A Venetian Palace Is Hiding Right Here In Massachusetts...And You'll Want To Visit

In the words of one Yelp reviewer: “The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is better than the Museum of Fine Arts. If you’re in Boston and only have time for one art museum, go to the Gardner.”

This incredible art museum and historical building is a slice of old-world Europe right in our own backdoor. Founded by the late Isabella Stewart Gardner, the mansion houses works by the likes of Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Raphael, Manet, Titian and Botticelli. It was styled after a 15th-century Venetian palace, and incorporates actual pieces of Gothic and Renaissance structures. Stepping inside truly feels like a departure to another land.

Three floors of galleries surround a stunning courtyard. In 1990, the museum was the victim of the single greatest property theft in world history, when two thieves disguised as Boston police officers stole over $500 million in artwork (13 paintings) from the museum. Since then, empty frames hang in some galleries in the hopes that the paintings will be returned.

Read on to learn more about this awesome destination.