Plan A Visit

The Museum offers resources to ensure the accessibility of the Museum, its programs and events. Visit the accessibility page for a complete overview.

You are welcome to take non-flash photos or video of works of art and the galleries for your personal enjoyment, but not for commercial use. Unfortunately, we cannot allow tripods or selfie sticks, or accommodate professional or personal photo/video shoots. A photoshoot is defined as professional or amateur portrait photography for engagement, graduation, quinceanera, family, maternity, portfolio, prom, wedding and any other posed photo session. These posed photo sessions interfere with the visiting experience of other guests and can cause galleries and hallways to become inaccessible for the public. For information on images for scholarly or commercial purposes, please see our Rights and Reproductions page. Rights and Reproductions page

Here’s a full list of free* offerings from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum:

• Anyone 17 and under receives free general admission year-round, every day we’re open. We’ve offered this program for decades, our records indicating that Boston Public Schools were first offered free admission in 1935.
• Boston Family Days: The Gardner Museum is excited to be part of an extraordinary public-private partnership between the City of Boston and philanthropic partners that provide free access to nice premiere cultural institutions to all Boston school aged-children. Students and up to two guests will gain free admission to participating institutions on the first two Sundays of each month.
• “Thinking Through Art” (TTA): the Gardner Museum’s partnership  program with Boston Public Schools that includes teacher professional development, classroom curriculum, subsidized bus transportation for class visits, and free family passes for participating students and teachers
• Free First Thursdays: After 3pm, the first Thursday of each month, the Gardner Museum is free for all to enjoy.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January); Juneteenth (June), and Indigenous Peoples’ Day (October) are free for all visitors.
• Members of our military and their families receive free general admission.
• Is your name Isabella? Yes? Well, you’re always free at the Gardner Museum.
• Wonderfund Access Card holders receive free admission for 2 adults and up to 6 children 17 and under per card, for a total of 8 admitted per visit.
• University Membership offers free general admission and to select programs and lectures
• All Isabella Stewart Gardner Members receive free general admission
• Start your visit by joining one of our drop-in “How to do the Gardner” 30-Minute Free Tours. Ask for tickets at the admissions desk.

 *Please note that tickets are always required, even with free general admission. Advanced reservations are recommended, as the Musuem does experience sell-out days.

Please note that we are currently open with timed-entry ticketing and tickets do sell out for popular times of day and days of the week. Members and Patrons are strongly encouraged to reserve tickets in advance of their visit as tickets may not be available at the door. Only an advance ticket reservation ensures your spot. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding!

• All requirements for visitors, as detailed above, apply to Members and Patrons.
• Members may reserve tickets online using their Member login or by calling the Box Office at 617 278 5156.
• All members with advance reservations must stand in the ticket holder line and wait for their entry time. Please arrive no more than five minutes before your designated time slot.
• If Members wish to redeem a single-use guest pass, or if you have trouble securing a ticket online, please contact the Box Office at 617 278 5156 or boxoffice@isgm.org at least 48 hours prior to your visit.
• Friends of Fenway Court Patrons can reserve tickets for themselves or their guests by emailing patrons@isgm.org, or by calling the Patron Line at 617 264 6045. Please send ticketing requests by 5 pm the day before you would like to visit.
• If you need immediate assistance on a weekend, please call the Box Office directly at 617 278 5156.

If you are a corporate or university member, please contact your membership administrator for your complimentary ticket code.
Follow the links below to see if your University or Coporation is a member.

• University Member Information
• Corporate Member Information

Museum Pass Program passholders must reserve and receive passes (either digital or print) from their library and purchase Museum admission timed-entry tickets in advance using the unique promo code given with each pass. Should you have trouble purchasing your tickets online, please contact the Box Office at 617 278 5156.

Isabella created her installations to evoke an emotional response in visitors. That’s why, unlike at other institutions, there aren’t conventional labels in this museum. She wanted you to find your own meanings. To learn more about the collection, you can use digital room guides, audio guides, and maps on your phone or mobile device. In addition, knowledgeable volunteers (wearing buttons that say “Ask Me”) are located in the galleries and on the first floor of the New Wing. You can download the Museum overview and the room guides, available in multiple languages, before you visit.

WHAT CAN I BRING WITH ME?

• Your own headphones to listen to our audio guides on your smartphone
• Soft, front-facing carriers and single and tandem strollers
• A coat you can tie around your waist
• Bags smaller than 12 in. x 12 in.

WHAT CAN’T I BRING WITH ME?

• Outside food and/or drink
• Bags, backpacks, and luggage larger than 12 in. x 12 in.
• Baby backpacks and children on shoulders
• Double-wide strollers

If possible, leave bulky items at home so you can comfortably enjoy your visit. All backpacks, packages, large purses, and umbrellas, plus bulky outerwear, must be checked at the coat check on the first floor or placed into a visitor locker; there is no charge for either option. For the safety of our collection, all bags over 12”x12” are not permitted in the galleries and all bags under this size should be worn on the front of the body or carried securely under an arm. Any unworn garments should not be carried, but instead tied around your waist or checked at the coat check or lockers. No food or beverage is allowed in the galleries, and this includes water as well as empty beverage containers.

The Gardner Museum is not responsible for items held at the coat check or lockers. If you have valuables such as your ID or travel documents that you wish not to check, tote bags are available to borrow at the coat check.

All food and drink must stay outside of our gallery spaces. This includes water, as well as empty beverage containers. You are welcome to enjoy food and beverage in the New Wing. Light bites, coffee, and full meals are all available in the beautiful glass-walled Café G. In nice weather, you can also picnic in Evans Way Park across from the front entrance to the Museum.

Guests interested in visiting Café G only must check in at the Admissions desk upon arrival. Seating is available inside the restaurant or on our patio, weather permitting. Featuring seasonal, locally-sourced, and delicious food and beverages, our menus offer something for everyone, from full lunch, to drinks and snacks, including items for children.

Don't miss a visit to our boutique, Gift at the Gardner! The Shop offers a thoughtfully curated selection of products including books, stationery, jewelry, home décor, and more, all reflecting the museum's eclectic mix of styles and its commitment to supporting craftsmanship from around the world. Tickets are not required to explore Gift at the Gardner. 
 

Please visit gift.gardnermuseum.org for additional information.

Even the lightest touch can damage a work of art, so please don’t touch the art, furniture, or decorative objects. You are welcome to lift the fabric covering the glass on certain display cases throughout the Museum; these coverings are clearly labeled.

You’ll notice that many of the galleries have lower light levels to protect the art from long-term damage. Make sure to let your eyes adjust as you enter each gallery space. The lighting in the Museum varies from space to space and from season to season, with the architectural elements creating the interplay of light and shadow that has always been part of the Museum experience.

General Admission for children 17 and under is always free, but does require an admission ticket. You can find tips for visiting with children on our Family Visits page.

Feel free to sketch with pencil in notebooks 11 x 14 inches or smaller. Unfortunately, we can’t allow other drawing materials such as colored pencils, ink pens, etc. in the galleries. Pencils and paper can be found at the “Ask Me” table by the courtyard.

If you have lost an item, please call the Lost and Found at the Box Office at 617 278 5156.

Smoking and vaping are not permitted anywhere in the Museum or in the outside gardens.