We are all about to dive deep into everything about art in Boston and our opening section will fully cover the best art galleries and museums near you.
Up next we will discuss a variety of other topics like local art supply stores, events, festivals, dealers, appraisers, walking tours, sculptures and statues, art classes, studios for rent, and the top frame shops in your area.
If you are searching for any specific section you can jump straight to it by using the table of contents on the left and we will also be sharing a Boston art map with all of the various venues we mention throughout the post pinned on it.
To read about other cool stuff to check out in Northeast cities you can click that link to find all of our guides for the region.
Best Art Galleries & Museums In Boston
If you want to check out the best art galleries and museums in Boston you can head to:
The Museum of Fine Arts is one of the world’s most extensive art museums with a collection of almost 500,000 works and they get one million visitors annually that come to see art spanning from ancient Egypt to modern times in addition to exhibitions and unique educational activities. Don’t head over on Tuesday because they will be closed but their normal hours are 10am to 5pm the rest of the week except for Thursday when they stay open until 10pm.
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is also closed on Tuesday while being open from 11am to 5pm the other weekdays and 10am to 5pm on weekends. It is modeled after a Venetian villa and holds one of the world’s most spectacular art collections with roughly 2,500 items of European, Asian, and American art including paintings, sculptures, tapestries, furniture, and more in the private collection of the lady of the same name at her old house known as Fenway Court.
The McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College develops and presents creative multidisciplinary exhibitions that achieve national and international attention engaging audiences here and from around the globe. The McMullen is open from 10am to 5pm on weekdays and starting at noon on weekends and delivers exhibition-related programs and materials to a wide range of audiences of all ages on campus and around the region.
The Robert Klein Gallery opened in 1980 and is solely dedicated to displaying 19th century, 20th century, and current fine art photography near you which is available from 1pm to 5pm Wednesday through Saturday.
Since 2000 the Galerie d’Orsay has been a premier source for masterworks located in the heart of Back Bay and its skilled team provide acquisition and collecting expertise to a diverse global community of discerning art consumers. The collection of the Galerie d’Orsay is generally available from 10am to 6pm though on Sunday they open at noon and it spans six centuries with works by renowned old masters, impressionists, and modern artists.
Many of the most well-known local painters here and around New England are represented by Gallery NAGA where you can also find outstanding modern photographers, printmakers, and sculptors on display. They also specialize in studio furniture featuring work by several of the country’s leading designers of one-of-a-kind and limited-edition pieces and you can check it all out from 10am to 5pm Tuesday through Saturday.
Since the establishment of Vose Galleries in 1841 the Vose family has collected over 300 years of experience in the industry handling over 37,000 American works including over 25 artists’ estates. Vose Galleries specializes in high-quality 18th, 19th, and early 20th century American realist paintings and works on paper while keeping regular hours of 9:30am to 5:30pm on weekdays and opening at 10am on Saturday.
Krakow Witkin Gallery is open from 10am to 5:30pm Tuesday through Saturday and presents Minimal philosophically focused and visually reductivist art in various media.
Alpha Gallery was founded in 1967 with the goal of presenting museum-quality contemporary art in addition to modern master prints and American masters of the twentieth century. Exhibitions by rising, mid-career, and established artists are viewable from noon to 6pm Wednesday through Friday and until 5pm on Saturday and are interspersed with special exhibitions of historic personalities like Pablo Picasso, Fairfield Porter, Max Beckmann, Arnulf Rainer, Arthur Dove, John Marin, and Milton Avery whose estate they represent.
Since their inception the Harvard Art Museum which include the Fogg Museum, the Busch-Reisinger Museum, and the Arthur M. Sackler Museum have been committed to enhancing and sustaining learning at the university, in the local community, and around the world. The museums are closed on Monday but open from 10am to 5pm the rest of the week having played a crucial role in the advancement of art history, conservation, and conservation science in addition to the evolution of the art museum as an institution.
Maud Morgan Arts is open from 10am to 6pm on weekdays and features four visual arts studios as well as arts activities for children of all ages, adults, and professional artists. At Maud Morgan Arts children, teens, and established and new artists of all ages and levels create, educate, exhibit, and cooperate.
The newly established Ethelbert Cooper Gallery opened in the fall of 2014 and features contemporary and historical exhibitions and installations of African and African American art organized by the gallery as well as guest curators, faculty, artists, students, and distinguished visiting scholars. It is open from 11am to 6pm on weekdays and presents a varied mix of exciting workshops, artist talks, symposia, lectures, and performances that engage audiences with diverse art archives and cultural traditions from throughout the world.
Gallery 263 is a non-profit art gallery located in Cambridgeport that holds a long history that is intertwined with the Cambridge art scene. It used to be the location of the Brinkerhoff gallery which was a nexus of local art and music from the 1970’s through the 1980’s and today they are open from 4pm to 7pm Wednesday through Friday and from 1pm to 4pm on Saturday.
Mobilia Gallery has had long-standing ties with institutions and people across the country working collaboratively with museum curators and collectors to put notable works of art in public and private collections since 1978. Mobilia Gallery is only open from 11:30am to 5pm on Thursday and Friday and until 4pm on Saturday while specializing in decorative and fine art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries including sculpture, ceramics, paintings, glass, textiles, studio furniture, and jewelry.
Since 1981 John has been the proprietor of Atelier 564 and a fixture in the Newton Center community being not only the owner and master framer but also an accomplished artist.
In 2002 Boston’s Wedeman Gallery was dedicated in honor of Overseer Harriet Markham Wedeman and the late Duane Wedeman in acknowledgment of their exceptional generosity to Lasell’s sesquicentennial campaign and their enduring dedication. The gallery has two full floors to display personal or group art work, professional lighting, wall hangings, and enough space for guests to enjoy the works and exhibition opening receptions while keeping regular hours of 1pm to 4pm Wednesday through Saturday.
Materials & Supplies Near You
The best places to buy art supplies and materials in your area are:
The Kennedy Building’s MassArt Supply and Bookstore sells professional art supplies, new and old textbooks, course materials, apparel, fan gear, gifts, and other college-related things.
Notebooks, planners, journals, books, bags, pens, pencils, and accessories are available at Moleskine.
John A. Johnson founded the Johnson Paint Company in 1939 which was originally known for its inventory of hard-to-find products like Dutch kalsomine, powdered pigments, and aniline dyes but has since earned the reputation of being one of New England’s most comprehensive paint stores.
Blick Art Materials offers a diverse selection of art supplies, craft supplies, specialty architecture supplies, and one-of-a-kind gift items providing a great all around collection for professional artists, educators, and students alike.
Gather Here is a fabric, yarn, and fibers store with classes, an inspiring work environment, and skilled instructors that was the first stitch lounge and craft workshop in Cambridge.
Since its inception in 1985 in Yarmouth, Maine Artist & Craftsman Supply has provided artists with high-quality materials at reasonable prices.
BostonCraftWorks is the largest online retailer of kaleidoscope supplies and other crafts.
Shows & Events
Some of the top local art shows, festivals, and events held here in this city would be:
The Boston College Arts Festival brings together the BC community and the surrounding communities to celebrate the arts and is one of the most vibrant and exciting events at BC attracting over 16,000 visitors annually.
The Boston Art & Music Soul (BAMS) Fest is a cultural movement led by local artists, culture makers, and creative entrepreneurs who are fighting for racial equity, spatial justice, and economic empowerment.
The first annual Beacon Hill Art Walk took place in June with fifty artists and hundreds of enthusiasts in attendance. Creators can sell their original work at the Beacon Hill Art Walk as many visitors make connections with gallery professionals, restaurateurs, and of course those who exhibit their work.
The contemporary Boston Arts Festival is an annual event that promotes the Open Studios program while showcasing the city’s visual and performing arts communities. The weekend-long Festival at Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park includes a wide range of fine arts and crafts, paintings, photography, ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, and live music.
The Boston International Fine Art Show will be held at the Center for the Arts each October where over 3,000 original artworks, both classical and contemporary, will be on display. The exhibition includes works from galleries both inside and outside the United States.
There are also numerous shows in the SoWa Art + Design District like their First Friday events, the Open Market every Sunday from May to October, Art Walks, and even a Winter Festival. That link should get you filled in on what is coming next.
Art Dealers & Appraisers
When you are ready to find a new piece for your collection or when you want to know how much a piece is worth you can go to art dealers and appraisers near you like:
Bromfield Gallery was founded in 1975 and is one of the premier artist-run galleries in your area exhibiting contemporary art in all media with a focus on New England creators including printmaking, sculpture, painting, drawing, video, installation, and new media.
Fountain Street is a contemporary gallery located in the SOWA art district among inviting shops, artist studios, and galleries in a vibrant and diverse up-and-coming neighborhood.
Pucker Gallery exhibits an eclectic and sophisticated collection of works by over 50 international artists including ceramics, photography, painting, sculpture, mobiles, and mixed media works.
The Art Collector is a well-known fine art dealer that has been buying and selling fine art for over 50 years.
Grand Image is a multidisciplinary design, art, and fabrication studio that offers a diverse range of products and services for design projects with a focus on hospitality, healthcare, multi-family residential, and corporate settings.
Blind Fox is a bicoastal fine artist with roots in Boston, Los Angeles, and New York who creates murals, fine art, and design that can be incorporated into any interior design scheme. Public art, corporate art, and hospitality art design are all areas of expertise.
ArtLifting provides creators with the opportunity to earn a living by selling original paintings, prints, and products.
Walking Tours
The artists, galleries, boutiques, and showrooms of the Sowa Art + Design District at and around 450 Harrison Avenue put on all kinds of stuff that we mentioned earlier in the shows and events section. They have First Fridays, Open Market on Sundays, and many more things to offer.
And even if they don’t have a current event going on strolling through this creative part of town could always be considered an art walk as you never know what you might find. Don’t forget about the great Beacon Hill Art Walk in June either.
Sculptures & Statues
There are some really nice sculptures and statues in your area like:
Arthur Fiedler Statue at Charles River Esplanade
Edgar Allan Poe Statue at Boylston St & Charles St
Make Way for Ducklings at 4 Charles St S
Tortoise and Hare at Boylston St & Clarendon St
Dragon for Dorchester at 703 Dudley St
Mary Dyer Sculpture at 151 Bowdoin St
Patrick Collins Statue at Commonwealth Ave
John Harvard Statue at 1 Harvard Yard, Cambridge
Aesop’s Fables II at 20 Vassar St, Cambridge
Ralph Helmick’s Arthur Fiedler Statue was installed along the Charles River Esplanade in 1984.
Poe Returning to Boston was unveiled at Edgar Allan Poe Square located on the corner of Boylston Street and Charles Street South as the life-size statue of the author was created by artist Stefanie Rocknak.
Make Way for Ducklings can be found in the Public Garden.
The Tortoise and the Hare are large bronze critters that were created by local sculptor Nancy Schön who also installed the Dragon for Dorchester on November 1, 2003.
Sylvia Shaw Judson’s Mary Dyer Sculpture is installed outside the Massachusetts State House. The bronze sculpture was commissioned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and dedicated on July 9, 1959.
Along Commonwealth Avenue in Boston a bronze bust of congressman and Boston Mayor Patrick Collins has been installed. The memorial was dedicated in 1908 and relocated in 1966.
Daniel Chester French’s bronze sculpture of John Harvard can be found in Harvard Yard.
Aesop’s Fables II is installed on Hockfield Court adjacent to Frank Gehry’s Stata Center which is vital to MIT and the surrounding community.
Boston Art Classes
There will be lessons for kids or adults available at some of the best Boston art schools and classes:
The Institute of Contemporary Art was founded in 1936 as the Boston Museum of Modern Art with offices rented at 114 State Street and gallery space provided by Harvard University’s Fogg Museum and the Busch–Reisinger Museum.
Tufts University’s School of the Museum of Fine Arts has been educating creators since 1876 and offers an interdisciplinary and self-directed education in the fine arts.
Boston Arts Academy (BAA) is the city’s only public high school for the visual and performing arts serving students from all over the city.
Cindy MacMillan founded the Academy of Realist Art in 2009 in the historic leather district as students receive individualized practical instruction allowing them to progress at their own pace while striving for the highest levels of draftsmanship and painting skills.
The Plein Air Art Academy is a boutique studio for serious creators where there are art classes for children and adults ages 4+ with a focus on connection to the environment as well as themed adult one-day workshops.
Lesley University is a private university that has received accreditation from the New England Commission on Higher Education.
The Paint Bar provides services to people of all ages with studio classes and private parties as they can help organize a corporate event, a birthday party, or a bachelorette party. Given the whole ‘bar’ theme you can assume these lessons will be a bit more casual than the others but that doesn’t mean their instructors can’t teach you a thing or two.
The New Art Center is a non-profit community education space that provides exceptional opportunities for everyone at all levels of ability to make, exhibit, view, think about, and discuss art.
Maud Morgan Arts is another great place for kids or adults to take art classes near you.
Studios For Rent Near You
If you are ready to begin your next project then rent some space at one of these Boston art studios:
Midway Artist Studios is the city’s largest affordable live-work building and was founded in 2005 as a place for creators to live and work in the city on a budget.
By fostering an empowered community of creators, organizations, and supporters the Fort Point Arts Community (FPAC) increases cultural vibrancy in your area.
Fenway Studios currently houses dozens of artists working in a variety of media.
Don’t forget that the SoWa Art + Design District is home to more than 200 art studios, galleries, boutiques, restaurants, the award-winning SoWa Open Market, and other attractions like SoWa First Fridays, and the SoWa Art Walk. This area has been mentioned in multiple sections of this post and for very good reason.
Framing
A frame can transform a regular looking piece or picture to that next level and some of the best places for local art framing are:
The Picture Store is a full-service in-house frame gallery in the Historic South End that has been committed to providing high-quality framing services and assistance to customers near you for over 20 years.
Around the Corner was formed in 2009 in the South End by artist Amanda Accardi and they prioritize hands-on craftsmanship while maintaining a keen eye for design.
South End Frames in Boston specializes in bespoke photo framing for all of your needs.
For the past 30 years Stone Photo has been a local favorite for framing and printing as experts in photo printing, bespoke frames, professional portraits, photo restorations, film and print scanning, passport photos, and video to DVD conversion.
Museum glass, conservation glass, non-glare glass, plexiglass, foam board, mat board, and hangers are all available at King Frame. Diplomas, jersey shirts, medals, newsprint, maps, pictures, water colors, oil paintings, lithographs, canvas stretching, and dry mounting are all framed by them.
Museum-quality custom picture and mirror framing is available at Cambridge Art & Frame who also offers photo restoration, digital and printing services, and a large range of historical maps, art, and photography.
Big Picture Framing was created in 2000 by Barry Stahl and Bob Clayton and they have nearly 30 years of frame experience between them.
Atelier 564 from our initial best galleries in your area list is another place known to provide high quality custom framing.
Some of you may also want to read our blogs about:
At the moment that is all we have to share about your local art scene. We listed the best galleries, museums, events, shows, supply stores, dealers, appraisers, walking tours, sculptures, classes, studios, and framers in your area that you may want to check out.
Anyone that is still reading this probably loves art as much as we do. If so go ahead and use the comments to mention your own tips or to let us know if you think we got anything wrong.
We hope you enjoy your time at the best Boston art galleries, museums, supply stores, or doing whatever else you plan to do with the info.
This post and all of the posts on our site are edited by Dan Soloman who has been a huge fan of art since he was a little kid. His mother was a good local artist, and she taught him the trade from a very early age. He studied art and its history in both high school and college, has worked at multiple galleries, and recently has begun creating and editing online content for this site and some other online media platforms.
