Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Traditional Geocache
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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The cache is located across from the entrance to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, in Evan's Way Park. Please utilize stealth or strength in numbers when searching for the cache, it is hidden in a relatively busy area. There is room in the cache for small geocoins only, please bring your own pen.
In 2012 the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum completed a large expansion and renovation of the hundred year old museum in the Back Bay Fens. The museum is open daily, except Tuesdays, from 11:00AM to 5:00PM. The museum is open until 9:00PM on Thursdays. Free admission is available for anyone named Isabella and for everyone on their birthday. The cache is located across the street from the Museum in Evans Way Park.
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum opened in 1903 and houses many significant examples of European, Asian, and American art. It is the only private art collection in which the building, collection, and installations are the creation of one individual. The museum is composed of a number of small galleries that provide a very intimate viewing for visitors. Among the artists represented in the collection are Matisse, Titian, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, Manet, Degas, Whistler, and Sargent.
The collection boasts more than just paintings and sculpture. In the museum you can also find examples of furniture, textiles, drawings, silver, ceramics, illuminated manuscripts, rare books, photographs and letters. Well-known artworks in the museum’s collection include Titian’s "The Rape of Europa", John Singer Sargent’s "El Jaleo" and "Portrait of Isabella Stewart Gardner", Fra Angelico’s "Death and Assumption of the Virgin", Rembrandt’s "Self-Portrait, Aged 23", Cellini’s "Bindo Altoviti", and Piero della Francesca’s "Hercules". The archives hold more than 7,000 letters from 1,000 correspondents, including Henry Adams, T.S. Eliot, Sarah Bernhardt and Oliver Wendell Holmes, in addition to original Dante manuscripts.
In 1990, two thieves gained entry to the museum, incapacitated the security guards and stole 13 pieces of art. They were never caught and the pieces have never surfaced. The total value is placed at around $500 million, making this the largest single property theft in recorded history. A reward of $5 million dollars is available for information that leads to the return of the stolen pieces. Because the collection was designed entirely by Isabella and she left strict instructions to maintain the museum as is, empty frames are diplayed in the location of the stolen paintings.
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in the early 20th century
View of the newly renovated museum from across Evan's Way Park in winter. The original building is to the right and remains practically unchanged over the years.
Update: The FBI says it has identified the thieves, though the painting whereabouts are still unknown. Details here. Additionally, CNN just produced a new documentary on one of the security guards subdued the day of the heist. This is his first interview in 23 years Watch at CNN.com
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