Harvard Art Museums

What's On

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The Way We Never Were: The American Professional Photographers Collection

How did photography construct cultural memories of postwar America? A University Research Gallery show drawn from the museums' American Professional Photographers Collection.

Now showing29 Aug – 9 May 2027Free

Introduction to the History of Art

A University Teaching Gallery installation asking what art is, why it matters, and by whom its history is written — objects chosen to be studied by Harvard students and open to all.

Now showing29 Aug – 3 Jan 2027Free

On Location: Drawing the Outdoors

A journey through drawings by groundbreaking 19th-century artists who left the studio to look outside for inspiration, showing how a close relationship with nature shaped artistic vision.

Now showing18 Sept – 17 Jan 2027Free

Alfonso Ossorio: Line and Lineage

Tracing the artistic lineage of Filipino-American painter Alfonso Ossorio through a body of works that resonates across generations, in the Modern and Contemporary Art galleries.

Now showing23 Oct – 11 Apr 2027Free

Permanent Collections

Calderwood Courtyard

The museums' town square: two tiers of travertine arches from the 1927 Fogg, now roofed in glass by Renzo Piano. Free to walk through, with Jenny's Cafe and artworks visible from the floor.

Permanent collectionFree

The Maurice Wertheim Collection

Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterworks bequeathed by Maurice Wertheim (Harvard Class of 1906) — Degas, Monet, Renoir, Matisse, Picasso and Van Gogh — shown together in one gallery, as he stipulated.

Permanent collectionFree

Nearby

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Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts

ArchitectureFree1 min walk

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Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology

History5 min walk

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Harvard Museum of Natural History

Children6 min walk

Visitor Information

Is Harvard Art Museums free to visit?

Yes, general admission to Harvard Art Museums is free. Admission is free to all visitors every day; the museums dropped all admission charges in June 2023.. Some special exhibitions may charge a separate ticket, so check the museum's website before visiting.

What are the opening hours of Harvard Art Museums?

Harvard Art Museums is open Open Tuesday–Sunday 10am–5pm; closed Mondays. Open late until 9pm on the last Thursday of each month (Harvard Art Museums At Night, holidays permitting). Closed 11 Nov (Veterans Day), 26 Nov (Thanksgiving) and 24–25 Dec 2026, and 1 Jan 2027; early closing at 4pm on 23 Oct 2026 and at 3pm on 31 Dec 2026. Closed 19–22 Jan 2027 for annual maintenance.. Holiday hours can vary, so check the museum's website before you go.

Where is Harvard Art Museums?

Harvard Art Museums is located at 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States, in the Harvard Square, Cambridge area of Boston. The nearest station is Harvard (MBTA Red Line) — about a 5-minute walk.

What can I see at Harvard Art Museums?

Three museums — Fogg, Busch-Reisinger and Sackler — under Renzo Piano's glass roof, free to all, steps from Harvard Square. Current highlights include Calderwood Courtyard, The Way We Never Were: The American Professional Photographers Collection and The Maurice Wertheim Collection.

Do I need to book Harvard Art Museums in advance?

Harvard Art Museums is free to enter and most days you can walk in. Admission is free to all visitors every day; the museums dropped all admission charges in June 2023.. For special exhibitions, weekends, and school holidays, booking a timed slot can help you skip queues. Check the museum's website for current requirements.

When is the best time to visit Harvard Art Museums?

Weekday mornings shortly after opening are typically the quietest, especially mid-week. Late afternoons can also be calmer. Weekends, school holidays, and the lunch rush are the busiest periods.