BOSTON, MA.- The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), will present a free Community Day on Sunday, September 20, sponsored by State Street Corporation. Museum visitors will receive free general admission from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., which includes entry to the MFA’s numerous galleries and special exhibitions, and access to gallery tours and family activities. ReadBoston, an organization that promotes early childhood literacy, will also hold a book drive at the MFA during the Free Day. Visitors are encouraged to bring new or gently used children’s and young adult books and drop them at ReadBoston’s Storymobile, which will be located outside the MFA’s State Street Corporation Fenway Entrance.
“The Museum’s longstanding partnership with State Street Corporation has allowed us to deepen the connection with our neighborhoods,” said Malcolm Rogers, Ann and Graham Gund Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. “More than a year ago, State Street helped us open our Fenway doors—now they are furthering their commitment to the MFA and the community by supporting our community day program.”
In September 2007, State Street Corporation contributed to the Museum’s Building the New MFA campaign. The Museum renamed its Fenway entrance the “State Street Corporation Fenway Entrance,” reaffirming the financial institution’s support of the Museum, going back 40 years.
“The Museum of Fine Arts provides Bostonians and visitors from around the world with numerous opportunities for cultural enrichment,” said George A. Russell, Jr., executive vice president and director of State Street’s Community Affairs. “At State Street, supporting our communities worldwide is one of our fundamental values, which is why we are proud to sponsor this community day allowing visitors to enjoy the Museum and its collections at no charge.”
The September 20th Free Day will feature gallery talks in English and Spanish; guided and self-guided tours; and the Family Art Cart in the Sharf Visitor Center, which offers activities for children and adults to do together in the galleries. Special exhibitions on view include Viva Mexico: Edward Weston and His Contemporaries, an exploration of Weston’s early modernist photographs inspired by visits to Mexico City between 1923 and 1926; Contemporary Outlook: Seeing Songs, a display of visual artists who have been inspired by music; and A New and Native Beauty: The Art and Craft of Greene and Greene, a comprehensive look at the work of legendary architects and designers Charles and Henry Greene. Additionally, tickets to three Mexican films, El Compadre Mendoza, El Prisionero Trece, and La Mujer del Puerto, will be available for $10 ($8 for members, seniors, and students).
The September 20 Free Community Day is part of the MFA’s 9 in ’09 initiative, offering free Museum admission once per month (nine times) through 2009, providing opportunities for all families to enjoy the Museum and its treasures. The initiative was announced by Malcolm Rogers at the re-opening of the MFA’s historic Huntington Avenue Entrance in April 2009. Remaining 9 in ’09 free days include Columbus Day (Monday, October 12); Veterans Day (Wednesday, November 11); and New Year’s Eve (Thursday, December 31).
