Museums and Galleries

Go behind the scenes with the USS Constitution Museum’s public historian, starting in the private Reading Room where the collection vault is opened for a close look at rare artifacts and archives. Then board USS Constitution herself and journey through the decks to see how sailors lived and worked in the early 1800s. Tickets are…

Celebrate Vivian Tran’s Greenway public art commission, on view in Chin Park through December 1, with an artist reception and collaborative performance. The installation features stationary vending tricycles with large flipbooks that animate when passersby pedal, plus an expanding community quilt that shades the space.

For the first time ever, the Boston Public Library displays its eight rare early printings of the Declaration of Independence together in one exhibition. The show traces how the Declaration raced through printing presses in big cities and small towns during the summer of 1776, when the nation itself was still taking shape. The gallery…

Every Thursday evening the ICA throws open its doors with free admission from 5 to 9 pm, pairing waterfront views with exhibitions including Derrick Adams: View Master and Say It Loud: AAMARP, 1977 to Now. Same-day free tickets are released online at 10 am that morning. Time your visit with Harborwalk Sounds for free live…

The ICA’s 21+ summer party takes over the museum and its harborfront deck with DJs, dancing, gallery access, and specialty cocktails, beer, and wine for purchase. The all-white-attire White Hot edition is one of the most popular nights of the ICA’s year, set against sunset views over Boston Harbor. Tickets are available through the ICA…

A new exhibition in the Torf Gallery showcases livres d’artiste, the revolutionary artist books of the 20th century, through works by Spanish masters Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, and Salvador Dali. See how images, words, and typography collide in intricate collaborations between artists, authors, publishers, and printmakers, including Dali’s 1974 illustrations for Freud’s Moses and Monotheism….

On the last Thursday of the month, the Harvard Art Museums stay open late for a free evening of art and music. Mingle in the Italian-inspired courtyard with DJ C-Zone, wander more than 50 galleries of world-class collections, and catch short Spotlight Tours of works on view. Snacks and drinks from local vendors are available…

Every Thursday evening the ICA waives admission for all from 5 to 9pm, and the timing could not be better. The museum’s cantilevered glass box juts over Boston Harbor, so you can pair cutting-edge contemporary art with sunset views over the water and a drink from the wine and coffee bar. Bold, free, and unmistakably…

Starting July 9, the Gardner throws open its doors free every Thursday evening, and there is no more romantic way to end a summer day in Boston. Step into Isabella’s spellbinding Venetian palazzo, where four stories of galleries wrap a glass-roofed courtyard overflowing with blooms and the sound of trickling fountains. Wander the dim, treasure-packed…

Every Sunday from May through October, a sprawl of white tents fills a South End lot with Boston’s largest open-air celebration of local makers. Over 175 artists sell handmade ceramics, jewelry, and original art alongside a vintage market, farm stands, food trucks, and a buzzing beer garden with live music. Come for the crafts, linger…