Isabella Stewart Gardner

Biography

Isabella Stewart Gardner turned passion for art into a living museum, filling her courtyard home with masterpieces from around the world. Her fearless acquisitions and cultivated taste made her one of Boston's most daring patrons.

She opened her museum in 1903 to the public, linking philanthropy with education and ensuring that beauty would always be shared. Her gift endures at Mount Auburn as a reminder that generosity and curiosity can reshape a city.