Visit the Best Museums in Cambridge, MA

Cambridge, MA, has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, which is inspiring, as well as infectious. When you make a trip to Cambridge, Massachusetts, prepare yourself to be dazzled by this university town featuring world-renowned Harvard University, famous museums, and art galleries. Start exploring the top museums in Cambridge, MA.
 

Harvard Museum of Natural History
Opened in 1998, the Museum of Natural History at Harvard University highlights three far older Harvard research institutions: The Harvard University Herbaria, The Museum of Comparative Zoology, and the Mineralogical and Geological Museum. Set aside some hours to check out the dinosaur skeletons, massive whale skeletons, the giant turtle shell, and the fascinating Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants (created between 1887-1936). You will also find the world's only mounted skeleton of the 42-foot long Kronosaurus at the museum. The Museum of Natural History is connected to Harvard's Peabody Museum, and one admission fee covers both museums.

Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology
Take a look at the towering Native American totem poles, stunning Mayan sculptures, and world historical artifacts at Harvard's anthropology museum. See the nineteenth-century Lakota drawings from a warrior's ledger collected at the Little Bighorn battlefield. Learn about the native cultures of Latin America before and after 1492, when the first voyage of Christopher Columbus initiated dramatic worldwide changes. Discover the importance of rivers and canoes in Penobscot tribal life. Don't miss the chance to learn closely about the relationships between the tribe and non-Indians.

Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East (HMANE)
Visit the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East to realize how the family of Semitic languages connects the rich history of cultures. Founded in 1889, the museum features more than 40,000 artifacts, including pottery, sculpture, coins, and cuneiform tablets. These historical artifacts have primarily come from Harvard-sponsored excavations in Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Tunisia. See a full-scale replica of an ancient Israelite home, a full-scale reproduction of an Egyptian throne from 2550 BC, and a resin cast of the Dream Stela, found between the paws of the Great Egyptian Sphinx.
 

Harvard Art Museums
The Harvard Art Museums feature three distinct museums—the Fogg Museum, the Busch-Reisinger Museum, and the Arthur M. Sackler Museum. After renovations by Renzo Piano (2008–2014), the museums were recently combined under a single roof as Harvard Art Museums.
 

The Fogg Museum: This is the oldest of the three museums and is famous for its eclectic exhibits of Western artwork and Italian Renaissance paintings. See the paintings, photographs, and sculptures from as early as the Middle Ages to the present day. At the Fogg Museum, you'll find works by Botticelli and Ghirlandaio. The museum houses paintings by some of the greatest French Impressionists in the Maurice Wertheim Collection, such as Van Gogh, Picasso, Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Manet.
 

The Busch-Reisinger Museum: German art enthusiasts would love to explore The Busch-Reisinger Museum. Founded in 1901, the museum showcases famous artworks of the German-speaking countries of Central and Northern Europe. The paintings cover the historical periods of the Vienna Secession, German Expressionism, and the Bauhaus design school.
 

The Arthur M. Sackler Museum: Dedicated to Asian, Indian, Islamic, and Byzantine art, this Museum presents various Asian artwork such as Korean, Japanese, Indian, and Chinese pieces. The Arthur M. Sackler Museum is the newest of the trio, opening in 1985. When you visit, don't forget to check out the beautiful Greek vases, carved jade from India, and the limestone Buddha.
 

Planning a trip to historic Cambridge? Carve out some time for visiting the outstanding museums following our guide. Freepoint Hotel Cambridge puts you within minutes of the most popular attractions in Cambridge, MA. Stay with us and explore of what Cambridge, Massachusetts offers.