Discover creative talent in all its forms at the Gardner. As in Isabella’s time, Museum spaces today are activated with contemporary artworks, music and performance, art-making, dance, dialogue, poetry, and more.
COVID-19 Update
As a precaution, communal spaces and interactive objects and activities will be temporarily unavailable. Engage with us online in the meantime.
The following Museum spaces are currently unavailable:
- Richard E. Floor Living Room
- Greenhouse
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Enjoy Our Programs
Experience the Gardner’s rich and diverse programming! Isabella Stewart Gardner believed that art had the power to change lives and she built a beautiful, personal, and immersive Museum setting to do so. Today, the Gardner is a living embodiment of her bold vision; a dynamic place where ideas and creativity in all its forms inspire visitors.
Click on the links below for virtual, upcoming, or in-person programs.
Community and Studio Programs
Explore the Museum through programs co-produced with local artists, performers, cultural leaders, and social justice organizations. Celebrate the voices and talents of our community partners, Polly Thayer Starr Artists, and Neighborhood Luminaries!
Learn more about the mutually-beneficial relationships we value with our rich range of community partners here.
Luminary Lens
See Isabella, her museum, and the collection through the eyes of our Neighborhood Salon Lumiaries.
In the Studio
A new digital series that takes you into the studios and workspaces of artists who call Boston home.
Amplifier Programs
Local change-makers share work that delves into social justice through the arts.
Conversations & Lectures
Discover fresh perspectives from artists and innovators from Boston and beyond. Learn about a range of topics with experts from art history, landscape architecture, art conservation, and more!
The Larger Conversation
A gutsy series that connects current issues with Isabella's story and collection.
Lectures
Experts delve into topics connected with the Museum's collection, exhibitions, and history.
Music & Performing Arts
Through music and performances we strive to tell new stories and challenge assumptions through diverse voices and community members.
Thursdays Live
R&B, soul, spoken word, and hip-hop music featuring local and nationally renowned artists.
Classical Music
Classical masterpieces, performed by celebrated icons and rising stars on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Performing Arts
Exciting performances of dance, music, theater, and spoken that connect to the Museum.
Exhibition-Related Programs
Our exhibition programs connect historic and contemporary exhibitions to contemporary issues and feature members of our local community, experts in the field, and contemporary artists of all kinds.
Titian: Women, Myth & Power
Programs engaging with the art and themes of the once-in-a-lifetime exhibition
Shen Wei: Painting in Motion
Programs exploring the work of dancer, choreographer, painter, and filmmaker Shen Wei.
Boston’s Apollo: Thomas McKeller & John Singer Sargent
Programs connecting Boston’s Apollo to contemporary issues and artists.