a guide to Boston's best museums

Boston Museum of Science

The Museum of Science in Boston is a must-visit for curious minds of all ages. Along the Charles River, this massive museum connects East Cambridge to Boston’s West End with over 700 interactive exhibits covering everything from the human body to outer space. Don’t miss the "Lightning!" show, where 5,000,000 volts of electricity create natural lightning right before your eyes. Whether you’re digging into dinosaur skeletons, getting hands-on with engineering challenges, or walking through a greenhouse, the Museum of Science promises adventure. Ideal for a half-day visit or more, this place is pure wonder and discovery. It's also only a 15 min walk from citizenM Boston North Station!

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

One of our favourite museums in Boston! The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is a mix of intimacy and grandeur. Set in a Venetian-style palazzo around a beautiful courtyard, it showcases masterpieces by Botticelli, Raphael, Titian, and John Singer Sargent. Gardner’s collection includes over 17,000 objects like paintings, sculptures, furniture, and more. The museum also features a café and gift shop in its Renzo Piano-designed wing. It’s a perfect blend of art, history, and luxury.

Museum of Fine Arts

The Museum of Fine Arts is a gem. It has one of the best collections of Korean and Japanese art in the country, the only permanent exhibition of ancient coins in the U.S., and a vast array of ancient Egyptian treasures. Don’t miss the Claude Monet gallery in the European Wing or the Arts of Islamic Cultures Gallery. With so much to see, you could spend weeks here. It’s a must-visit for any art lover.

MassArt Art Museum

Boston’s only free contemporary art museum, the MassArt Art Museum (MAAM), is the place to see visionary works at the forefront of contemporary art. Dive into the world of cutting-edge creativity! Best part? It's a 5 min drive from citizenM Boston Back Bay!

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

Step back in time at the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum. This immersive experience features actors in period costumes, historic reenactments, and interactive exhibits. Start at a meeting where Samuel Adams protests the tea tax, then board a reproduction eighteenth-century ship to dump tea into the harbour. Learn about the American Revolution through holographs, animated portraits, and dramatic films. It’s like Disney World meets Revolutionary War history.

Paul Revere House

Visit the Paul Revere House on the Freedom Trail. This small, two-story seventeenth-century home has been restored to reflect its past when it was owned by merchant Robert Howard and later, silversmith Paul Revere. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the life and times of Revolutionary War-era Boston.

MIT Museum

Geek out at the MIT Museum, dedicated to science, technology, engineering, art, and math. This newly relocated museum in Kendall Square offers 56,000 square feet of hands-on, interactive exhibits. From AI to kinetic sculptures and solar-powered cars to genetic engineering, there’s something to intrigue everyone. Don’t miss the kid-friendly maker space and the monthly “After Dark” events for the 21+ crowd.