When you step into the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, you enter the 20th-largest art museum in the world by public gallery area. Housing a collection of more than 450,000 works of art—including over 8,000 paintings—this comprehensive destination in the Fenway–Kenmore neighborhood offers an incredible journey across human creativity and history. You can explore a diverse array of global treasures, including the largest collection of Japanese art outside of Japan, boasting thousands of paintings, ceramics, and ukiyo-e prints. Walk through the Art of the Americas Wing to see work spanning North, Central, and South America, then relax inside the glass-enclosed Ruth and Carl J.
Shapiro Family Courtyard alongside Dale Chihuly’s striking 42.5-foot Lime Green Icicle Tower. Marvel at Ancient Egyptian sculptures and sarcophagi, admire Dutch Golden Age masterpieces, and gaze up at John Singer Sargent’s vibrant rotunda frescoes. Modern art lovers will appreciate the I. M.
Pei–designed Linde Family Wing for Contemporary Art, while outdoors you can stroll through the peaceful Tenshin-En Japanese Garden with its traditional kabukimon-style entrance gate. Whether you come for French Impressionist paintings or historic musical instruments, the museum promises a deeply rewarding visit.
What to see at Museum of Fine Arts Boston
- The largest collection of Japanese art in the world outside of Japan
- Art of the Americas Wing and the glass-enclosed Ruth and Carl J. Shapiro Family Courtyard
- Dale Chihuly's 42.5-foot high Lime Green Icicle Tower glass sculpture
- John Singer Sargent's iconic rotunda frescoes
- Linde Family Wing for Contemporary Art designed by I. M. Pei
Visiting tips
Search the museum's free online database beforehand to easily locate specific pieces among its vast collection of over 346,000 digitized items.
How long: 2-4 hours · Best time: Morning
How to get there & what’s nearby
Museum of Fine Arts Boston is easy to reach on Boston’s public transport. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Boston travel guide.
See the full Boston travel guide for where to stay, the best time to visit and the top things to do.