In the wee hours of March 18, 1990, as Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations were still winding down, two men dressed as Boston Police officers entered the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum on the Fenway, overwhelmed two inexperienced security guards, and in less than 90 minutes, stole paintings and other artworks valued today at $600 million.

The stolen works included Vermeer’s “The Concert”, one of just 35 known works by the artist, three Rembrandt paintings, including his only known seascape, “Storm on the Sea of Galilee” , five Degas drawings and Manet’s “Chez Tortoni”. Almost twenty years later, the Gardner Heist remains the world’s greatest unsolved art theft.

Both art and mystery lovers can immerse themselves in this drama with Ulrich Boser’s new book, The Gardner Heist: The True Story of the World’s Largest Unsolved Art Theft. Boser, a contributing editor of U.S. News & World Report, spent years pursuing leads and interviewing investigators, art experts, felons and other colorful characters to tell this compelling and yet unfinished story. You can also watch Stolen, a DVD documentary on the heist, where you will recognize many of the players who appear in Boser’s book. Mystery author and Boston Globe columnist Brian McGrory even penned a thriller called Dead Line based on the heist. Finally, Museum of the Missing: A History of Art Theft by Simon Houpt, is a terrific read about high profile art thefts, including, of course, the Gardner’s.

Despite the loss of these masterpieces, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum remains a popular destination for art lovers everywhere. Just a few blocks from Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, the Gardner’s Italianate architecture and beautiful indoor garden make it a delightful year-round destination. Empty frames adorn the walls where the stolen masterpieces once hung, a sad reminder of that infamous crime. And with a Nashua Public Library Museum Pass, admission is just $5.00 per person (under 18 are free). Book your pass on our web site or call the Music, Art and Media desk for reservations and more information.

Before you go, consider borrowing one of the library’s catalogs of the Gardner’s collection:

Eye of the Beholder: Masterpieces from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (2003)

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: A Companion Guide and History (1995)

Treasures from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (1969)

By the way, if you have information regarding the whereabouts of these works, you should know that the Gardner is offering a $5 million reward.