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Museum Closes on 33rd Anniversary of Famed Art Heist

By CNN Web StaffBOSTON (WBZ) – On Saturday, the 33rd anniversary of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist, the museum announced it would be closing for the day.However, according to the museum, the closure had nothing to do with the anniversary but was related to a protest that museum authorities feared would damage the works of art.“We have been informed that climate activists planned a protest inside our museum that could put our community and artworks at risk. After careful consideration and abundance of caution for the museum’s visitors, staff, and artworks, we have decided to close.”The museum said anyone with tickets for Saturday could choose another day to visit or be fully reimbursed.The closure comes on the 33rd anniversary of the day when thieves disguised as Boston police officers convinced two security guards to let them into the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The guards were then tied up in the museum basement, and the thieves got away with 13 pieces of art. Rembrandt’s "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, 1633" was among the stolen masterpiecesCOURTESY WIKIARTThe missing art, which includes works by Rembrandt, Degas, Manet, and Vermeer, is estimated to be worth at least $500 million. The empty frames remain at the museum.The museum is offering a $10 million reward for any information that leads to the return of the stolen works.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

Mark

Mar 23, 2023 - 20:00

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Museum Closes on 33rd Anniversary of Famed Art Heist

By CNN Web Staff

BOSTON (WBZ) – On Saturday, the 33rd anniversary of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist, the museum announced it would be closing for the day.

However, according to the museum, the closure had nothing to do with the anniversary but was related to a protest that museum authorities feared would damage the works of art.

“We have been informed that climate activists planned a protest inside our museum that could put our community and artworks at risk. After careful consideration and abundance of caution for the museum’s visitors, staff, and artworks, we have decided to close.”

The museum said anyone with tickets for Saturday could choose another day to visit or be fully reimbursed.

The closure comes on the 33rd anniversary of the day when thieves disguised as Boston police officers convinced two security guards to let them into the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The guards were then tied up in the museum basement, and the thieves got away with 13 pieces of art.

Rembrandt's Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, 1633 Rembrandt’s "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, 1633" was among the stolen masterpiecesCOURTESY WIKIART

The missing art, which includes works by Rembrandt, Degas, Manet, and Vermeer, is estimated to be worth at least $500 million. The empty frames remain at the museum.

The museum is offering a $10 million reward for any information that leads to the return of the stolen works.