Gibson House Museum

The basics

The Gibson House Museum remains one of the city’s most pristine nods to a gilded era. The brownstone and red brick facade were designed by architect Edward Clarke Cabot. Its interior is filled with the Gibson family’s original furnishings—wallpapers, imported carpets, and an abundance of furniture, art, and family heirlooms. Its working spaces, including a kitchen, laundry room, and coal shed, also remain. You can explore the house via guided tours only; specialty tours are also available.

Things to know before you go

• The museum is not wheelchair accessible, as there is no elevator; there is also no air conditioning.

• It’s open to the public year-round by guided tour only; two standard house tours are offered: “At Home with the Gibsons” and “Upstairs, Downstairs: Domestic Service at the Gibson House.”

• The Gibson House Museum was featured in the 2019 movie, Little Women.

• The site has been an LGBTQ+ gathering place throughout its existence as a private home and public museum.

How to get there

The Gibson House Museum is located on Beacon Street in Boston near the Public Garden. Take the Green Line to Arlington Street Station; from there, it’s roughly a 10-minute walk, or take the Red Line to either Charles Street Station or Park Street Station and walk for 15 minutes. The nearest bike-share station is Mugar Way at Beacon Street, a 2-minute walk from the museum. Keep in mind that nearby parking is very limited.

When to get there

Museum tours take place on Thursdays at 3, 4, and 5pm and on Fridays through Sundays at 1, 2, and 3pm. In December, the Gibson House Museum hosts a Repeal Day Celebration, which commemorates the day Prohibition ended in the U.S. Check the museum website for other upcoming events.

What to see in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood

Known for its Victorian-era brownstone houses, the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston is a popular shopping and dining destination. Along Newbury Street, you’ll find designer boutiques, art galleries, and cafés, while Copley Square is flanked by Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library. It’s also home to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, which houses paintings, sculptures, tapestries and furniture, manuscripts, rare books, and decorative arts spanning from ancient Rome to 19th-century France.