Top 5 Museums in Massachusetts

Art lovers everywhere would agree that the state of Massachusetts has much to offer with regard to museums. Visiting one or more of these intriguing museums is an ideal way to make a Massachusetts vacation fun and educational, or a business trip a bit less dull. Whether visiting a whaling museum in New Bedford, or a Boston arts museum, Massachusetts has something for everyone who enjoys science, beauty, and art.

The DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum

Located in the city of Lincoln, the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum specializes in abstract and contemporary art, and features collections that showcase work in all media. Special emphasis is given to collections by artists of New England heritage or association. The photography collections are especially strong, and the exhibitions program focuses on sculpture. The museum’s highlight is a park that overlooks Flint’s Pond and boasts 35 acres of more than 70 beautiful sculptures. The museum’s permanent collection is not extensive, however, it includes significant works of art by individuals such as George Rickey, Antony Gormley, Alexander Liberman, Sol LeWitt, Nam June Paik, Ursula von Rydingsvard, and many others.

Boston Museum of Fine Arts

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, located in the city for which it is named, features some of the most balanced and comprehensive collections in the world. Founded in 1870, the museum features the art of the Boston Athenaeum library as the core of its collection. An extensive Asian art collection is also showcased at this impressive museum, with pieces dating from the third millennium BC to contemporary times. It also has the largest collection of works by Claude Monet that exists outside France, as well as one of the world’s most impressive collections of 19th-century American art.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Located in Boston and established in 1903 by Isabella Stewart Gardner, this museum is housed within a building which was designed in honor of the Venetian Palazzo Barbaro. Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840–1924) was a wealthy individual who had a single-minded dedication to the arts. The museum boasts an extensive collection of almost 3,000 works of American, European, and Italian art. These collections feature paintings, tapestries, decorative arts, and sculptures. The museum hosts exhibits on a regular basis that focus on contemporary and historic art. Additionally, it has an extensive collection of Italian Renaissance paintings, and a variety of 19th-century pieces by John Singer Sargent. The museum is also home to the first Matisse ever placed in an American collection.

The Museum of Science

The goal of Boston’s Museum of Science is to establish a leading role in changing America’s relationship with technology and science. The reason behind this mission is that its founders believe that science and technology shape the world in which we live. This museum has encouraged many young people of diversified backgrounds to develop a genuine interest of science and its role in their world. The museum features a 3D digital theater, a planetarium, and rotating exhibits such as a cell structure exhibit, and a New England bird exhibit which showcases all species of New England birds.

New Bedford Whaling Museum

Approximately 70 miles south of Boston, New Bedford is a small American city with an extraordinary harbor packed with commercial fishing vessels. At one time, New Bedford was the richest city in the United States and still holds the title of richest fishing port in America. New Bedford provided the backdrop for the entire history of American whaling, and every detail of this history, including obscure facts and startling statistics can be found in the museum. Anyone with even the slightest interest in American Whaling will not want to miss a visit to the New Bedford Whaling Museum when traveling to Massachusetts.

Those traveling to New England will find that planning a visit to one of the many intriguing and educational museums in Massachusetts is a worthwhile endeavor. People of all ages and backgrounds can benefit both academically and personally from all that is offered by the many fascinating exhibitions provided by these museums. Taking advantage of this activity helps individuals to learn about their country, their history, and themselves.