One of the largest art museums in the world, this 616,937 square foot institution was founded in 1870 and houses a collection of almost 500,000 works of art. More than one million visitors per year view works ranging from ancient Egyptian to contemporary art at the museum's current location, where it has been since 1909. Throughout the year, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston also provides studio art classes, educational programs, and special exhibitions. Several restaurants that are housed inside the museum are available to hungry visitors.

With the objects in its collection, the museum welcomes one million visitors each year to experience art from ancient times up to the present day through its permanent collection, special exhibitions and innovative educational programmes. The critically acclaimed Art of the Americas Wing, which opened in November 2010, features 53 new galleries to display the museum’s collections of North, South and Central American art together for the first time. The recently renovated Linde Family Wing for contemporary art is yet another vital part of MFA Boston.

• Hours: Thursdays to Mondays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Admission: $25 for adults; $10 for kids age 7-17.
• Google rating: 4.8/5.0
• Website: https://www.mfa.org/
• Address: 465 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115

This museum is fashioned after a Venetian palazzo. It is named after its founder and illustrious patron of the arts, Isabella Stewart Gardner. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum houses an art collection of world importance, from paintings and sculpture to tapestries and decorative arts. True to the ambitions and risk-taking spirit of its founder, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum seeks to engage visitors in deeply transformative experiences through art

A lavish recreation of a Venetian palace from the 15th century, The Gardner includes a lavish interior courtyard and a seasonal floral display. The museum, which was first established in 1903, is renowned for its extensive collection, which spans the classical era to the turn of the 20th century and includes European, Asian, and Islamic art.

More than 7,500 paintings, sculptures, pieces of furniture, textiles, and ceramics, 1,500 rare books, and 7,000 archival items from all over the world are on display at the museum. After Gardner died in 1924, her will stipulated that nothing in the house changed and so guests view the museum’s contents as she arranged them.

• Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thu. from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sat. and Sun. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Admission: $20 for adults; $18 for seniors; $13 for students.
• Google rating: 4.7/5.0
• Website: https://www.gardnermuseum.org/
• Address: 25 Evans Way, Boston, MA 02115
  

This museum, which was originally established in 1936 as the Boston Museum of Modern Art, relocated to its current waterfront structure in 2006. It exhibits contemporary art in the forms of film, music, video, literature, and performance. Barbara Lee, a philanthropist and activist, donated works by notable female artists from the 20th and 21st centuries to the ICA, including Louise Bourgeois, Doris Salcedo, and Eva Hesse. Provocative contemporary art and a commitment to excellent programming can be found inside.

The ICA's spacious Seaport home is the cultural cornerstone of the waterfront. With its 65,000-square-foot floor space, the dramatic glass-walled building houses galleries, a theater and a café. Today, the museum prides itself on being a platform for offbeat, sometimes challenging, contemporary works. For a lighter experience, catch a concert or DJ set on the breezy, scenic back deck.

• Hours: Tues., Wed., Sat., and Sun. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thu. and Fri. from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Admission: $15 for adults; $13 for seniors (60+); free admission for children age 18 and under. Up to two adults enjoy free admission when accompanied by kids age 12 and under on the last Saturday of every month, except in December.
• Google rating: 4.4/5.0
• Website: https://www.icaboston.org/
• Address: 25 Harbor Shore Dr, Boston, MA 02210

Paul Revere is currently the oldest structure in downtown Boston and one of the few homes from the 17th century that are still standing in a major American city. Visitors can expect a self-guided tour of the two-story house, which includes the ground floor's kitchen from the late 18th century as well as the upstairs rooms with antiques owned by the Revere family.

Revere owned the home from 1770 to 1800. It was constructed in the early 1680s. Visitors can view historical furnishings as well as items that belonged to the Revere family inside the Elizabethan Tudor-style house.

To the south of the house is a brick-paved courtyard that features several small colonial garden plots, as well as a 900-pound bell and mortar created by Paul Revere and his sons. The garden contains a wide variety of plants grown in the Colonial Era for food, medicine, and fragrance purposes.

The Paul Revere House, one of eight locations in the Boston National Historical Park and one of seventeen stops on the Freedom Trail, is owned and run by the Paul Revere Memorial Association. In 1966, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places after being named a National Historic Landmark in 1961.

• Hours: Daily 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Closed Mondays in January, February, and March.
• Admission: $6 for adults; $5.50 for seniors; $1 for children ages 5-17. Free admission for children under age 5.
• Google rating: 4.4/5.0
• Website: https://www.paulreverehouse.org/
• Address: 19 N Square, Boston, MA 02113

This incredibly kid-friendly museum is dedicated to giving visitors an interactive and educational experience, making science approachable through a variety of hands-on activities and interesting exhibits. IMAX films in the five-story Mugar Omni Theater and multimedia performances at the Charles Hayden Planetarium are among the highlights. There's also a sizable gift shop, a selection of food options, including pizzas from celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, and breathtaking views of the Charles River from the museum's enormous windows at the back.

Visitors have access to more than 700 interactive exhibits, daily presentations, and design challenges at Museum of Science, which is one of the world’s largest science centers, as well as a Planetarium and an IMAX movie theater. More than 125 live animals are featured at the museum as well, as it was the first science and technology center in the nation to earn accreditation as a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The scale of the museum’s mid-century building is apparent from other parts of the city, and it becomes even clearer when you arrive at the lobby. Ideally, you could spend a half-day or more soaking up fascinating finds in every corner of this sprawling institution.

• Hours: Daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Admission: $29 for adults; $25 for seniors (60+); $24 for ages 3 to 11; free admission for children under age 3.
• Google rating: 4.7/5.0
• Website: https://www.mos.org/
• Address: 1 Museum Of Science Driveway, Boston, MA 02114

Harvard Museum of Natural History is a well-liked destination in Boston because of its historical collections, traveling exhibits, and ongoing galleries. The Harvard University Herbaria, the Mineralogical & Geological Museum, and the Museum of Comparative Zoology formed it in 1998 as the public-facing portion of these three research institutions.

Both adults and children who are interested in science will find this museum fascinating. It has served as the public face of Harvard's zoology, geology, and botanical research since 1998. Here, some of the collections date back to the 1780s. The glass flowers, the dinosaur hall, the gem gallery, and the great mammal hall are must-see attractions.

This historic museum is home to a sizable—and admittedly unsettling—collection of stuffed, preserved, and dried animals from all over the world, including llamas, coelacanths, and butterflies. Children who are obsessed with fossils can marvel at dinosaur skeletons and the 42-foot Kronosaurus, a prehistoric marine reptile, while rock enthusiasts will immediately gravitate toward the meteorites and gemstones.

• Hours: Daily 9 a.m to 5 p.m.
• Admission: $15 for adults; $13 for seniors (65+); $10 for ages 3-18; free admission for kids under 3. Your admission allows access to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, which is adjacent to the museum.
• Google rating: 4.7/5.0
• Website: https://hmnh.harvard.edu/
• Address: 26 Oxford St, Cambridge, MA 02138
  

Founded in 1913, the Children’s Museum remains a beloved local institution amongst generations of area youngsters. This Fort Point Channel landmark has seen its surrounding neighborhood explode in recent years, but once inside kids find themselves immersed in a series of spacious open areas. The centerpiece of the museum is the New Balance Foundation Climb, a twisty, turning three-story climbing structure made of serpentine wires and curved plywood sails.

There are several themed galleries in the museum. Based on children’s shows aired on Public Broadcasting Service, the Arthur and Friends and Peep’s World exhibits teach children reading, backyard discovery and science skills. The Global Gallery and Japanese House introduce art, architecture and family life from different cultures.

There is a play space for toddlers and the New Balance Climb, a brightly colored three-story climbing structure that invites children to take a magic flying carpet ride. The John Hancock Science Playground encourages young visitors to use all five of their senses as they investigate and explore the natural world around them. The exhibit also introduces children to the laws of motion and gravity.

Children can visit a traditional Afro-Caribbean carnival garage, decorate a float and play in a steel drum band in the Boston Black exhibit while Native Voices relays the history of New England’s indigenous people. Kids Stage gallery allows children to put on their own production, and the Kid Power exhibit encourages the exploration of healthy diet and exercise.

• Hours: Wednesdays to Sundays from 9 a.m. to noon and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Admission: Tickets must be purchased online and reservations are required: $18 for adults and children age 1-15; free admission for children under 12 months old.
• Google rating: 4.7/5.0
• Website: https://bostonchildrensmuseum.org/
• Address: 308 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210

A looming concrete-and-glass monolith designed by I.M. Pei, this shrine to the life and work of the 35th U.S. President overlooks the harbor from the top of the Columbia Point peninsula. The first section of the library at this Boston museum features collections of video monitors, personal photos, and political memories.

A brief orientation film will welcome you as you enter the museum in one of the two theaters. The Kennedy Family, the Attorney General's Office, the Space Race, the Briefing Room, and the Campaign Trail are among the seven permanent exhibits in the museum.

A watercolor drawing of John F. Kennedy by Jamie Wyeth and a painting of Robert F. Kennedy by Lajos Markos, both from 1962, are among the library's masterpieces. Kennedy's 25-foot Wianno Senior sailboat Victora is also on display on the library's grounds. The structure itself is situated in a singularly beautiful environment and offers views of the Boston skyline and the Harbor Islands through its striking floor to ceiling windows.

If you’re a fan of the Kennedy family or even just the president himself, then this is one of the best museums in Boston to check out. It goes really in-depth concerning both history and politics. You could easily spend a whole day here!

• Hours: Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m to 2 p.m.
• Admission: $18 for adults; $12 for seniors (62+); $10 for children age 13-17. Children 12 and under free.
• Google rating: 4.6/5.0
• Website: https://www.jfklibrary.org/
• Address: Columbia Point, Boston, MA 02125

The oldest warship still afloat in the world is the wooden USS Constitution, which was constructed in 1793. In the Charlestown Navy Yard, a section of the Boston National Historical Park, the USS Constitution Museum is situated at the conclusion of Boston's Freedom Trail.

Through its holdings and hands-on exhibits, the museum tells the tale of "Old Ironsides" and the individuals who were involved in its conception, construction, and navigation. You can learn about the history of the US Navy there. A number of exhibits are available at the museum, including those showcasing various shipboard jobs, a ship store, a clock, a bell, etc., as well as, as was already mentioned, many hands-on activities. The interactive displays include two historic ships, fascinating exhibits, and simulated hands-on seafaring experience, giving full knowledge of handling the massive ship.

"All hands on deck" is an interactive experience for people of all ages that illustrates the reality of life for American sailors during the War of 1812. Examine Old Ironsides closely to learn about its role in the War of 1812, the reasons it rose to fame then, and the details of its construction.

This is one of the best museums in Boston if you want to get close up and personal with history. It has an incredible collection of American naval history that you can actually go out and touch, not just look at from a distance. You'll have a genuine sense of how sailors lived and worked on these ships by the time the tour is over.

• Hours: Daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ship open Wed. to Sun. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Admission: $10-$15 adults; $5-$10 children. The ship is free to visit on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Google rating: 4.7/5.0
• Website: https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/
• Address: Building 22, Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown, MA 02129

This Boston attraction is an interactive, floating museum, located on the Congress Street Bridge. It was given that name in honor of a Sons of Liberty protest that took place on December 16, 1773. The Beaver and Eleanor, two replica ships from the era, are in the collection of this Boston museum. It also holds one tea chest from the original event.

Visiting this museum is a unique experience that you’ve ever experienced before. You'll experience a variety of sights, sounds, and sensations, including live performances, cutting-edge, fascinating collections, restored tea ships, and the moving documentary "Let it Begin Here."

The museum puts on displays holographic and films for its visitors, 3D reenactments, and has Abigail’s Tea Room, where you can taste one of the five original tea flavors thrown overboard in addition to other historically inspired foods and beverages. The Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum also commemorates this important colonial act by explaining the taxation without representation that led to the event and how it helped act as a catalyst of war, so you get a lot of information as well as real-world experience.

The tour of the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum lasts about an hour. The tour offers you the chance to investigate and learn about the individuals and occasions that contributed to the American Revolution in the chronological order in which they actually took place more than 230 years ago. This is one of the best museums in Boston, Massachusetts, to visit if you love history and want to learn more about Boston's rich heritage.

• Hours: Thursdays to Mondays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Admission: $29.95 for adults; $21.95 for children ages 5-12.
  
• Google rating: 4.6/5.0
• Website: https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/
  
• Address: 306 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210