Since 1876, the Museum of Fine Arts has been Boston's premier venue for showcasing art by local, national and international artists. Nowadays, the museum's holdings encompass all eras, from the ancient world to contemporary times, and all areas of the globe, making it truly encyclopedic in scope. Most recently, the museum has added gorgeous new wings dedicated to the Art of the Americas and to contemporary art, contributing to Boston's emergence as an art center in the 21st century.
The centerpiece of the MFA is the four-story Americas wing, which includes 53 galleries exhibiting art from the pre-Columbian era up through the 20th century. The second level is, perhaps, the richest part of the wing. An entire gallery is dedicated to John Singer Sargent, including his iconic painting The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit .
Located in the museum's northern wing, the MFA's collection of European art spans the centuries from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The highlight of the European exhibit is no doubt the Impressionists and post-Impressionists, with masterpieces by Degas, Gauguin, Renoir and Van Gogh, as well as the largest collection of Monets outside Paris.
In the southwestern wing, the collection of Asian art includes the exhibits in the serene Buddhist Temple room.
In the southeastern part of the museum, the MFA's ancient-art collection also covers a huge geographic spectrum, including two rooms of mummies in the Egyptian galleries.
The Linde Wing for Contemporary Art is full of surprises. The darling of museum patrons is Black River, a fantastic woven tapestry of discarded bottle caps by Ghanaian artist El Anatsui.
