"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."

"The pièce de résistance is the magnificent skylit courtyard, filled year-round with fresh flowers grown by the museum's horticultural staff." Full review

"The Gardner is filled with almost 2000 priceless objects, primarily European, including outstanding tapestries and Italian Renaissance and 17th-century Dutch paintings." Full review

"This eclectic museum occupies a meticulous replica of a Venetian palazzo and showcases an unparalleled collection of old masters, Gothic tapestries, and Renaissance furniture." Full review

"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." Full review