Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Mrs. Jack Gardner was a Boston Society woman, and had a beautiful building constructed in the Fenway. The building was modeled after a 15th century Venetian palace. Before she passed away, she had stipulated in her will that the building remain unchanged, forever. It contains a beautiful courtyard, with flowered gardens, protected from the New England weather by a glass roof.

The museum's collection is very significant, containing Asian, European, and American works of art. Some of the important paintings include Giorgione's Christ Bearing the Cross (c.1500), Raphael's Lamentation (c.1504), Titian's Rape of Europa (c.1562), Rembrandt's Self Portrait, Age 23, and John Singer Sargent's El Jaleo (1882). Other works of art include ancient and medieval sculpture and objects, as well as the building itself.

A great feature of the museum is the atmosphere of being in a wealthy residence. Visitors can roam the floors casually and observe the artworks, unlike modern museums with tall painted walls and fluorescent lights everywhere. The Gardner Museum is a cosmopolitan jewel in Boston's Back Bay.

One of the greatest art thefts in history occurred at the museum in 1990, and a huge reward is still offered for the safe return of these works.

Contact Information & Address:

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum 
280 Fenway, Boston, MA 02115 
617.566.1401 
gardnermuseum.org