Cyrus Dallin Art Museum

Stopped here at the end of a biking trip and thoroughly enjoyed the free tour. I’d never heard of Dallin or this museum before, and after the visit, I found that fact somewhat appalling. I went in not expecting much and left absolutely amazed. There is so much movement and expressivity in his sculptures. They remind me of early Rodin.
In short, this guy created the Paul Revere statue in the North End, the Native American Statue in front of the MFA, and the trumpeting angel of the Mormon church, among others. He could easily be the best American sculptor of the 20^th century but, due to political conflict and possibly his own obstinacy/​arrogance, he has virtually no legacy. Poor guy, it took him 60 years to erect the Paul Revere statue in the North End and his name isn’t even engraved on the pedestal! Boston politicians apparently didn’t care for him much at all. He died penniless and all he gets is four rooms in a tiny house in Arlington to showcase his masterpieces.
It’s a nice little museum though, and the curators are very knowledgeable and dedicated. You can walk through the place on your own, but it’s small enough that having a docent guide you through a detailed tour wouldn’t take more than 40 minutes. As I said before, everything is free, though donations are greatly appreciated. If you are hosting visitors or just have an hour to kill on a weekend afternoon, this local treasure is well worth the trip.

A cute little museum, municipally-​owned but not municipally-​funded (if I heard them right). Definitely worth a visit. There are basically only four rooms, fairly crammed with Dallin artifacts and artwork. My visit wasn’t guided so I went through on my own. It felt good to take my time and leisurely stroll through the house. I recognized a fair number of Dallin’s sculptures but was happy to learn new stuff anyway. The curator is careful to set up each room logically by assigning a theme for each. There’s a metered parking lot right behind it so there’s no excuse to miss this hidden gem!

A truly wonderful, quirky little find. I’d gone by the museum a number of times on bike rides along the Minuteman, and even walked by it now that I live in Arlington. I love old houses, and had always been curious what this one was about.
My mom was in town for a visit, and we found ourselves wandering Arlington Center (on the second 90 + degree day of the year). I saw the OPEN flag flying, and on a whim suggested we go check it out.
The museum itself is small at just four rooms, but each has a nice display of Dallin’s work. I wasn’t familiar with Dallin before going to the museum, though it turns out I was familiar with a lot of his work. The Paul Revere Statue in the North End? Dallin. The sculpture of the Native American on horseback in front of the MFA? Dallin. The angel trumpeting on top of Mormon temples (including the one in Belmont)? Dallin.
Our Docent was enthusiastic and knowledgeable without being overbearing, and managed to share just the right amount of information, with a good balance of the informative and the entertaining.
It’s a small museum that relies on grants and donations to keep in operation, so please go, learn about a local superstar who’s fame has faded, sign the guest book, and support this great local museum!