One of the oldest municipalities in the USA, the city was founded in 1630 by English settlers. Several events of the American Revolution took place in the city, including the Boston Massacre and the Battle of Bunker Hill. The Boston Tea Party was formed there as well. It housed the first public school and the first subway system in the country.

Today, Boston is a popular tourist city due to its rich history, and is a center of culture and education.

ART GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS

• Originally the Boston Museum of Modern Art, the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston was founded in 1936 with the vision of exhibiting new artistic styles. Although it has had many names and moved more than a dozen times, it has maintained its status as a center for contemporary art. Today it is housed in a modern complex in the Seaport District that has been both touted and reviled by critics. The museum was solely an exhibition space for travelling shows until 2000, when a collection began. Each year there is a new exhibit showcasing pieces from the collection, while short term exhibits have included the works of Andy Warhol, Cornelia Parker, and Mark Bradford.

• The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is one of the largest museums in the United States. Its collection is made up of more than 450,000 artworks that are visited by over one million guests each year. The museum was founded in 1870, and currently resides in a neoclassical building that was constructed for the institution in 1909. Some of the most popular parts of this massive collection include Egyptian sarcophagi and sculpture, French impressionist and post-impressionist works by Gauguin, Manet, and Van Gogh, Chinese paintings and calligraphy, and more than 1500 contemporary works created since the 1950s.

• An impressive collection of American, Asian and European art resides at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, established in 1903. In addition to exhibitions, the 15th century Venetian-esque palace hosts concerts, lectures and community events, and free entrance is granted to anyone named Isabella. Gardner was a philanthropist and collector and was intimately involved in the display of her collection in the museum. Works housed within its walls are works by Botticelli, Titian, and Matisse, as well as thousands of pages of correspondence from famous figures.

• Boston University Art Gallery presents four or five annual exhibits that strive to utilize the talent of local and regional individuals. The artworks are presented along with historical context, and bring to light the less-recognized fields within the art world. Students in the school's visual art and graphic design programs can show their work at each end-of-season show. In addition to these exhibits, the gallery offers lectures and panel discussions. In the past, the gallery has shown the works of well known contemporary artists such as Hans Hofmann, Jacob Lawrence, Alice Neel, and Pat Steir.

• Galerie d'Orsay
• Photographic Resource Center at Boston University
• Barbara Krakow Gallery
• The Iris Gallery of Fine Art Photography
• Boston Athenæum
• Hamill Gallery of African Art
• West End Museum
• Boston Children's Museum
• Vessels Gallery
• Galleria Florentia
• Art Institute of Boston
• Robert Klein Gallery
• Old South Meeting House
• Judith Dowling Asian Art
• Gallery NAGA

Boston, Massachusetts

ARTISTIC INSTITUTIONS

Boston is home to a number of post-secondary art institutions, and offers many community classes and courses in a variety of subjects.

• Founded in 1873, the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (known as MassArts) is one of the oldest art schools in the country, and was the firs to bestow an art degree. Begun in an attempt to lure drawing teachers to the city to train architects, artists and designers, the school now ranks as one of the top art institutions in the country, and offers Bachelor and Masters programs in a variety of concentrations, including fashion design, art history, animation, painting, fibers, and ceramics. The campus is home to ten art galleries that show the work of students and travelling exhibits.

• The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is another long standing institution, established in 1876. In partnership with Northeastern and Tufts Universities, the school offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, certificates and diplomas in photography, print and paper, sound, video, metals, and more. Students are given many changes to exhibit their work and receive the critiques and guidance intrinsic with public display. These opportunities include the Museum School Art Sale and the juried Student Annual Exhibition.

• A part of Suffolk University, the New England School of Art and Design was founded in 1923 and high school programs and continuing education courses in addition to various Bachelor and Masters degree programs. Students can receiving training in fine arts, graphic design, architecture, illustration, and interior design. The school is specifically known for its high quality interior design program. At the Suffolk University Art Gallery, student work in all fields is exhibited is regular shows, interspersed with faculty shows that highlight the link between student and teacher. The gallery is open to the public and encourages the community to join with scholars in the discussion of art.

• Study art history, creative writing, sculpture or studio art at Brandeis University
• Boston University offers degree programs in acting, graphic design, and printmaking, as well as a certificate in scene painting.
• Both undergraduate and graduate courses are available at Northeastern University in design, journalism, and studio art.
• Children and adults alike can take a class on painting like the masters from Plein Air Academy.
• The Urban Art Bar blends drinks with classes in a variety of art forms.
• Take a private lesson - or give one as a gift - from Rokuro Pottery.
• Learn the fascinating art of glass blowing by taking a course at Diablo Glass School.

NATIVE ARTISTS

There are plenty of artistic people originally from, or currently living in Boston, Massachusetts!

• John Singleton Copley was a painter who is known for his portraits of significant New England figures, into which he would incorporate items that related to their life or work.

• One of the Boston Expressionists, Kahlil Gibran was a sculptor and instrument builder who attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts.

• An artist of many talents, Tom Jung is an art director, illustrator and graphic designer who is best known for his movie posters, which include Gone With The Wind and Star Wars.

• Winslow Homer was famous for his landscapes, depictions of pastoral life. and beachscapes, and is considered one of the best artists of the 19th century.

• Actors Clark Gregg, Matt Damon, Leonard Nemoy and Edward Norton.

ART AND CULTURAL EVENTS

Annual Events

• The Boston Arts Festival is an event you won't want to miss if you enjoy interactive exhibits and performance art. Taking place over the weekend in late August, the two-day festival features plenty of free performances that showcase musical, visual and performing talent, as well as workshops on activities such as ceramics, sculpture, and painting. Artists from the Boston Open Studios Coalition feature their artwork, textile art is on display, and immersion in the arts is unavoidable.

• Since its in augural show in 1996, the International Fine Art Show has offered local and visiting collectors a chance to expand their collection during a four-day event that merges art sales with a gala, striking exhibits from around the world, and panel discussions aimed at helping amateurs begin and care for their collection. The show features artwork in a variety of mediums, including sculpture, photography and paintings.

• Hosted by the School for the Museum of Fine Arts, the SMFA Art Sale is a yearly event that features the work of established professional artists, students of the school, and the faculty. Sale of the pieces goes toward student scholarship opportunities. Thousands of visitors attend the show, which offers paintings and other works for collectors and casual art lovers alike. Members of SMFA Medici are invited to a special pre-show sale for a chance to take home their favorite pieces right away.

Other Events and Sights to See

• Catch at Red Sox game at the legendary Fenway Park.
• Check out the penguins at the New England Aquarium.
• Ride the Swan Boats in the Public Gardens.
• The Franklin Park Zoo has an ark of gorillas, alligators, and more.
• Wander the fortifications at Castle Island.
• Have a few laughs at the city's venue for comedy, Wilbur Theatre.
• Trek along the Boston Harborwalk for a taste of the city's natural side.

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