Established in 1870, the MFA, Boston is currently considered one of the most comprehensive art museums in the world. Originally located in Copley Square, it has been at 465 Huntington Avenue in the Fenway since 1909. The museum houses nearly 450,000 works of art, ranging from ancient Egyptian to contemporary, including American paintings, works of Impressionism, Asian scrolls, photographs, and Egyptian mummies. In addition to its impressive permanent collection, it also offers special exhibitions, innovative educational programs, film festivals, and music programs.
Citizen Bank Foundation Wednesdays at the MFA run from 4-9:45 p.m. All galleries, with the exception of ticketed exhibitions, are accessible. If you do happen to be starving-artist, or not-The Galleria, housed in the MFA West Wing, first floor, is open on Wednesdays until 8:45 p.m. Their dining fare is contemporary, featuring soups, salads, and desserts. Entrées range $14-$18; desserts are $6. Dress is casual.
What to see
Whether you simply want to grab a map of the floor plan and explore the galleries on your own, or rent one of the Audio guides available at the ticket desks for $6, be sure not to miss the following:
Collections
Japanese Prints. The MFA's collection of Japanese prints is world-famous. They are noteworthy for their brilliant colors and fine printing, and the emotional intensity of the scenes depicted.
Art of the Ancient World. The museum houses one of the world's finest collections of Egyptian mummies and sculpture, ceramics, and gold from ancient Greece and the Roman Empire.
Paintings
The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit, John Singer Sargent. The composition of this painting baffled and intrigued the critics of the day, the children seemingly having no compositional relation to one another.
Dance at Bougival, Pierre-Auguste Renoir. This painting, an exuberant depiction of a couple dancing, is notable for its use of intense color and bold brushwork.
Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?, Paul Gauguin. In this painting, Paul Gauguin struggles with the meaning of existence. According to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts web site, the artist considered it "to be his masterpiece and the summation of his ideas."
Ravine, Vincent van Gogh. In 2007, the MFA and the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, discovered a painting by Vincent van Gogh underneath the artist's painting Ravine. More information can be found at Vincent van Gogh Painting Discovery .
Special exhibitions
In addition to its permanent collections, the MFA hosts several special exhibitions. Current on view exhibitions include Karsh 100: A Biography in Images, which explores the work of renowned photographer Yousuf Karsh (now through Monday, January 19, 2009) and Visions of Kyoto: Scenes from Japan's Ancient Capital, showcasing prints of the18th, 19th, and 20th centuries that depict the cityscapes, history, legends, and festivals of the traditional center of Japanese culture (now through Sunday, May 31, 2009). More information about on view, upcoming, and past exhibitions can be found at MFA Exhibitions .
