Boston · Boston on a rainy day
Things to Do in Boston on a Rainy Day (for Grown-Ups)
Boston is one of the best American cities to be rained on. Its great museums sit within a short ride of each other, the library on Copley Square is a sight in itself, and the oyster bars, cocktail rooms and jazz club are all indoors. Here is how to fill a wet day, with the opening days worth knowing before you set out.
- Morning
- The Gardner and the MFA, a short walk apart
- Free
- Harvard Art Museums daily; the ICA on Thursday evenings
- Watch out
- The MFA and the Gardner close on Tuesdays; the ICA and Harvard on Mondays
- Evening
- The Symphony, The Hawthorne, Wally's Café
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Two great museums, one walk
Spend the wettest part of the day in the Fenway. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is a Venetian-style palace built around a flowering courtyard that stays green whatever the weather (open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., until 9 on Thursdays; closed Tuesdays; adults $25). The Museum of Fine Arts is a short walk away and big enough for a whole afternoon (10 a.m. to 5 p.m., until 10 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays; closed Tuesdays; adults $30).
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
25 Evans Way, Fenway
A Venetian-style palace around a flowering courtyard, hung with Isabella Stewart Gardner's collection. Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Tuesday, and until 9 p.m. on Thursdays. Adults $25, seniors $22.
Tip: Book a timed ticket ahead; popular entry times sell out. Thursday evening is the calmest visit.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
465 Huntington Ave, Fenway
One of the country's great encyclopedic art museums, a short walk from the Gardner. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and until 10 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays; closed Tuesdays. Adult admission is $30.
Tip: Pair it with the Gardner on the same day, or save it for a late Friday evening.
Art across the city
On the harbor, the Institute of Contemporary Art is a glass box you can watch the rain from (Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., until 9 on Thursdays and Fridays; free on Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m. with an advance ticket). Over the river, the Harvard Art Museums are free to everyone, every day they're open (Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). And on Copley Square, the Boston Public Library's McKim building has free art and architecture tours.
Institute of Contemporary Art
25 Harbor Shore Dr, Seaport
Contemporary art in a glass building on the harbor. Open Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., until 9 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays; closed Mondays. Adults $20, and free for everyone on Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m. (advance tickets required).
Harvard Art Museums
32 Quincy St, Cambridge
Harvard's art collections under one roof, by Harvard Yard. Open Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Mondays, and free to everyone every day.
Boston Public Library, Central Library
700 Boylston St, Copley Square
The McKim building on Copley Square, with free art and architecture tours. Open Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Lunch out of the rain
Sit at the old oyster bar of the Union Oyster House, serving since 1826 and bookable on OpenTable, for a dozen on the half shell and a bowl of chowder. In the Seaport, Row 34 opens from 11:30 a.m. Skip Neptune Oyster on a wet day unless you're happy to queue outside: it takes walk-ins only.
Union Oyster House
41 Union St, near Faneuil Hall
Serving food since 1826 and billed as America's oldest restaurant, on the Freedom Trail by Faneuil Hall. Sit at the old oyster bar for a dozen on the half shell and a chowder. Reservations through OpenTable.
Row 34
383 Congress St, Fort Point
A buzzy oyster bar and seafood restaurant in the Fort Point warehouses, with a raw bar, lobster rolls and responsibly sourced local fish. Open Monday to Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. (drinks until 11) and Sunday until 9 p.m.
A wet evening, done well
Rain is the perfect excuse for a concert: check the Boston Symphony Orchestra's 2026-27 season at Symphony Hall. Before or after, The Hawthorne in the Hotel Commonwealth is a living-room cocktail bar open until 1 a.m., and Wally's Café has had live jazz every night since 1947. For dinner, Oleana in Cambridge holds space for walk-ins every evening.
Boston Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall
Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Ave
The BSO's 2026-27 season at Symphony Hall began at the end of September. The orchestra spends its summers at Tanglewood in the Berkshires, and the Boston Pops cover jazz, film music, Broadway and the great American songbook.
Tip: Check the concert calendar before you fix your dates.
The Hawthorne
Hotel Commonwealth, 500A Commonwealth Ave, Kenmore Square
A grown-up craft cocktail bar in the Hotel Commonwealth, with fine wines and a living-room feel. Open nightly from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Reservations are taken for up to 10 guests until 9 p.m.; walk-ins are welcome, with a wait list at busy times.
Tip: Book a table for a pre- or post-concert drink; Symphony Hall is a short ride away.
Wally's Café Jazz Club
427 Massachusetts Ave, South End
A family-run jazz club with live music every night of the year since 1947. Students from the local conservatories sit in with veterans at the jam sessions (Tuesday to Saturday, 7 to 9 p.m.), then the night sets run until midnight. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday.
Tip: It is a small room; arrive early for a seat.
Oleana
134 Hampshire St, Cambridge (Central Square)
A Cambridge favorite for the cooking of Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean: vivid spices and fresh local produce. Open daily from 5 p.m. Reservations open 30 days ahead, and space is held every evening for walk-ins.
Our advice
- Avoid Tuesday for a museum day: the MFA and the Gardner are both closed. Monday is out for the ICA and the Harvard Art Museums.
- Thursday is the best rainy day of the week: the Gardner, the MFA and the ICA all stay open into the evening.
- Use the T or a taxi between the Fenway, Copley Square and the Seaport rather than walking in a downpour.
- Check current hours, show times and prices before you go.
Everything here was checked in September 2026. Museum hours, tour times and seasonal ferries change, so confirm before you go.
Questions people ask
What is there to do in Boston on a rainy day?
Spend the day in the museums: the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in the Fenway, the ICA on the harbor and the free Harvard Art Museums. Add the Boston Public Library, an oyster bar lunch and a concert or jazz in the evening.
Which Boston museums are free?
The Harvard Art Museums are free to everyone, every day they're open, and the ICA is free on Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m. with an advance ticket. The Boston Public Library's art and architecture tours are free too.
Which Boston museums are closed on Tuesdays?
The Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum are both closed on Tuesdays. The ICA and the Harvard Art Museums close on Mondays instead.
What should couples do in Boston when it rains?
The Gardner and the MFA in the afternoon, cocktails at The Hawthorne, then the Symphony or a set at Wally's Café.