Museum Studies Blog at Tufts University

The Greater Boston area has a wealth of wonderful museums – in fact, that’s one of the reasons I decided to study at Tufts. This is a thorough, though not exhaustive, list of newly opened and soon-to-open exhibits within the Boston area – happy exploring!

Recently Opened Exhibits:

These exhibits opened within the past month, and most will be closed by early 2025 – check them out while you can!

Peabody Essex Museum – Salem, MA

Conjuring the Spirit World: Art, Magic, and Mediums 

This spooky and thought-provoking spiritualism exhibit is perfect for an October museum excursion. Curated by Tufts Museum Studies professor George Schwartz, this exhibit investigates the history, psychology, and techniques surrounding the Spiritualism Movement, a religious movement that was popular from the mid 19th century to early 20th century and had a large presence here in the Northeast. Learn about seances, spirit photography, and even ask your own questions of those beyond the veil – if you dare!

Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend

Climate science, Inuit culture, and community crafts are at the center of this exhibit celebrating the unicorn of the sea. Determine Narwhal fact from Narwhal fiction – Is it a horn, a tusk, a tooth? And what is that thing really used for anyway?

Harvard Art Museum – Cambridge, MA

Made in Germany? Art and Identity in a Global Nation

Featuring all German artists, this multi-media contemporary art exhibition explores the modern German identity through the lenses of “race, migration, labor, history, and memory”.

MIT Museum – Cambridge, MA

Cosmograph: Speculative Fictions for the New Space Age

Delving into implausible futures shaped by deep space travel and climate engineering, this multi-media art exhibit includes everything from 3D printed sculptures to faux documentary films.

Institute of Contemporary Art – Boston, MA

The Gun Violence Memorial Project

Since 2019, this traveling memorial art piece has honored victims of gun violence while educating audiences about the ongoing crisis. This is a living work of art that includes ongoing community collecting in Greater Boston to remember those who have passed here and add their stories to those collected around the nation.

Tau Lewis: Spirit Level

Jamaican-Canadian artist Tau Lewis’s work celebrates the ingenuity and grit of diasporic communities through her towering figures crafted with found materials and care. This exhibit at the ICA is the artist’s first solo museum show in the US!

Upcoming Exhibits:

These exhibits all open within the next month.

Isabella Stewart Gardner – Boston, MA

Manet: A Model Family

Like I need another excuse to visit the Gardner! This exhibit takes an intimate look at French painter Édouard Manet and the importance of his family in his art.

Museum of Fine Arts – Boston, MA

Georgia O’Keeffe and Henry Moore

This exhibit brings visual artist Georgia O’Keefe in conversation with sculptor Henry Moore and features a rare chance to experience the artists’ studios through both recreated and authentic objects. I love the idea of investigating an artist’s workspace to better understand their life and work!

Power of the People: Art and Democracy

Just in time for the 2024 election, this exhibit uncovers the history and art of democratic societies across different times and places. Don’t forget to vote this November!

Institute of Contemporary Art – Boston, MA

Charles Atlas: About Time
This retrospective exhibit on American artist Charles Atlas (not to be confused with the bodybuilder) explores how he melds two artforms – dance and filmmaking – to create unique works employing space, time, and performance.