For the Education and Enjoyment of the Public Forever

Abstract

In 1903, Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840–1924) opened a most personal museum in which the building, the collection and installations are the vision of one woman, at a time when few opportunities were available to her gender in America. In its 2019–2024 strategic plan, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum committed to becoming a more visitor-centric art museum that prioritizes welcoming a broader audience than ever before. Through innovative exhibitions that link the past to today, and by investing its energy and resources in both its collection presentation and the visitors who engage with it, we ensure that Gardner’s museum is truly “for the education and enjoyment of the public forever.”.