Located in Boston, Massachusetts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is a historical site with a long and illustrious past. The museum was established in 1903 by Isabella Stewart Gardner to hold her extensive collection of artworks and artifacts from different cultures.

In defiance of the traditions of her day, Isabella Stewart Gardner amassed a spectacular collection of artwork, furniture, textiles, and rare books. She wanted the museum to seem like an intimate Venetian villa, where art lovers could lose themselves in the exhibits.

The notorious art robbery that occurred on March 18, 1990, was one of the most pivotal moments in the museum’s history. Thirteen priceless works of art, including those by Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Manet, were stolen by thieves posing as police officials. Without the artworks, the empty frames serve as a disturbing reminder of the daring robbery.

From its inception as the dream of a trailblazing art lover to the brazen heist that stunned the art world, the Gardner Museum has a fascinating history that would make a great book. The museum’s architecture, the variety of its holdings, and the mystery surrounding the disappearance of its priceless masterpieces provide readers a fascinating window into the worlds of art, culture, and the mystery that has always attracted them.