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School Group Visits
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Scheduling a School Group Visit

Grades 2-12

For School Group reservations, call 617-369-3310 or complete our online request form. You will receive a confirmation packet by mail. Please provide accurate contact information.



For cancellations or changes, call 617-369-3310 or e-mail groups@mfa.org and include your six-digit order number. Please note that a processing fee of $2.50 will be charged for every change request after confirmation has been sent.

Guided Tours
Student-centered, interactive learning experiences led by professionally trained gallery instructors. Students engage in interactive discussions and activities. A gallery instructor will contact you prior to your Museum visit to discuss curriculum focus. (Please provide accurate contact information.)

For tour descriptions and start times, see Group Tour Descriptions. Send in your request at least four weeks prior to your preferred dates.


Oct 1, 2009-Jun 3, 2010
Museum Collections
Available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays (one hour)
Maximum of 60 students per school, per tour

  • Art of Ancient Egypt, Nubia, and the Near East (9:30 am entry available)
  • Art of Ancient Greece and Rome
  • Discovering the Museum of Fine Arts
  • Art of Europe
  • Art of Asia
  • Art on the Silk Road
  • Modern and Contemporary Art


    What Artists Do
    Combines guided tour with studio experience
    Available Mondays-Fridays (See Group Tour Descriptions for specific days and times)
    Two hours. Maximum 60 youths per tour; tailored appropriately to age level.

  • Art of Europe
  • Art of Asia
  • Art of Ancient Greece and Rome
  • "Tomb 10A"


    Oct 19, 2009-Apr 30, 2010
    "The Secrets of Tomb 10A: Egypt 2000 BC"
    Available Monday-Friday (one hour)
    9:30, 10 am (early entry)
    Maximum of 50 students per school, per hour


    Jun 4-Sep 30, 2010
    Discovering the Museum of Fine Arts
    Available daily (one hour)
    Maximum 60 students per tour

  • Self-Guided Visits
    Design an MFA experience that directly connects with your classroom teaching goals. Teacher resources are available for many collections on MFA Educators Online.

    For start times, see Group Tour Descriptions.

    Museum Collections
    Available daily throughout the year except during our school year guided tour schedule on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings.
    No group size limit.

    "The Secrets of Tomb 10A: Egypt 2000 BC"
    Available Tue, Wed, Thu between 11:30 am and 3 pm
    Available Fri-Mon between 10:30 am and 3 pm
    Includes free audio guide when booked in advance
    No group size limit

    Admission
    2009/10 School Year:
    Oct 1, 2009-Jun 3, 2010

    Guided Tours: $7.50 per student, plus $2.50 per-order processing fee.
    What Artists Do: $15.50 per student, plus $2.50 per-order processing fee (includes materials)
    Self-Guided Visits: $6 per student, plus $2.50 per-order processing fee.


    Payment Policy
    Payment can be made in advance (must be received at least three business days prior to your visit) or, at the latest, upon arrival. If you choose to pay for your visit upon arrival, allow at least 10 additional minutes prior to the start of your tour for processing and ticket printing.

    By check: Checks should be made out to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and mailed to

    Group Sales
    Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
    465 Huntington Avenue
    Boston, MA 02115

    or hand carried on the day of your visit.

    By credit card: We accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. To pay for your visit in advance with a credit card, call Group Sales at 617-369-3310.
    General Information

    Multiple Visits
    We encourage teachers to integrate Museum visits into their curriculums. For teachers who plan to bring their class on a series of visits, the first and second visits are full price; the third and any subsequent visits are $3 per student. You must book all visits at once.

    Chaperones
    A minimum of one chaperone is required for every ten students. Student aides and one adult per every ten students are admitted free. All additional chaperones $18. Chaperones are responsible for preventing loud, boisterous, or disruptive behavior. Art works may not be touched. If you arrive without the appropriate number of chaperones, the Museum reserves the right to cancel your visit.

    New Group Entrance
    The school group entrance is the new State Street Corporation Fenway Entrance, located off The Fenway.

    Rothwell School Bus Fund for Fall Visits
    The Bernard J. Rothwell School Bus Fund was established in 2006 to provide schools in need with bus transportation subsidies of $250 to bring classes to the MFA for gallery instructor-guided tours from October through December. This fund was made possible by a grant from the Paul Taylor and Adeline Gertrude Magrane Rothwell Philanthropic Fund at the recommendation of a current gallery instructor.

    Please submit a Bus Fund Application Form and School Group Visit Request Form simultaneously. Grants are limited and will be distributed with priority consideration given to School Groups with demonstrated financial need and first-time Museum visitors.

    Gallery Activity Guidelines
    Download guidelines for proper group behavior in the galleries.

    Gallery Capacity
    In order to ensure a meaningful learning experience for all students, gallery capacity is monitored. If a gallery is full, the MFA's Protective Services staff may advise a group to wait temporarily before entering.

    Audio Guides
    Audio guides are $2 each. Audio guides include Collection Highlights (also available in Spanish, Japanese, French, and Russian) and in-depth explorations of most collections. Exploration of Musical Instruments gallery, including music played on the instruments also available. Please indicate on the request form if you would like to use audio guides for your Self-Guided Visit.

    Lunch
    School groups are welcome to eat their own lunches outside on MFA grounds, free of charge but are not allowed to eat in the cafeteria.

    Tables, chairs, boxed lunches, or vouchers are available on a limited, pre-registration basis. Teachers have the following options:

    1. Reserve lunch tables only. The MFA does not provide food, condiments, napkins, or beverages. $40 per half hour, for no more than 60 students at a time. Lunch table reservation time slots, every half hour starting at 10 am, Mon-Fri. Advance registration necessary; available on first-come, first-served basis.

    2. Reserve lunch tables and purchase boxed lunches. Boxed lunch order from MFA: $7 per student. Includes: chicken fingers, french fries, juice, and fruit. No changes or substitutions are accepted.

    3. Reserve lunch tables and purchase cafeteria vouchers. Pre-purchase cafeteria vouchers in $10 denominations. Vouchers can be used as cash in the cafeteria toward the purchase of food and must be used on specified date of school visit.

    Please indicate on the request form if you would like to reserve a lunch table.

    Student Shop
    The Student Shop Online provides inexpensive educational items for students and youth to remember their trip to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. See available merchandise.

    MFA Mail: Get e-mail updates on K through 12 School Group Visits and Teacher Professional Development
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