The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, a world-renowned collection spanning thirty centuries and many cultures, is distinguished among other great American collections in that it is a personalized setting for experiencing art. One woman's vision integrated objects from diverse periods, styles and cultures in a setting that is reminiscent of a 15th-century Venetian palace, creating a Museum that can itself be regarded as a single work of art. In planning her Museum, Isabella Stewart Gardner consciously sought to avoid the style of museums of her day, which were already being called "mausoleums of art." At Fenway Court, musical concerts, lush horticultural displays in the central courtyard, intellectual engagement and the encouragement of young artists were integral parts of Mrs. Gardner's life. While the arrangement of the galleries is deliberate and permanent, the Gardner Museum today promotes our founder's practices and nurtures creativity by serving as a center for ideas and a place that delights the senses and ignites the imagination. To preserve Isabella Stewart Gardner's legacy "for the education and enjoyment of the public forever," the collection and the building that houses it are being conserved to the highest standards. The Museum seeks to engage the distinct interests of diverse communities and serve local, national and international constituencies. All programming initiatives rest on five "cornerstones." They are: historic art; contemporary art; music; horticulture; and, education.