Best of Boston

The key to the PEM’s brilliance is its diversity. In the past year alone, it put on exhibits from titans such as Alexander Calder and J.M.W. Turner; displayed worldly treasures, from abstract Indian art to imperial Chinese ceramics; and stayed true to its New England roots with a survey of 18th-century local furniture maker Nathaniel Gould. The coming year promises shows covering Dutch kinetic sculptures, Native American fashion designers, and everything in between. And with a $650 million expansion under way, this Salem institution is only going to get better.