Museums I keep coming back to
List · 8 items

Museums I keep coming back to

Maura KilbrideMaura Kilbride
8 items
List

Museums I keep coming back to

Maura Kilbride
@maurakilbride
8Items

Development work means I spend a lot of weekends in other people's galleries, and honestly, it never gets old. This is the rotation I recommend to friends and donors alike — heavy hitters, quiet gems, and the odd one that pairs suspiciously well with a post-visit glass of red in JP. Consider this list a living document; my next exhibit debrief is probably happening at one of these right now.

The list

Rank
Museums I keep coming back to — 8 items
NameCommentNeighborhoodAddressCity
1Isabella Stewart Gardner MuseumThe courtyard alone justifies a membership. I bring every new board member here first — nobody says no to Venetian palazzo energy.Fenway25 Evans WayBoston, MA
2Museum of Fine Arts, BostonVast enough that you need a plan and a snack. I still haven't seen everything and I've been going for a decade.Fenway465 Huntington AvenueBoston, MA
3Institute of Contemporary Art/BostonThat cantilevered glass box over the harbor still gets a reaction from first-timers. Great for a Thursday evening when you want water views with your Warhol.Seaport25 Harbor Shore DriveBoston, MA
4Harvard Art MuseumsThe Renzo Piano atrium makes even a quick visit feel like an event. Worth the Red Line trip out to Harvard Square.Cambridge32 Quincy StreetCambridge, MA
5Museum of ScienceYes, it's full of school groups on weekdays. It's also full of genuinely great exhibits, and the Charles River view from the plaza never disappoints.West End1 Science ParkBoston, MA
6Boston AthenaeumTechnically a library, but the gallery spaces and that hushed, old-Boston hush make it feel like a museum with better light.Beacon Hill10 1/2 Beacon StreetBoston, MA
7USS Constitution MuseumA short ferry ride from Long Wharf and worth it — the ship-side exhibits make Revolutionary-era Boston feel close enough to touch.CharlestownCharlestown Navy Yard, Building 22Boston, MA
8Museum of African American HistorySmall, essential, and anchored to the Abiel Smith School and African Meeting House. I send every out-of-town colleague here before they see anything else.Beacon Hill46 Joy StreetBoston, MA