Morning at the Museum
Morning at the Museum invites guests to experience the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in a quieter, more intimate setting before it opens to the general public. Visitors can explore the galleries and Courtyard at a reduced capacity, pause for solitude, and take part in a grounding meditation with sound, imagery, and visual prompts as the Museum wakes up.
The program’s guided meditation is led by Boston-based healing arts facilitator and educator Marlene Boyette, founder of Leela Yoga + Wellness. Her 15-minute sessions combine grounding practices with crystal and metal singing bowls, chimes, gongs, and other instruments. Participants may listen, rest, sit, and engage with the experience in whatever way feels accessible and settling.
When: Friday, November 13, 2026, from 10 to 11 am.
Venue: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, throughout the Museum, including Calderwood Hall. The address is 25 Evans Way, Boston, MA 02115.
Schedule: Entry begins at 10 am for all participants, regardless of their selected meditation session. Guests may choose one of two optional 15-minute guided meditation sessions, at 10:10 or 10:40 am.
Experience: Reduced capacity allows visitors to study Isabella Stewart Gardner’s curation and the rotating Courtyard installations at their own pace. Museum staff may be preparing for the day, including teachers leading student groups and horticulturists working in the Courtyard.
Meditation: The guided sessions begin with a grounding practice and continue with an immersive sound meditation featuring crystal and metal singing bowls, chimes, gongs, projected imagery, and visual prompts. There is no single required way to participate.
Facilitator: Marlene Boyette is a Boston-based healing arts facilitator, educator, and founder of Leela Yoga + Wellness. She has taught yoga and mindfulness since 2013 and works with cultural institutions, schools, and public gatherings in Boston, New York, and internationally.
Tickets: Adults, seniors, and children are $30. Members pay $24. Everyone, including children, must have a ticket.
Registration: Advance registration is required, and tickets can be purchased online only. No tickets will be available at the door, and day-of online tickets are not guaranteed. Space is limited.
Ages: The program is not recommended for children under five.
Accessibility: Guests may call the Box Office at 617-278-5156 to request accessible or companion seating or to ask about other accommodations.
Additional amenities: Gift at the Gardner opens at 10:30 am for shopping. Café G opens when the Museum opens to the public, offering coffee and sweet treats.