Visitor's Guide To The Museum Of Fine Arts, Boston

Boston has more than a handful of quality art museums worth visiting. They are some of the best attractions in the city, but one takes the cake by a wide margin. Boston's Museum of Fine Arts is one of the best art institutions in the United States. It showcases countless one-of-a-kind pieces from around the world and quite a few from right at home. It also has the best events and initiatives, as it is the largest art museum in the community.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston was established in 1870. It found its first home in Copley Square. The collections were housed in a brick Gothic Revival by Charles Brigham and John Hubbard Sturgis. However, it quickly outgrew this location and by 1907 plans were underway for a new building on Huntington Ave. It took several decades for everything to be completed, but the collections were in the main building within a few years. In the 1980s, I.M. Pei added a wing to the structure. The 2000s saw major expansions, notably the Art of the Americas Wing.

The MFA Boston is open from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. from Saturday to Tuesday. Wednesday through Friday, the hours are 10 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. Free admission is offered to members and children six and under. Youths 17 and younger can get in free weekdays after 3 p.m. and on school holidays. Otherwise, the admission fee is $10 for youths. Students and seniors can enter for $23 and adult admission is $25.

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Getting to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts is fairly easy, thanks to the T. Both the Green and Orange Lines which take riders to the MFA. The Orange Line stop is Ruggles, and the Green Line is the Museum of Fine Arts stop. The 39 bus also has a Museum of Fine Arts stop while the 8, 47 and CT2 will get riders there via the Ruggles stop. Parking is limited, so it can fill up on busy days. However, there are three garages run by the museum, and valet parking is available for $3. That fee is waived for individuals with handicapped parking plates.

"Class Distinctions: Dutch Painting in the Age of Rembrandt and Vermeer" – Oct. 11, 2015 to Jan. 18, 2016

This exhibit is about deciphering period class distinctions in Dutch paintings. Work, costume and behavior all hold clues that help the viewer distinguish the class of the subject.

"Crafted: Objects in Flux" – Aug. 25, 2015 to Jan. 10, 2016

"Crafted" features a number of contemporary craft pieces that showcase the changes crafting has undergone in recent times.

"Made in the Americas: The New World Discovers Asia" – Aug. 18, 2015 to Feb. 15, 2016

Interestingly, there is colonial American art that shows distinct Asian influences. This exhibit has some of those pieces.

"In the Steps of the Master Pupils of Hokusai" – Aug. 29, 2015 to Feb. 15, 2016

The name of this exhibit speaks for itself. The art of the master's students is on display.

Guests can have a few drinks and enjoy music at the museum on the first Friday of every month. This is known as "First Friday," and does require a valid ID to show that the guest is over 21. The museum also hosts wine tastings at Bravo Restaurant the last Wednesday of every month.

Wednesday nights after 4 p.m. admission is technically free, though the museum takes voluntary donations and suggests a donation of the full ticket price. Otherwise, the museum is free without any mention of donation on the following days: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Lunar New Year, Memorial Day and Oct. 12, the Fall Open House.

First Night button holders can visit the museum free on First Night.

Massachusetts residents who present an EBT card at the front desk can get up to four $3 tickets, which must be paid for in cash.

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