Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Boston, MA

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is one of the most distinctive cultural institutions in the United States, integrating historic preservation, contemporary programming, and public education in a singular artistic environment. Founded in 1903, the museum houses more than 19,000 objects across centuries and cultures—paintings by Botticelli, Titian, and Sargent are presented alongside rare books, manuscripts, furniture, textiles, and architectural elements. Installed according to a complex, multidisciplinary curatorial scheme within a Venetian-inspired palazzo, the collection invites personal discovery and close looking. A contemporary wing, designed by Renzo Piano in 2012, provides additional space for exhibitions, performances, and community engagement. Each year, over 400,000 visitors participate in the museum’s programs, drawn by its commitment to the arts, scholarship, and the pursuit of beauty.

With support from FCI, the Gardner Museum will undertake a comprehensive energy and sustainability assessment of an off-site commercial building currently being renovated for collections storage. In partnership with engineering consultant, GreenerU, the project will evaluate HVAC systems, electrical infrastructure, and its building envelope, model greenhouse gas emissions, and identify decarbonization strategies that balance energy performance with preservation goals. A roadmap to achieve zero carbon emissions will guide implementation across the site, including potential rooftop and ground-mounted solar PV, electrification of greenhouse heating, and integration of emissions-reducing measures into ongoing construction. Grounded in Isabella Stewart Gardner’s original vision of uniting art and nature, the initiative reflects the museum’s longstanding commitment to sustainability and its leadership in building a climate-resilient cultural sector.

Milestones

• Model baseline energy use and greenhouse gas emissions

• Survey mechanical systems, building envelope, and energy infrastructure

• Recommend emissions-reducing strategies for integration into current renovations

• Explore future electrification and solar PV options across additional site elements

• Develop a decarbonization plan with phased implementation

• Align operational planning with institutional climate goals and preservation values