MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS (MFA)

Considered one of the finest art museums in the United States, the Museum of Fine Arts is also one of the largest. It was founded in 1870, when it mainly exhibited works from the Boston Athenaeum. Until 1910, the museum was located in Copley Square, housed in a Gothic Revival-style building that was eventually destroyed. Its collections now include nearly 450,000 works of art, which are enjoyed by more than a million visitors each year. Among the most noteworthy works on display in the museum, don't miss the series of portraits of the daughters of painter John Singer Sargent, the Sidney and Esther Rabb Gallery which presents Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works including ten paintings by Monet, the portrait of Paul Revere by John Singleton Copley in 1768, the Egyptian antiquities and sarcophagi, which are in an impressive state of preservation and, finally, the collection of Japanese art objects which, outside Japan, is the largest in the world. On the ^first level, the galleries are organized around the Sharf Visitor Center, where you will find maps. To the north, 18th century European art, including sketches by Rembrandt, paintings by Gauguin, Braque or Matisse, cubist Picasso, dreamy Magritte. After passing through the Taste Café, located in the contemporary art galleries, one comes across a superb collection of photographs, then several rooms devoted to African, Asian and Oceanian art. We pass under the arcades of a mosque to discover Korean pottery, Indian Shiva statues or Egyptian mummies. The last gallery, east of Sharf, is that of American art. A reconstitution of a 19th century bourgeois house, examples of furniture, as well as a gallery dedicated to John Singleton Copley, the first North American to master oil painting and a great portraitist from Boston. Then go to the ^2nd level, to discover the art of the Americas, late 19th and early 20th century. A gallery is dedicated to John Singer Sargent, an American impressionist. You will also see Tiffany stained glass windows by John La Farge, as well as works from the Boston School. The "Behind the Scenes" room allows visitors to witness the restoration of a work. Behind the glass, you can see the restorer busy, explain how the work is chosen, etc. In the north gallery, European art from the Renaissance to the 17th century can be seen, with paintings by Turner, Corot, Constable Rubens and Botticelli among others. The great Dutch painters are also represented, as well as Van Gogh, Cézanne and Maillol. To the west, the contemporary art gallery presents haute couture dresses, surprising sculptures such as Lilith by Kiki Smith hanging along the wall, frescoes by Kara Walker... The rather elegant restaurant borders the galleries on the ^2nd floor. In the southern galleries, the museum also showcases Chinese and Himalayan art, as well as Japanese art. The Japanese gallery features sumptuous screens and a Buddhist temple. On level -1 is an area dedicated to temporary exhibitions, which change every three to six months. During our visit, the very eccentric Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, known for his colourful contemporary works mixing pop culture and history, was in the spotlight.