Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum vs Boston Public Library
Both are highly recommended by reviewers writing for major publications. On balance, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum scores significantly higher than Boston Public Library. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum comes in at 97 with positive reviews from 13 publications like Frommer's, Lonely Planet and Atlas Obscura.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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280 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115
From $0 /night
Fodor's
"Today, it's probably America's most idiosyncratic treasure house."
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i
If you're looking for a light lunch after your tour, visit Cafe G near the gift shop.
Concierge
"Isabella Stewart Gardner was an heiress and something of a black sheep of late-19th- and early-20th-century Boston society: She was a rabid Red Sox and horse-racing fan."
Lonely Planet
Top Choice
"The Gardner is filled with almost 2000 priceless objects, primarily European, including outstanding tapestries and Italian Renaissance and 17th-century Dutch paintings."
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Travel + Leisure
"This eclectic museum occupies a meticulous replica of a Venetian palazzo and showcases an unparalleled collection of old masters, Gothic tapestries, and Renaissance furniture."
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Time Out
"The Gardner museum is a lavish reconstruction of a 15th-century Venetian palace, complete with a luxurious interior courtyard with a seasonally changing floral display."
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Boston Public Library
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700 Boylston St., At Copley Sq., Boston, MA 02116
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Concierge
"The Boston Public Library is a destination in itself, and not just for bookworms."
Lonely Planet
Top Choice
"Dating from 1852, the esteemed Boston Public Library lends credence to Boston’s reputation as the ‘Athens of America.’."
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Time Out
"The original structure, designed by Charles McKim and completed in 1895, is now the research library, while an extension opened in 1972 to function as a general library."
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Fodor's
"This venerable institution is a handsome temple to literature and a valuable research library."
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Not For Tourists
"People need at least one place where they can be their most effective, motivated and focused. Sometimes it's their home, a coffee shop, the back corner of a bookstore, a random park..."