Museums

The cold weather is finally here for good (I think). And with cold weather comes rain and snow and just generally times when you don't want to be outside.
So this post and the next one will be a few recommendations for museums. I know museums don't always seem that interesting, but these are worth a look I promise. The Boston area is blessed to have a wide variety of truly good museums, from art museums to natural history to cars. Some are on the pricier side, but if you're a resident of the state of Massachusetts, if you go to your local library or the Copley branch of the BPL, you can probably get at least a coupon if not a free pass to most of them. There are also lots of free hours, which I will point
out.
These are art museums, though certainly not all of the art museums in this city. I'll make sure to mix up some other museum types in the next post.

The Museum of Fine Arts is a great art museum, and has some really unique work in its collection. It is pricey ($20 admission), but when you consider how huge it is and the fact that one ticket gets you in for two days (as long as it's within 10 days of  your first visit), it's not so bad. Also, Bank of America card holders get in free, anyone under 17 gets in free, and on Wednesday nights, all admission is free. There are Asian, American, African, and European collections, along with several rotating exhibition spaces. And on the first Friday of every month, there's live music, cash bar, and tapas, all for just the price of admission. There is also a theatre which shows all kinds of interesting movies. This is a great place to take your kids, especially since on vacation days, they often have activities and other interesting programs for them. When the weather's nice, one of my favorite things to do is go for a walk or even a picnic along the Fens which is right next door, and then head over to the museum. On Huntington Ave, and the E train, and #39 bus line.

The Institute of Contemporary Art used to be in the Back Bay, but a few years ago it moved to a gorgeous brand new building on the waterfront, near South Station. The exhibition space is mostly devoted to traveling shows and they often have really cool ones. There are also dance performances and movies in the theatre, and the view from the top floor is really unique, a view of Boston from an angle that you don't usually get unless you're on a boat. Thursday nights are free, and it's either a short walk from South Station or the World Trade Center stop on the Silver Line.

Isabella Stewart Gardiner Museum was the home of Isabella Stewart Gardiner and her art collection. There is also a great glass covered courtyard (that's what's in the picture) that is really nice all seasons, but especially in the winter when the lush green is a bit of a pick-me-up. The art in this museum is organized according to how Ms. Gardiner wanted, so there are all kinds of interesting adjacencies, paintings in places you wouldn't expect, so it adds another level of interest even beyond the art and the courtyard. Also the scene of one of the largest art thefts in history. They do a music and food event on the third Thursday of each month, which you do have to buy tickets to, great fancy night out though. On Huntington Ave, and the E train, and #39 bus line.