Arts & Culture

Boston’s cultural scene is vibrant in all seasons. From museums and performing arts, to International Festivals and outdoor concerts, Boston is abuzz with activities for cultural enthusiasts.

Events

Take in one of the many performing arts events the area has to offer...

If you love the classics, ensembles such as Handel & Haydn Society and the Boston Symphony Orchestra are reason enough to visit Boston.   If you prefer a lighter, contemporary flair then the Boston Pops is your orchestra of choice.  The Pops is a staple of spring and come December the famous Holiday Pops enthrall audiences of all ages.  Boston’s renowned music colleges, including Boston Conservatory, New England Conservatory, and Berklee College of Music, also perform weekly throughout the school year.

If outdoor concerts and music festivals are more appealing, head to the Esplanade during the summer for the Boston Landmarks Orchestra or The Blues Barge behind Boston Harbor Hotel for an evening delight.  For cultural festivals with music and dance check out City Hall Plaza during the summer months, and in late May, Boston Calling, a 3 day musical extravaganza in Allston.  

The performing arts in Boston reveal a rich array of theatre, dance and intimate concerts.  Award-winning theater companies across the city include Huntington Theatre Company, ArtsEmerson’s World on Stage, and American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge.  Iconic venues such as the Boston Opera House and the Boch Center bring captivating drama, comedy, dance and popular music performances to Boston’s theatre district.

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company

Founded in 1996, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company is dedicated to presenting the works of William Shakespeare in vital and contemporary productions to the people of Boston and to exploring Shakespeare's plays with Greater Boston's youth in…

Boch Center Shubert Theatre

The Boch Center includes the Wang and Shubert Theatres. These historic landmarks present dance, Broadway, concerts, comedy, dramatic productions, popular artists and a range of other performing arts. Since its opening on January 24, 1910…

Broadway In Boston / Blue Man Group

Each year Broadway In Boston presents a spectacular season of critically-acclaimed Broadway musicals and plays at historic Boston venues. Blue Man Group will rock your world, blow your mind, and unleash your spirit. As three bald and blue…

Boston Ballet

Boston Ballet is an internationally renowned ballet company. We present a broad repertoire of works, including timeless classical ballets such as The Nutcracker and innovative contemporary ballets by some of the most ground-breaking…

Explore Boston’s diverse museums, from the great masters at the Museum of Fine Arts, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Harvard Art Museums to modern art at the Institute of Contemporary Art. Artifacts as well as photography exhibits are on display at the Museum of African American History and the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum. Most of these sites, as well as the Boston Public Library, feature intimate concerts set against the backdrop of their distinctive settings.

The Museums

Harvard Art Museums

Free every day (open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am–5pm) and just steps away from Harvard Square, the Harvard Art Museums welcome…

Boston Public Library

Boston Public Library is America's first public library serving the city of Boston with 27 neighborhood branch libraries, a…

Upcoming Events

Boston Chinatown Tours May 19

Boston Chinatown Tours

Chinatown can be intimidating for outsiders. Travelers and locals alike rave about the food, fun and fables, insights gained as…

Live Like a Local Tours May 19

Live Like a Local Tours

Live Like A Local Tours brings you out of downtown Boston and into the city's neighborhoods where you'll be exposed to foods from…

Spring Experience 2025 May 19

Spring Experience 2025

The 2025 Spring Experience program combines three sublime ballets that showcase the breadth and beauty of ballet today. Alongside…

The Mural Project May 19

The Mural Project

Learn about local artists-in-residence cultivating hip-hop culture through street art. As artists-in-residence at the MFA…

The Light in the Piazza May 20

The Light in the Piazza

A lush and soaring romance unfolds as Huntington Artistic Director Loretta Greco ( Prayer for the French Republic ) creates a…

Hello, Dolly May 21

Hello, Dolly

Brimming with classic musical theater tunes, endearing characters, and good-humor all around, Hello Dolly! is the perfect balm for…

Los Rivera Destino May 29

Los Rivera Destino

Bohemia, satire, and plenty of wit: that's the unique musical style of Puerto Rican group Los Rivera Destino, whose recognition…

Roméo et Juliette May 29

Roméo et Juliette

Jean-Christophe Maillot’s version shares the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet through the eyes of the remorseful Friar…

Latino Family Festival Jun 08

Latino Family Festival

¡El día familiar más grande de Nueva Inglaterra se llevará a cabo en el histórico Fenway Park! Más de 65 expositores, juegos…

Back Bay Shuffle Jun 14

Back Bay Shuffle

The Huntington Hosts Boston Lindy Hop for the “Back Bay Shuffle” – a one-of-a-kind Lindy Hop dance event in The Huntington’s…

The Artimus Pyle Band Jun 26

The Artimus Pyle Band

APB features Artimus Pyle, the last surviving member and drummer of the classic Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup & 2006 Rock & Roll…

BAMS Festival Jun 28

BAMS Festival

Experience two days of Black joy, including some of the biggest names in music, live DJ sets, food trucks, dance performances, and…

Back to the Future Jul 08

Back to the Future

Great Scott! Back to the Future , the beloved, cinematic classic is now a Broadway musical. Winner of the 2022 Olivier Award for…

Boston JerkFest 2025 Jul 11

Boston JerkFest 2025

Boston JerkFest is a family-friendly Caribbean-style food festival offering two days of fun in the sun and featuring Jamaican jerk…

The Wiz Aug 12

The Wiz

Everybody Rejoice! The Tony Award-winning musical THE WIZ is coming to your city! Producers Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian…

Cambridge Carnival Sep 07

Cambridge Carnival

Join Cambridge Carnival International Inc. on Sunday, September 7, 2025, for a vibrant and immersive celebration of African and…

The Ceremony Sep 11

The Ceremony

Mfoniso Udofia continues her Ufot Family Cycle with a vibrant, heartwarming celebration of love intertwining Nigerian and Nepali…

The Hills of California Sep 11

The Hills of California

Internationally renowned Olivier and Tony Award–winning playwright Jez Butterworth ( The Ferryman, Jerusalem ) weaves the…

Churchill Oct 07

Churchill

In this often funny, sometimes touching and always engaging one-man-show… veteran British actor, David Payne brings Churchill to…

Kim's Convenience Nov 05

Kim's Convenience

This laugh-out-loud, deeply touching comedy centers around Mr. Kim, a Korean-Canadian convenience store owner, as he navigates…

Fun Home Nov 14

Fun Home

Winner of five Tony Awards including Best Musical, Fun Home is a beloved, groundbreaking, and emotionally rich story of seeing…

We Had A World Feb 12

We Had A World

A dying woman calls her grandson and asks him to write a play about their family. “But I want you to promise me something,” she…

Oedipus El Rey May 07

Oedipus El Rey

Luis Alfaro reimagines Sophocles’ classic in his acclaimed and electrifying Oedipus E l Rey , set in the heart of Los Angeles…

Eureka Day May 29

Eureka Day

Hot from celebrated productions on Broadway and in London, Eureka Day is a new, wildly funny, on-the-pulse satire which asks if…

Sam Morril Aug 07

Sam Morril

Morril is one of the fastest-rising stand-up comics in New York City and one of the best joke writers in the scene today. He was a…

Sasha Colby: Stripped II Oct 26

Sasha Colby: Stripped II

As a proud trans-Hawaiian woman, Sasha is a staple in the American drag industry. She’s been hailed “A LEGEND” by castmates of…