Eight Great Museum Gems in Boston & Surrounds

<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.spire.com/picks-sign-up"><img alt="Sign up for Suzanne&#39;s e-newsletters" title="Sign up for Suzanne&#39;s e-newsletters" src="http://a323.yahoofs.com/phugc/FWKJYJwfpGum/photos/a2b3af3897c5acce4e06aebd47c6b244/ori_a0dcc307a411ba.jpg?ug_____DsGxcXs0w" align="right" width="222" height="87"></a>Tired of Colonial and Revolutionary War historical sites? The Boston area is also home to an array of cultural attractions, from exquisite art collections in the city to tree-shaded sculpture parks in the suburbs.<strong><br><br>Peabody Essex Museum</strong><img alt="Peabody Essex Museum" title="Peabody Essex Museum" src="http://a323.yahoofs.com/phugc/78gPSBD4_xpG/photos/4ea9b48701e88518aef132e6d4b2dc0a/ori_7eba17789dc1ff.jpg?ug_____Dof8pqfZZ" align="right" width="222" height="213"><br>Savvy art fans come from New York City and beyond to visit this outstanding institution, so it&#39;s absolutely worth making the short trip from Boston. Just 16 miles north of the city in historic Salem, the Peabody Essex was founded in 1799 and is the guardian of more than 800,000 cultural treasures. The complex comprises 22 heritage buildings, six of which are listed on the US National Register and another four that are classified as National Historic Landmarks. The enormous collection has global significance, but the primary focus is on Asian art from Japan, Korea, India and China—the museum has the only complete Qing Dynasty house outside China—as well as Native American and Oceanic art displayed in themed galleries. Other highlights are the fascinating temporary exhibitions, with Maori Tattoo Art, Japanese Kabuki Theater, and Polar Attractions among some of the recent and upcoming featured displays. The beautiful Phillips Library is also worth a visit, and the gift shop has lots of high quality souvenirs.<span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.spire.com/s-file/eight-great-museum-gems-in-boston-surrounds#Post_7587">www.pem.org</a></span> | Phone: +1 978 745 9500 East India Square | Salem, MA 01970 United States<br><br><br> <strong>Davis Museum and Cultural Center at Wellesley College</strong><br>Art, history and architecture converge at the Davis Museum and Cultural Center, one of the oldest and arguably best academic fine arts museums in the United States. Designed by award-winning architect Rafael Moneo, and a jewel in the crown of Boston&#39;s venerable Wellesley College, Davis Museum is a work of art in itself—three interconnected cubic masses, clad in exposed brick, metal and concrete and housing more than 10,000 objects in four floors of galleries. Via permanent and temporary exhibitions, lectures, concerts, tours, open classes, films and installations, the museum takes visitors on a journey through global history, shining the spotlight on the role of the arts in society along the way. Set in Wellesley&#39;s magnificent landscaped grounds and brimming with rare books, photographs, prints, paintings, drawings and a host of other artworks, the Davis Museum is one of those places that never fails to stimulate the brain cells.<span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.spire.com/s-file/eight-great-museum-gems-in-boston-surrounds#Post_7587">www.wellesley.edu</a></span> | Phone: +1 781 283 2051 Wellesley College, 106 Central Street | Wellesley, MA 02481 United States<br><br><br> <strong>Fuller Craft Museum</strong> Forget grandma&#39;s knitting and patchwork quilts—this fabulous foundation is as far from traditional arts and crafts as you can get. With an array of eclectic exhibitions that run the gamut from religious icons to glass sculpture to mechanical flights of fancy to funky chairs and whimsical teapots, the Fuller Craft Museum offers the chance to lose yourself in a world of creativity for a few hours. Located in Brockton, about a 30 minutes&#39; drive south of Boston, the museum showcases prominent American and international artists and craftspeople, and perpetually searches for new talent through a schedule of workshops, outreach programs and family events. There are guided tours at 2 p.m. every Saturday and free entry from 5-9 p.m. on Wednesdays, the ideal time to get crafty in an inspirational setting.<span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.spire.com/s-file/eight-great-museum-gems-in-boston-surrounds#Post_7587">www.fullercraft.org</a></span> | Phone: +1 508 588 6000 455 Oak Street | Brockton, MA 02301 United States<br><br><br> <strong>DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park</strong> Most impressive about this contemporary American art museum is its amazing sculpture park—35 acres of lawns and woodlands showcasing a super collection of large-scale sculptures and other eye-catching outdoor, weather-worn art. Located in Lincoln, a 45-minute drive northwest of Boston, this imposing mansion and estate were once the summer home of Julian de Cordova, a wealthy 19th-century merchant who turned the house into a museum to share his own considerable art collection, and create a center for emerging modern artists. Check out the main building for contemporary art and regular exhibitions, and save plenty of time to wander through the three-tier Sculpture Park where you can enjoy works by George Rickey, Alexander Liberman and other notable 20th-century sculptors.<span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.spire.com/s-file/eight-great-museum-gems-in-boston-surrounds#Post_7587">www.decordova.org</a></span> | Phone: +1 781 259 8355 51 Sandy Pond Road | Lincoln, MA 01773 United States<br><br><br> <strong>Boston Sculptors Gallery</strong> If you don&#39;t want to make the trek to Lincoln&#39;s DeCordova Sculpture Park, Boston Sculptors Gallery is right in the heart of the city and showcases 28 of the best contemporary sculptors and artists in the Boston area. One of only a handful of cooperative sculpture galleries in the U.S., it has an unusually large gallery space dedicated to two of its members every month for major exhibitions. Located at 486 Harrison Avenue, in Boston&#39;s rapidly emerging SOWA arts district (that&#39;s local-speak for South of Washington), the gallery has receptions on the first Friday of every month—always free and open to the public. Stop by to meet the artists and chat with them about their work and what inspires them.<span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.spire.com/s-file/eight-great-museum-gems-in-boston-surrounds#Post_7587">www.bostonsculptors.com</a></span> | Phone: +1 617 482 7781 486 Harrison Avenue | Boston, MA 02118 United States<br><br><br> <strong>Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum</strong> When it comes to museums, the Gardner embodies the term &quot;gem.&quot; Opened in 1903, and home to one of the most important collections of art in America, the exquisite center is the enduring legacy of Isabella Stewart Gardner, a wealthy Bostonian and an avid traveler and arts patron who dedicated her home, fortune and life to creating a world-class cultural institution. Tucked away in Boston&#39;s leafy Fenway district and designed as a Venetian palazzo, the museum&#39;s three levels of galleries display extraordinary art from Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Asia, much of it collected by Gardner on her frequent travels—Botticelli&#39;s <em>Lucretia</em>, Titian&#39;s <em>Europa</em>, <em>The Concert</em> by Vermeer, a self-portrait by Rembrandt, and the sublime<em> El Jaleo</em> by John Singer Sargent—one of Gardner&#39;s many artist friends. The museum&#39;s centerpiece is a flower-filled enclosed courtyard; the palazzo was Gardner&#39;s home—she lived in a fourth-floor apartment—and the museum has a very private and personal feel. A must-see on any visit to Boston.<span><br><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.spire.com/s-file/eight-great-museum-gems-in-boston-surrounds#Post_7587">www.gardnermuseum.org</a></span> | Phone: +1 617 566 1401<br>280 The Fenway | Boston, MA 02115 United States <strong><br><br>Boston Athenaeum</strong> History resonates through this wonderful but little-known institution, founded in 1807 and one of the oldest libraries in America. The majestic Athenaeum is largely member-based, and much of it is closed to the public, but it does offer interesting art and architecture tours twice a week (reservations required). There&#39;s also an exhibition gallery that&#39;s free and open to the public—but that&#39;s just scratching the surface. Become a member and you can access half a million books (English and American literature, Boston and New England history, biographies and the fine and decorative arts among an array of other subjects), and attend events, lectures, book signings, music performances, art exhibits and children&#39;s programs. Members are kept up to speed with the Athenaeum&#39;s loaded events calendar thanks to a newsletter. Like what you learn on a visit? Members get discounts in the book store. It&#39;s located at 10 Beacon Street, in the heart of Boston, overlooking the Granary Burying Ground. <span><br><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.spire.com/s-file/eight-great-museum-gems-in-boston-surrounds#Post_7587">www.bostonathenaeum.org</a></span> | Phone: +1 617 227 0270 10½ Beacon Street | Boston, MA 02108 United States <strong><br><br>American Textile History Museum</strong> Go here to really delve deep into the fabric of American society! Established in 1960 and located in the historic textile producing city of Lowell, a 45-minute drive north of Boston, the American Textile History Museum traces the nation&#39;s rich history through the art and science of textiles—those great woolen, cotton, flax and silk industries that have played a vital role in America&#39;s economy, not to mention the booming fashion industry. The museum&#39;s collection is one of the largest of its kind and features thousands of books, prints, photographs, costumes, fabrics, equipment and machinery used in the manufacture and design of textiles. The entire museum is temporarily closed for a major improvement program, and is scheduled to open late fall 2008. One for the diary.<span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.spire.com/s-file/eight-great-museum-gems-in-boston-surrounds#Post_7587">www.athm.org</a></span> | Phone: +1 978 441 0400 491 Dutton Street | Lowell, MA 01854 United States<br><br>For more Arts &amp; Culture visit <a rel="nofollow" title="Suzanne&#39;s Files" href="http://www.spire.com/arts-and-culture">Suzanne&#39;s Files</a>