This In-Active Profile Has Been Archived

The following profile has been archived in our database and is no longer active. Click the here to view similar profiles that are currently active and up-to-date.

New Year's Open House: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Report Error

Email It

Write a Review

We have Not Yet Posted This Year's Information for This Event Yet

If new information for this event is already available for this year, please let us know.

Venue:	Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Dates:	Sunday, January 1, 2012
Hours:	11:00am - 5:00pm (Galleries begin closing at 4:45pm)
In/Outdoor:	Indoor
Cost:	Free
Category:	Holiday

Each year on New Year's Day, the museum opens its doors to visitors free of charge. Come start the new year off in fine style at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Designed in the style of a 15th century Venetian palace, Fenway Court was built around the turn of the century to house a fine private collection of Italian Renaissance and old masters' artwork.

View Current Exhibitions.

Frank Hatch is a former board president of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, who has dedicated his life to public service and arts advocacy.

The beautiful indoor courtyard garden that blooms year round is a wonderful treat with stone paths and little benches where you may rest. Family Programs are available for children over five.

WEBSITE

↑ top

www.gardnermuseum.com/

LOCATION

↑ top

25 Evans Way, Boston, MA map
Phone: 617-566-1401

REVIEWS

↑ top

Not fun for kids

I don't recommend this for families with young kids on New Year's Day. Although admission was free and they advertised 'family activities', my 5 year old and 7 year old wanted to leave within 20 minutes. The 'activities' consisted of finding various things around the museum (i.e. birds in the garden (there were none), finding various images in paintings throughout the galleries, and sketching on paper. I expected the types of hands-on, guided activities in rooms dedicated to these activities that the MFA had on their free day (Labor Day weekend?), namely paint-your-own picture, making basket-weave 'mini-blankets' with tissue paper and 2 others that I can't remember--but my kids enjoyed. New Year's Day at the Gardner Museum was a HUGE disappointment--don't bring your kids.

NOT Kid-friendly

We took our two girls, 1 1/2 and 3 years old, to the museum on New Year's day. This was our first visit to the Gardner Museum. It was not a pleasant experience. The security guards were extremely rude. They followed us around and scolded us for unreasonable reasons such as touching the red ropes, leaving our stroller in the hallway to go look at an exhibit and using the stroller on the stairs even though we carried it and our child was not in it. We spoke with the director of security and let him know how uncomfortable we were made to feel. I definitely won't be back. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone with children who are below 6 years old.