The city of Boston supports and promotes a vibrant art and cultural community. Boston art museums have a well-deserved reputation for being among the best in the United States. The big three must-see art museums are the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Gardner Museum and the Harvard University Art Museums at Cambridge.

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts is rich in American painting and in French art from the 19th century and outstanding special exhibitions, free hours and daily activities. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is created in the romantic style of Venice, Italy around an indoor courtyard with a sculpture garden and open skylight. Across the Charles River, the museums at Harvard Square include: the Busch-Reisinger Museum (German Expressionism and Bauhaus), the Arthur Sackler Museum (Asian, Ancient Egyptian, Indian and Greek) and the Fogg Art Museum patterned after a 15th century Italian palazzo.

The annual Boston Arts Festival showcases Boston’s best visual and performing artists. Each month the Boston Office of Arts and Tourism calendar is filled with art and cultural events. For information on upcoming arts events in the Boston area, visit www.cityofboston.gov/calendar.