I'll have a Monday in Boston in October (5 pm flight home) and have done the Freedom trail and related sights. I thought I'd spend the day either seeing some neighborhoods in Cambridge and the Fogg or some of the Back Bay and the Museum of Fine Arts. I like architecture and Impressionist paintings. Which would you recommend as I only have time for one?

I'd go to the Isabella Stewart Gardiner Museum. It's close to the MFA. It has a fascinating history, an unusual collection and a breathtaking courtyard.

Have you checked to see if they're open? I'm more familiar with museums/travel in Europe; and there, many museums are closed on Mondays. That may impact your options.

My info says the Gardiner is closed on Monday. I will double check any museum hours closer to visit.

I would suggest the Back Bay and MFA, especially if you like Impressionism.

The MFA has the largest collection of Monets outside France and has an impressive collection of Gaugins, Seurats, Van Goghs, and other artists of the Impressionist period.

Unlike a walk around Harvard Square/Fogg, you will need to take a taxi or the T from Back Bay to the MFA, but it should only take a five minutes. I suppose you could walk, but that would take a while.

Boston has excellent public transportation; you can take the Green Line subway trolley from several places in the Back Bay and it stops right in front of the MFA.

As has been pointed out, the Gardner Museum, right down the street from the MFA, is also delightful. It's open on Columbus Day (in case that happens to be the October Monday you're here). But Isabella didn't focus on Impressionists.

Definitely the MFA. There's more to see, including the 2nd biggest biggest trove of Egyptian artefacts outside Egypt (the Met in NYC prob. has more)

Wow - what a toss up!

The Fogg is an amazing private collection ... quite unlike anything I've ever seen before ... yet a smaller, more intimate musuem. Truly unique, beautifully installed - rare and precious pieces of art I've never seen before. The wealth of the donators/alumni is truly staggering!

On the other hand, the Fine Arts Musuem is a mind-boggling collection of world class status. It is enormous. And stunning architecturally as well as coleection-wise. I could spend days there.