Education Center in Druker Family Pavilion
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Workshop Studio
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Saturday & Sunday |
Sunday |
Planning
Payment
Membership
A valid MFA membership is required to register for birthday parties scheduled to take place after June 30th. Not a member and want to register for a birthday party? Join today and enjoy this privilege along with free and faster admission, discounts on dining, shopping, and parking, and a full calendar of events—with MFA membership, there’s always more than meets the eye.
Party
Payment in full is due on the day of your visit and not in advance. The MFA accepts checks, cash, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Checks should be made payable to the Museum of Fine Arts. Education Center in Druker Family Pavilion (Level 1, Room 160): $350 Workshop Studio (Level G, Room 85): $300
Catering
Final menu selections due: Monday before your party Food payment due: Wednesday before your party
Goodie Bags
Goodie bags are available for purchase through the MFA. Please click here for more information. Goodie bag orders due: Monday before your party Goodie bag orders are added to your reservation and need to be paid for in full on the day of your visit.
Ages & Number of Children
Theme
One of your Museum instructors will contact you approximately 2 weeks in advance to talk with you about what the children will get to see and do during the party. You can choose from one of the tours listed on the birthday party web page or customize a tour and activity specifically related to your child's interests.
We recommend that you have a general theme or idea in mind for your child's party before your instructor contacts you. If you have questions or need assistance sooner than 2 weeks before the party date, please call 617-369-3303 or e-mail artfuladventures@mfa.org.
Sample Birthday Party Adventures
Please choose only one tour and one art activity or work with a Museum instructor to design a customized tour and activity for your child's party.
Animals in Art
Search for animals in paintings and sculptures while walking through different galleries in the Museum!
Art Activities: Painting on canvas, clay, animal masks, or animal puppets.
Art in America
Discover and compare American art made in different time periods, including paintings, sculptures, and artifacts from our Native American, Early American, Folk Art, American Impressionism, and Modern Art collections.
Art Activities: Painting on canvas, clay, or pendants
Asian Art
Discover Chinese and Japanese art as you walk through a Chinese house and a Buddhist Temple Room, learn about impressive gods and goddesses, and take a closer look at intricate scroll paintings!
Art Activities: Sumi-e painting, clay, or pendants
Egyptian Art
Unlock the mysteries of ancient Egypt and hear about daily life in this amazing civilization. Meet our mummies and learn why and how Egyptians prepared for the afterlife!
Art Activities: Clay or pendants
Fantastic Creatures
Dragons, griffins, and sphinx! Go on an exploration to find artwork that features animals and other creatures not normally seen in everyday life.
Art Activities: Clay, pendants, masks, or puppets
Fashion
Examine clothing and accessories people are wearing in paintings and sculptures throughout the Museum!
Art Activities: Paper dolls, jewelry, pendants, or drawing with watercolor pencils in the galleries
Masks
Are masks just for Halloween? Find out as you journey through the Museum to look at masks from around the world.
Art Activity: Masks
Mythology
Explore ancient cultures through the stories that they told. Learn about myths from Egypt, India, Greece, and Rome while looking at the different sculptures we have in these galleries.
Art Activities: Clay, pendants, or puppets
Scavenger Hunt!
Follow clues to find artwork! Scavenger hunts can be created for any tour and are always customized to match your child’s interests and abilities.
Art activities vary depending on the type of scavenger hunt tour.
Stories in Art
All of the artwork in the Museum has interesting stories behind it! Examine the art, hear some of these stories, and create your own.
Art Activities: Painting on canvas, drawing with watercolor pencils in the galleries, pendants, clay, book making, or puppets
Catering
Cake and cupcakes purchased from a store or a bakery and are not home-made may be brought into the Museum from home. All other food and beverage items must be purchased from Restaurant Associates, the Museum's catering service. However, parents that purchase something from the menu can also request pitchers of ice water free of charge. Luisa Ramirez, the Catering Coordinator, can be reached by calling 617-369-3003 or e-mailing lramirez@mfa.org.
Final menu selections due: Monday before your party Food payment due: Wednesday before your party
If you choose to bring in your own cake or cupcakes you will also need to bring in anything needed to eat and serve these food items. Food and beverages ordered through Restaurant Associates comes with all of the necessary plates, cups, napkins, and utensils, however, some parents prefer to bring in their own special birthday party items for all of the food and beverages served.
Party Supplies
Party decoration and supply suggestions:
Colorful streamers Happy birthday sign Goodie bags Goodie bags are also available for purchase through the MFA. Please click here for more information.
Plastic or paper rectangular tablecloths We cover all of the tables with large, brown paper for the art activity and will change it before the children eat, but one standard rectangular tablecloth fits each of our tables and you will need approximately 6.
Balloons are not allowed in the Museum.
Party
Schedule
Meet your Museum instructors at the Staff Entrance to bring everything to the art studio then go to the Linde Family Wing Schools & Groups Entrance to pay for the party and wait for guests to arrive.
45 minutes
Wait for guests then go on a tour. Upon arrival all of the children will help to decorate a large birthday party banner in a gallery next to the Linde Family Wing Schools & Groups Entrance while waiting for all of the guests to arrive. In case anyone is more than 15 minutes late staff at the admissions desk will help your guests join the group.
45 minutes
Art activity in the art studio. When most of the children are done one of the instructors will read a story outside the room so that they can clean up the art materials and get things ready for the food.
30 minutes
Food and cake
Host Arrival
Your instructor will meet you at the Museum's Staff Entrance 30 minutes before the start of the party to help transport party supplies to the studio classroom (no balloons, please).
The Staff Entrance is located directly across from the parking garage, and can be accessed by walking down the pedestrian ramp next to the loading dock. If needed, your instructor can also have a large bin waiting for you at the entrance to make it easier to carry everything.
Chaperones
All parents/ chaperones are free and will receive a chaperone sticker upon arrival, allowing them to visit galleries in the Museum without having to pay admission. The chaperone sticker will also give them a discounted parking rate of $15 for entire day. In order to receive this discount parents will need to show their sticker to a parking attendant before paying in the MFA Garage lobby. If an attendant is unavailable, please go to the parking office located in the garage.
If parents do not wish to remain with the group the entire time they can explore the Museum on their own and meet up with the group later or they can drop their child off with you at the Entrance. Drop-off/ pick-up guidelines are listed below in the "Information for Guests" section.
Drop-off/Pick-up
Children that are 5 years-old and up may be dropped off for the duration of the party, but their parent/ guardian will need to leave their name and cell phone number in case of emergency.
Museum instructors will provide a clipboard, pen, and a drop-off/pick-up sheet to use to collect information from any parent that will not be staying with the group.
Parents who are just dropping off or picking their child up may pull into the bus parking area, located directly across from the garage on Museum Road, and drive up to the Linde Family Wing Schools & Groups Entrance. They will need to briefly stop to tell the security guard why they are there, and should remain parked in this space no longer than 10 minutes. Parents and children should then enter the Museum and wait in the lobby.
Parents must stay with their child at the Linde Family Wing Schools & Groups Entrance until the hosts arrive. Children should never be left to wait by themselves unattended, and may not be dropped off or picked up in any of the Museum’s parking lots.
Museum instructors will escort everyone back to the lobby of the Linde Family Wing Schools & Groups Entrance at the end of the party.
Coats, Bags, and Baby Items
When you arrive there will be 2 large bins available at the entrance - one for coats and bags, and the other for birthday presents.
All parcels, umbrellas, and bags larger than 11" x 15" must be checked, including backpack-style child carriers. Bags in excess of 11"x15" containing needed medical equipment or for use in nursing or baby care are allowed in the Museum.
Baby strollers are allowed in all galleries.
Museum Guidelines
Parents are responsible for the behavior of their child(ren). If you choose to stay with the group during the tour, please help your guests follow these guidelines.
Works of art in the Museum should not be touched. Use walking feet in the Museum. Use inside voices. Always stay together as a group. Please don't eat, drink, or chew gum in the galleries.
Questions?
Call 617-369-3303 or e-mail