• Hours and Admission
• Directions
• Tours, Talks, and Group Visits
  • Public Tours and Talks
  • Adult Groups
  • College Groups
  • School Group Visits
• Offers and Discounts
• What to Expect When You Visit
• Overview and Room Guides
• Living Room
• Education Studio
• Café G
• Gift at the Gardner
• Purchase Museum Tickets

The Gardner Museum welcomes college groups. One-hour tours are designed to engage visitors through conversation and close looking, while also exploring the history of the museum.

The Museum's new wing and restoration have generated high demand for tours. Tour availability is limited through May 2012. For the best chance of reserving your desired date and time, please contact the Education Department four to six weeks in advance, if possible.

College Groups

The Gardner Museum reopens in January 2012, debuting the new Renzo-Piano design wing and restored historic galleries. Group tours in the expanded museum will begin March 2012.

Gallery experiences offer the opportunity to enhance course curriculum, whether in the arts, literature, history, or even science.

Some suggested tour topics include: Collection Highlights, Exploring the Renaissance, or Portraits of Power. The new Architecture tour focuses on the conception, design and materials of Renzo Piano’s new wing and its inspiration by the museum’s beautiful courtyard. We are happy to tailor any tour to support your students’ learning.

All group tours must be arranged at least three weeks in advance by emailing tours@isgm.org. Modest fees are charged.

The Gardner Museum also engages many local college students through our University Member Program.

What to Expect

Guided Visits
All student groups are strongly encouraged to visit the Gardner Museum on a guided gallery experience. Groups of 30 or more are required to be guided by a museum teacher. Guided tours are conducted by professionally trained museum teachers who are specifically assigned to your group. A museum teacher will contact you prior to your arrival to discuss the details of your visit.

Museum teachers will provide a general introduction to the context of the museum and the founder, while also facilitating discussion about approximately five works of art in the museum’s major galleries. Rather than attempting to show students many objects, we emphasize deeper looking and conversations about a few objects during your visit. In addition to rich, dynamic discussions amongst the students, the Gardner visit also offers opportunities for independent responses through writing and sketching.

Self-Guided Visits
Groups of 30 or fewer may choose to the galleries on their own. Due to the small size of the museum's galleries, self-guided groups must be divided into groups of 5 or fewer to explore the museum. Self-guided visits must still make a reservation.

Scheduling Your Visit

Registration
To schedule a group visit, please contact the Education Department via email at tours@isgm.org or by calling 617 278 5147. All groups of 10 people or more must register at least 3 weeks in advance.

Unregistered groups may be denied entry to the museum.

Group reservations are not confirmed over the phone. The Tour Manager must receive a completed Registration Form before a confirmation letter will be sent.

Group Size
Due to the intimate nature of the museum’s galleries, a maximum of 60 students per tour reservation time is allowed for guided groups and a maximum of 30 students per reservation time for self-guided groups. Groups larger than 60 will have staggered entry.

Hours
Guided visits may be scheduled Monday and Wednesday through Saturday, at the following arrival times: 11:15am, 12:30pm, 1:45pm and 3:1 pm

Self-guided visits may be scheduled Monday and Wednesday through Saturday, at the following arrival times: 11:30am, 12:45pm, 2:15pm and 3:30pm.

The museum cannot guarantee extended tours to accommodate late arrivals.

Fees and Payment
College groups are charged $10 per student which includes admission and guided tour.

Self-guided groups: $5 per student, which includes admission only.

Students of University Members receive free admission, and pay a reduced fee for a guided tour.

Please note: Professors are admitted free of charge up to 1 per 10 students.

Cancellations
Should your group need to cancel or change the date of its visit, please call 617 278 5147 or email tours@isgm.org. 72 hours notice is required.

Parking
The Museum does not provide parking facilities. In addition to metered street parking, several parking lots and garages are located nearby. Buses must find their own parking.