One of the finest art museums in America — a comprehensive encyclopedic collection of 450,000+ works spanning Egyptian mummies to Monets (the largest collection outside France) to Japanese art (the finest collection outside Japan) to American decorative arts, housed in an 1876 Copley Square building and a 2010 Art of the Americas wing, with free admission on Wednesday evenings.
Why It’s Worth Your Time
The Museum of Fine Arts Boston has one of the most remarkable collections in the United States — the product of 150+ years of acquisition by a city with the wealth, taste, and university infrastructure to source systematically from every culture. The Impressionist collection (particularly Claude Monet: the MFA holds 35 Monet works, the largest collection outside France) is the most broadly celebrated; the Japanese collection (the finest outside Japan, including Japanese prints, screens, and decorative arts acquired largely by Ernest Fenollosa and Edward Morse in the late 19th century) is the most significant academically; the Ancient Egyptian collection (including complete mummy cases and tomb contexts) is the most popular with children. The American decorative arts collection is among the three finest in the country. The 2010 Art of the Americas wing added 53 galleries and fundamentally expanded the museum's public presence. Free Wednesday evenings from 4pm are the most efficient use of the museum for visitors on a tight schedule.
What Stands Out
- 35 Monet works: the largest Monet collection outside France — the Impressionist room alone justifies a visit
- Japanese collection: the finest outside Japan — 19th-century academic acquisition at the highest level
- Egyptian antiquities: complete mummy cases, tomb contexts, and objects that span 5,000 years
- 450,000+ works across 500+ galleries: the most comprehensive encyclopedic collection in New England
- Free Wednesday evenings 4–9:45pm: the best value cultural experience in Boston after the NPS Freedom Trail tours