Museums in Boston MA
40 Boston Museums
Museums are a great way to learn about a city’s history and culture. Boston is home to many world-renowned museums covering a range of topics. From art and science to history and nature, there is something for everyone in Boston museums.
Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts is one of the largest and most comprehensive art museums globally. With nearly 500,000 works of art on display, it is a must-see for any art lovers visiting Boston. The Museum of Science is another popular destination, offering hands-on exhibits and interactive displays. For history buffs, the Boston Tea Party Museum and the USS Constitution Museum are both located in the city and offer insight into two of the most important events in American history.
Whether you’re interested in art, science, history, or nature, keep reading as we’re highlighting three of the best museums in Boston. However, we’ve also got you covered with a pocket guide to 40!
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Three Boston Museums You Won’t Want to Miss
Museum of Fine Arts
Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts houses one of the finest, most expansive collections to date, featuring everything from paintings by Van Gogh and Rembrandt to Japanese prints and metalworks. The museum also has one of the best collections of Monet paintings in the world, as well as Oceanic and African art spanning from the 16th to the 20th century.
Boston’s MFA is open from 10 am – 5 pm on Monday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, with extended hours on Friday from 10 am – 10 pm. Regarding pricing, children under six get in for free, youths 7-17 are $10, and adult tickets are $27. However, Museum members can always get in for free.
Exhibits
Containing nearly 500,000 works of art and welcoming more than 1 million visitors through its doors every year, Boston’s MFA also hosts many intriguing exhibits. A few ongoing include New Galleries of Dutch and Flemish Art and the Art of Ancient Greece, Rome and the Byzantine Empire.
Boston Children’s Museum
The second oldest children’s museum in the world, the Boston Children’s Museum was founded in 1913 by the Science Teachers’ Bureau — a group of forward-thinking teachers and educators who saw the value in such an endeavor.
For over a century, the Boston Children’s Museum has provided children from all over the world with engaging, hands-on learning experiences that teach children about everything — including science, the arts, health and fitness, environmental awareness, and culture.
Art Lab and Attractions
The Art Lab encourages children to express themselves in constructive, healthy, expressive ways — providing them with all the means necessary. Attractions like the Construction Zone and Kid Power teach children about movement and physics in fun, engaging ways. At the same time, the Explore-a-Saurus activity teaches children about dinosaurs and encourages them to think critically about the world surrounding them.
The museum is open every day from Wednesday to Sunday. The doors open from 9 am -12 pm and from 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm. General admission tickets for everyone over 12 months cost $18.00. Some discounted tickets are available here.
Museum of Science
One of the world’s premier science museums, Boston’s Museum of Science features dozens of incredible exhibits. Stroll through the Hall of Human life to learn about our anatomy and physiology. Learn about dinosaurs and other prehistoric life in Colossal Fossil: Triceratops Cliff. Explore cutting-edge technology and local inventions in the Wicked Smart: Invented in the Hub exhibit.
But even though Boston’s Museum of Science rests in a huge, bustling city, it also proves a great place to learn about wildlife. The museum features exhibits about the world around us, including Natural Mysteries and New England Habitats. They also have a Live Animal Care Center, where they house over a hundred of their animal ambassadors.
Tickets and Hours
Boston’s Museum of Science is committed to providing outstanding science education. The museum is open from 9 am – 5 pm every day of the week. Children under three and Museum Members can enter for free. Ticket prices vary; it’s $24 for children aged 3-11, $29 for adults, and $24 for Seniors. Since the museum has limited capacity and timed tickets, consider ordering them in advance.
Museums in Boston MA
| Boston Museums | Address | City | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| America's Fleet Museum | 5 Water St | Fall River | http://www.BattleShipCove.org |
| Boston African American National Historic Site | 14 Beacon St Ste 401 | Boston | http://www.nps.gov/boaf/index.htm |
| Boston Fire Museum | 344 Congress St | Boston | http://www.bostonfiremuseum.com |
| Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum | 306 Congress St | Boston | http://www.bostonteapartyship.com |
| Children's Museum | 41 Walnut St | Boston | http://childrensmusicnetwork.org |
| Danforth Museum of Art | 123 Union Ave | Framingham | http://www.DanForthMuseum.org |
| deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum | 51 Sandy Pond Road | Lincoln | http://www.deCordova.org |
| Discovery Museum | 177 Main St | Acton | http://www.discoveryacton.org |
| Dreamland Wax Museum | 1 Washington Mall | Boston | http://www.DreamlandWaxMuseum.com |
| Galerie D'orsay | 33 Newbury St | Boston | http://www.galerie-dorsay.com |
| Gibson House Museum | 137 Beacon St | Boston | http://www.thegibsonhouse.org |
| Gore Place | 52 Gore Street | Waltham | https://goreplace.org |
| Harvard Art Museums | 32 Quincy Street | Cambridge | https://harvardartmuseums.org |
| Harvard Natural History Museum | 26 Oxford St | Cambridge | http://www.HMNH.harvard.edu |
| Holocaust Memorial New England Friends | 126 High St | Boston | https://www.cjp.org |
| Hull Lifesaving Museum & Life | 22 Drydock Ave | Boston | https://www.hulllifesavingmuseum.org |
| Institute Of Contemporary Art | 100 Northern Ave | Boston | https://www.icaboston.org |
| Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum | 25 Evans Way | Boston | https://www.gardnermuseum.org |
| John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and MuseumColumbia Point | Columbia Point | Boston | http://www.JFKLibrary.org |
| Metropolitan WaterWorks Museum | 2450 Beacon St | Boston | http://www.WaterWorksMuseum.org |
| MIT Museum | 265 Massachusetts Ave | Boston | http://mitmuseum.mit.edu |
| Museum Of African American History | 46 Joy St | Boston | https://www.maah.org |
| Museum Of Fine Arts Boston | 456 Huntington Ave | Boston | https://mfa.org |
| Museum Of Science | 1 Science Park | Boston | http://www.mos.org |
| Natural Heritage Museum | 33 Marrett Road | Lexington | http://www.NationalHeritageMuseum.org |
| New England Aquarium | 1 Central Wharf | Boston | http://www.NEAQ.org |
| Nichols House Museum | 55 Mount Vernon St | Boston | http://www.nicholshousemuseum.org |
| Old South Meeting House | 310 Washington St | Boston | http://www.oldsouthmeetinghouse.org |
| Old State House | 206 Washington St | Boston | http://www.bostonhistory.org |
| Otis House | 141 Cambridge St | Boston | https://www.historicnewengland.org |
| Paul Revere House | 19 North Sq | Boston | https://www.paulreverehouse.org |
| Paul S. Russell, Md Museum Of Medical History And Innovation At Massachusetts General Hospital | 2 Grove St | Boston | https://www.massgeneral.org/museum |
| Peabody Essex Museum | 161 Essex St | Salem | http://www.PEM.org |
| Shirley-Eustis House | 33 Shirley St | Boston | https://www.shirleyeustishouse.org |
| Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History | 241 Wellesley St | Weston | http://www.SpellmanMuseum.org |
| The Children's Museum | 300 Congress Street | Boston | https://bostonchildrensmuseum.org |
| The Sports Museum | 100 Legends Way | Boston | https://sportsmuseum.org |
| USS Constitution Museum | Charleston Navy Yard Building 22 | Boston | http://www.USSCM.org |
| West End Museum | 150 Staniford St Ste 7 | Boston | https://thewestendmuseum.org |
| William Hickling Prescott House | 55 Beacon St | Boston | https://nscda.org |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Dinosaurs and prehistoric life are on display at Boston’s Museum of Science. There’s also a Live Animal Cave, cutting-edge inventions, and plenty more for kids and kids at heart.
Boston has dozens of museums throughout the city and suburbs. Some of the must-sees include the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Children’s Museum, the Paul Revere House, the Institute of Contemporary Art, and the Harvard Natural History Museum.
Yes. The Boston Children’s Museum is a fun place for toddlers to teens (and adults, too!). It features hands-on experiences with an Art Lab, Construction Zone, and plenty more to keep visitors busy for hours!
