Massachusetts Museum Site of One of America’s Biggest Unsolved Heists

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston was the scene of one of the most infamous art heists in history.

While most museums are famous for their collections safely stored within their walls, this museum has gained notoriety for the artwork that was once on display before it fell prey to an unfortunate theft scandal.

All that remains today are empty frames symbolizing the artwork's mysterious disappearance.

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Not only were 13 artworks swiped from the museum, but the circumstances behind how it happened seem like something out of a movie.

On March 8, 1990, museum guards allowed two thieves posing as police officers into the museum under the pretense of responding to a disturbance call.

During that time, the thieves restrained the guards with duct tape in the basement, giving them 81 minutes to fully access the museum, including the Dutch Room where most of the stolen pieces were located.

Isabella Stewart Gardner was a philanthropist and art collector who built the museum to showcase her collection. The museum continued to expand until she died in 1921, featuring an array of artworks, including pieces from the early Renaissance, Italian and Dutch artists.

It's mind-blowing that one of the biggest heists happened in Massachusetts, and the stolen pieces are still somewhere out there today.

According to the FBI, the Gardner Museum theft is considered the largest property crime in U.S. history, worth $500 million. Despite remaining unsolved for over 30 years, the investigation has turned to the public's help, with the museum offering a $10 million reward for any information.

Over the years, many tips have been reported to the FBI, but most have turned out to be false leads – a true crime mystery.

Could it have been an inside job? We may never know.

Hopefully, one day they'll find their place back into the collection where it belongs.