgeous views from the grounds. They had arrows for how to move through exhibits due to COVID and had plentiful hand sanitizer. All of our kids from ages 13 down to 5 enjoyed the exhibits and learned a lot about the Vineyard! We had low expectations and were pleasantly surprised. Also nice that our kids all got in for free.

5. Sandwich Glass Museum

129 Main St, Sandwich, MA 02563-2233 +1 508-888-0251 http://www.sandwichglassmuseum.org/
Excellent
57%
Good
32%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 740 reviews

Sandwich Glass Museum

The museum details the history of the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company.

Reviewed By HKonowitz3 - Dover, United States

Don't miss this place. It is a factory and an outstanding museum offers hundreds of glass items featuring the work of Cape Cod and national artisans, as well as their own studio

6. Somerville Museum

1 Westwood Rd, Somerville, MA 02143-1517 +1 617-666-9810 http://somervillemuseum.org/
Excellent
67%
Good
33%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 3 reviews

Somerville Museum

7. Fruitlands Museum

102 Prospect Hill Rd, Harvard, MA 01451-1348 +1 978-456-3924 [email protected] http://www.fruitlands.org/
Excellent
65%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 115 reviews

Fruitlands Museum

Fruitlands Museum is comprised of four separate museums, showcasing Transcendentalists, Shakers, Native Americans and American paintings on 210 acres of meadows and woods with 2.5 miles of trails and a breathtaking view of the Nashua River Valley. The Fruitlands Museum Store sells fine crafts by local artists and the Museum Café, which is open during the main season (April 15 through November 7), focuses on locally sourced, sustainable cuisine reflective of the heritage of New England.

Reviewed By Nikko4Me - Milford, United States

As others have indicated, the property is situated on a hill, but affords some amazing views. We were glad we had great walking shoes to visit the buildings on the property. The guides at each building provided us an overview which was very informative. We enjoyed all the exhibitions that were on display, including Visions of Design: Parallels in Mid-Century Modern and Shaker Furniture; A New England State of Mind: The Pioneering Collector, Clara Sears and A New View: Landscapes from the Permanent Collection. We hope to return in the fall to see the change of season as well as take advantage of the hiking trails.

8. Provincetown Town Hall

260 Commercial St, Provincetown, MA 02657-2299 +1 508-487-7000 http://buildingprovincetown.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/106-bradford-street
Excellent
57%
Good
32%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
0%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 204 reviews

Provincetown Town Hall

Provincetown's municipal center also contains 30 pieces of art donated by local artists.

Reviewed By KeithLampmanPerlman - Provincetown, United States

Grand old building, still an operating town hall, with offices on the lower floor. The community space and concert hall, complete with wraparound balcony (best acoustics for musical events), are old-world, wooden living history.

9. Peabody Essex Museum

161 Essex St East India Square, Salem, MA 01970 +1 866-745-1876 [email protected] http://www.pem.org
Excellent
73%
Good
19%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 2,037 reviews

Peabody Essex Museum

Experience art and culture from New England and around the world at one of the region’s largest art museums. Explore the museum’s vast collections and changing exhibitions, ranging from modern art to photography to Asian art and culture. The museum campus features numerous parks, period gardens, and 24 historic properties, including Yin Yu Tang, the only example of Chinese vernacular architecture on display in the United States.

Reviewed By 35garetw

Always interesting exhibits, mostly craft oriented, following the traditions of seafaring and connecting Salem to the rest of the world through imports, e.g. Japanese fashion, Maori tattoos.

10. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

25 Evans Way, Boston, MA 02115-5538 +1 617-566-1401 [email protected] http://www.gardnermuseum.org/
Excellent
68%
Good
20%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
3%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 3,108 reviews

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

A Venetian palace in the middle of Boston, Gardner's home is now a museum displaying her impressive, eclectic collection of European, American and Asian art, including sculpture, paintings, furniture, ceramics and textiles. Visitors can stroll or rest in a spectacular skylit courtyard filled with plants and flowers.

Reviewed By JacksBack05101 - Westminster, United States

Too much to say to Fit here but... John Singer Sargent’s El Jaleo is amazing, you’ll see the empty frames from the nations most notorious art heist too. This place is frozen in time on purpose. Please visit to find out why!

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