Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

In early 2012, the Gardner Museum is scheduled to open a gorgeous new wing designed by internationally renowned architect Renzo Piano. Because founder Isabella Stewart Gardner's will forbids changing the arrangement of the museum's content, this is the most significant physical change the institution has ever experienced.

Gardner (1840-1924) was a fascinating character. She was an incorrigible individualist long before strong-willed behavior was acceptable for women in polite Boston society, and her legacy is a treasure for art lovers. "Mrs. Jack" designed this exquisite building in the style of a 15th-century Venetian palace and filled it with European, American, and Asian paintings and sculptures, many chosen with the help of her friend and protégé Bernard Berenson. You'll see works by Titian, Botticelli, Raphael, Rembrandt, Matisse, and Mrs. Gardner's friends James McNeill Whistler and John Singer Sargent. Titian's magnificent Europa, which many scholars consider his finest work, is one of the most important Renaissance paintings in the United States.

The original 1903 building, which opened to the public after Mrs. Gardner's death, also holds a glorious hodgepodge of furniture and architectural details imported from European churches and palaces. The pièce de résistance is the magnificent skylit courtyard, filled year-round with fresh flowers grown by the museum's horticultural staff. The new wing not only adds gallery space and a concert hall but also gives visitors a closer look at the greenhouses. It will contain the excellent cafe and gift shop.

The celebrated concert series will return to the premises after the addition opens; check ahead for information and tickets. For updates, visit www.buildingproject.gardnermuseum.org.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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