The selection at gateway is wonderful. Pieces range from greeting cards to larger purchases like…read morepaintings. This means you can support artists with any budget.

gateway arts is one of the best art programs ever of all time I first went here back in 2017 and I…read morehad a blast making stuff and having some of them being sold and make money from them while there is a part of me that's wanna go back I know there are times were you have to go to other places but I do go back and visit once in a while but I still come over to the events at times I have met so many awesome people at the place stuff, artists and even interns I have seen some of them go but a few are still there, gateway arts you are an amazing place now and forever.

Ask the question, got a nice answer, they have some really beautiful items, even some great art. A…read morenice time to spend a few minutes.

I *love* Kolbo--such a wonderful resource for the community. They manage to have an impressive…read moreselection of unique Judaica--and yet lay it out such that it makes for a lovely browsing experience as well. Their staff provides some of the best customer service I've *ever* encountered. During my last shopping experience, they not only made gift suggestions based upon the occasion I was shopping for, but also gift wrapped it with a beautiful blue bow, held my baby while I paid, and offered me up some quality content suggestions for the greeting card I'd purchased upon request! (Note: I don't usually impose upon folks in this way, but the staff is so great, the place feels like you're with family.) Street parking can be a pain in the tuchus though...prepare to scout around a bit for a free metered space. There's some metered parking behind The Israel Book Shop if you can't find anything on the street.

This is a cute concept, and since this is the reason I dropped by, I'll review this highlight…read moreinstead of the Dorchester Brewery. It is more like a collection of art around the brewery, but the signs are funny and it's interesting to note paintings that were donated vs. found in a thrift store vs. found in the garbage. It ranges from funny proportions to some truly bizarre. It's a great activity to giggle at with friends or make up fun commentary on a date. It's a fun little concept, free, and open late, so it's a funs stop in. The brewery features a full bar, arcade and board games and BBQ food as well. The owner even showed us an old cigarette dispensing machine now filled with chocolate packs. There's a lot going on and it is apparent a lot of thought and creativity went into the space. It's certainly not like a traditional "museum" but sometimes you need to see some bad art to really appreciate some good art elsewhere. You'll end up laughing at something.

Okay, so museum may not be the exact right word. This is kind of like a gallery in a brewery. I had…read moreseen an ad for this place on Instagram, and filed it away in my brain. I pulled it out of the file and went to see bad art. We walked in and the guy at the bar was very nice and pointed out the "route" of the paintings. The art was so fun--some worse than others. I really did understand what some of what the artists were thinking, and in other cases I just laughed and scratched my head It's small and we weren't there more than 20 minutes, but it was fun. Btw--it's free!!!

They did a great job printing photos on short notice high quality archival ones too!…read more Talk to Tom he is great!

What a fantastic experience I had with this shop and the owner, Tom. I brought in a poster from a…read moreFrench museum that featured the paintngs of my great- grandfather with the hope it could be enhanced in size, framed, etc. Tom guided me through the various options and within 15 minutes we came up with the right combination. I ordered four for family members as gifts for my children and a nephew. Yesterday I got a call from Tom saying the finished product was in and ready for pickup, which I did today. Tom expertly shrink-wrapped together the four pictures for easy transport and brought them to my vehicle. I left the shrink-wrap on since it's a gift, but you can get a sense of the quality of the frame and reproduction. Tom is the epitome of a small shop owner who cares about his workmanship and his customer service. And a great story teller.

A friend recommended this art collection in this beautiful space so I reserved tickets online for…read moretoday at 11 when it opened. You can buy your tickets in person as well. It's a separate entrance line than the preordered tickets. They do check your bags and tell you to leave your water bottles at the coatcheck on the 1st floor or downstairs at the lockers. We started upstairs on the 3rd floor, and worked our way down. Every room is specifically designed to highlight some theme by Isabella, from the brocade on the walls to the ceiling to the doors to the artwork/furniture everywhere. Because it's a three story mansion, it's decorated as such and has less of the feel of a gallery as a luxuriously decorated estate. Most of the artwork is not identified as it would be in a museum, but it can still be appreciated. There were a few signs along the way that explained the theme of the room according to Isabella. From the third floor especially, the live music in the central garden could be heard so well because of the magnificent acoustics. (There was music in honor of Juneteenth today). If it's your first time there, pay attention to the plaque by the elevator on the 1st floor that states it was the entrance that Isabella herself had used. Apparently that was the original entrance to the museum for a long time and the glass encased current entrance used to be greenhouses. We spent 1.5 hrs there and enjoyed exploring and appreciating the unique museum experience together. Highly recommend!!

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum was commonly mentioned as a must see in Boston, so we decided to…read morecheck it out on a rainy Sunday during our trip. It seems like everyone else had the same idea as well because the museum was packed! Definitely recommend booking tickets at least a few days in advance because some time slots were sold out. We booked the 10:30am-11am time slot and it was already crowded at this time. Check in was straightforward and there are lockers in the basement to secure large bags. This is very different to the standard art museums. Isabella Stewart converted a home into a museum and it is amazing how much time and effort went into the process. There are three stories, each having several rooms to walk through. A couple rooms have limited capacity so we had to wait in line for 10-15 minutes to enter. My personal favorite part of the museum was the courtyard - very pretty with all the plants and statues. We also witnessed a proposal! I'm usually not a huge museum fan, but this was definitely worth checking out. Many people suggested listening to the audio guide available on the website, and while it was interesting, it was a bit slow and I wasn't able to listen to everything - wish the recordings had 2x speed. This is a very popular museum so the crowds made it feel a bit chaotic. I recommend going on a weekday!

One of the best art galleries in the USA. Highly recommend! Excellent staff to help with satisfying…read moreyour interests in collecting art that is exceptional.

This gallery shows a combination of paintings by living and deceased artists, as well as a few…read moresculptures and antiques. The style is definitely traditional overall, with a combination of Impressionist, Academic, and Boston School artists represented, to name a few genres. The gallery itself is in an old townhouse that is furnished to look like a home. Don't think they're closed -- you have to be buzzed in to enter. And yes, that's because the work is just THAT valuable. I've said this in other reviews, but I prefer going to galleries over museums when I want to see traditional artwork. The admission is free, and if you ask the staff politely you can probably learn about how the artist painted the work, etc. There are always free flyers you can bring home for your art notebook, too.

We had a wonderful First Friday evening in the SoWa district and I wish that we had more time as…read morestores & studios wrapped up fairly early in my opinion. It was so nice to spend time in our son's friends studio and see how the artist created his works, displayed them and greeted all of the visitors. Each studio was unique and impressive. This visit was 10/3, but I am eager to return again in the early spring to explore further. I will say, while most artists and shop people were friendly, a few were a bit standoffish. Maybe it is exhausting hosting so many people who are flowing through all day & evening. I loved the whole concept !

I came here for an evening and was blown away by the amount of raw talent in our city. I checked…read moreout 2 full floors but was unable to see everything because there were so many studios to see. This is a really special piece of Boston, and it almost feels magical to witness so many creative minds in the same building. It's worth your time to check it out. Apparently they also have a parking lot filled with food trucks so it's a perfect date, romantic or with friends.

I did a class in early November and have been reaching out to ask how to pick up my pieces and…read morethere has been no response to my voicemails and emails.

My son and I were treated with profound disrespect by the teacher and administration at BAC. They…read moreclaim to be an inclusive and supportive environment, but it seems all they really want is your money. They are unavailable by phone, and then they ghost you when you try to communicate with them by email. I have never posted anything negative in my life, but I am so profoundly upset and distraught by my experience, that I had to make certain that I do whatever is possible to spare someone else the same horrible experience.

Great framing resource with high quality products and reasonable prices! Peter, the owner, is…read moreexcellent at providing input on frames and matting. He is very dedicated to ensuring that your artwork is protected and that it looks fabulous when finished.

From the owner: Representing over 60 artists and artisans for over 14 years, we have quality original art, hand…read morecrafted pottery, glass, jewelry and much more as well as custom picture framing. Art consultation available for home or office. New items arriving daily!

I gave 2 starts because I believe in their mission but found the staff to be disorganized and…read moreunprofessional if not downright rude. I offered my time and services as a volunteer. I came to the center and interviewed with the volunteer manager. After the interview she left me with another volunteer so that I could tour the facility. And when I say she left me, I mean she LEFT me. Like didn't shake my hand (Actually, she never gave me a handshake at all which, again, I find unprofessional), offer any explanation as to what the next steps would be, walk me out, etc. I don't think she even said goodbye. She handed me off to the other volunteer, walked away, and that was the last I ever saw or heard from her again. After the tour both myself and the other volunteer were confused as to what to do next. I just stood there while the other volunteer went to the manager's office. She knocked twice but there was no response so, totally confused, I just left. Never heard back from the manager despite her initially telling me they needed consistent reliable volunteers. At the end of the interview I asked for reasonable accommodation for a disability and I wonder if that has something to do with her ghosting me. Either way I think it's an incredibly unprofessional way to represent the organization and a rude way to behave towards ANYONE who is offering to volunteer their time and energy. While I understand they are understaffed, there is no excuse to ignore basic protocol of professionalism. Ultimately I decided to volunteer elsewhere.

The Women's Center in Cambridge has lots of interesting free groups to attend. I have gone most…read morerecently to the Spanish/English conversation group and the singing class, and to a few others over the years. There is also yoga, sewing, beading, songwriting, healing through arts, discussion for survivors of child sexual abuse, women's narcotics anonymous, feminist book club, and lots more. Any woman can propose to set up and facilitate a group. The house, on Pleasant Street, indeed is a pleasant place to hang out, use the computer lab (there are plenty of computers) or the library, or prepare yourself a snack. You can meet other women from all walks of life. There is a small restful patio in back with a garden. And, what I particularly like, everything there is free! This is partly because most of the staff are volunteers. And it's only a few blocks from the Central Square MBTA station.