Cogan Family Foundation Vacation Week Adventures
April 16, 2013 - April 19, 2013
April School Vacation Week
Artists to Warriors: Celebrating Japanese Art
Tuesday–Friday, 10 am–4 pm (Wed to 8 pm)
Join us for April Vacation Week and participate in free activities for kids all week!* Explore the Museum’s Japanese art and marvel at the amazing armor in “Samurai! Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection” in Gund Gallery LG31. Then join us to make artwork inspired by the objects you see! Enjoy making art, go on a fun family tour of the galleries, or join an interactive workshop.
ASL interpretation provided April 17.
All ages and abilities welcome; children must be accompanied by an adult. No registration required. FREE admission for kids all week.
(Kids 6 and under always get FREE admission to the MFA, and kids 7 to 17 are free during non-school hours. See Visiting with Kids for more information.)
Special Events
Story Hour, Upper Rotunda
10:30 am and 1:30 pm; ASL interpretation Wed at 1:30 pm
Drop in to enjoy stories about Japan, and Japanese traditions. Stay for one story or for the whole hour. Great for toddlers.
Family Tours, Sharf Visitor Center
Every 15 minutes from 10:15 am–Noon; ASL interpretation Wed at 10:15 am and Noon.
Discover more about our Japanese collection on this 30-minute kid-friendly tour.
Visiting Artists, Alfond Auditorium
ASL interpretation Wed at 11 am
Discover traditions, music, and art forms from Japan with these fantastic performers!
Willamarie Moore: Japanese Spring Traditions
Tuesday, 11 am, 1 and 2 pm (2:50 pm book signing)
Learn about Japanese traditions and create your own tissue paper cherry blossoms.
The Genki Spark: Taiko Drummers
Wednesday, 11 am and 1 pm
Taiko drums are featured in Japanese cultural celebrations, religious ceremonies, theater, and dance. Enjoy this energetic art form that includes choreographed movement, voice, and rhythm.
Michael LaFosse: Origami
Thursday, 11 am, 1 and 2 pm (2:50 pm book signing)
Join one of the world's top origami masters, Michael LaFosse of Origamido Studio for this presentation and workshop!
The Genki Spark: Taiko Drummers
Friday, 11 am and 1 pm
Boston International Children's Film Festival, April 13–21
Remis and Alfond Auditoriums
Check out these “intelligent, passionate, and provocative” films for ages 3 to 18. These films have been praised for “redefining what kids’ entertainment can be” (Time Out New York). Ask at Sharf Visitor Center or see a full schedule here.
Art-Making Activities
10 am–4 pm (until 8 pm on Wed). Drop in to enjoy hands-on activities for all ages.
Cherry Blossom Scrolls, Druker Family Pavilion 159
April is the month of the cherry blossoms in Japan! Find images of springtime on the screens and scrolls in Gallery 280, and then join us in the studio (Druker Family Pavilion 159) to create your own watercolor painting.
Samurai Helmet, Shapiro Family Courtyard
Discover the beautifully detailed helmets in “Samurai!”(Gund Gallery LG31). Can you find helmets that have features of rabbits, dragons, and other animals? How do you think the helmets were put together? After viewing the show, join us in Shapiro Family Courtyard to create your own helmet!
Symbolic Seats, Gallery 278C
Join us in Gallery 278C to view the Buddhas. What are they sitting on? The lotus flower grows in murky water then pushes upward until it reaches the surface as a beautiful flower. In Japanese culture, the lotus symbolizes working through something until you rise above it and reach the light. Create your own lotus mat—maybe it will inspire you to work through and rise above conflicts.
Contemporary Ceramics, Druker Family Pavilion160
Check out how today’s Japanese artists create sculptures and vessels. Explore Yagi Akira’s Nesting Covered Boxes in Gallery 280, Kondo Takahiro’s Blue Porcelain Box in Gallery 158, or Jun Kaneko’s two rounded forms, Untitled, in Gallery 258. Back in the studio (Druker Family Pavilion 160), create your own clay piece exploring shape, size, and texture.
Always Available
MFA Guide: "Samurai!" Any ticket desk, Sharf Visitor Center, Gund Gallery LG31
Follow the way of the warrior with a mobile MFA Guide. Features family-friendly content for kids and adults to explore together! Includes interviews with Usagi Yojimbo comic series creator Stan Sakai. Nonmembers $6; Members $5; kids 17 and under $4; free for visitors who are Deaf and blind. MFA Guide is made possible through the generous support of the John W. Henry Family Foundation.
Art Connections Cards, Sharf Visitor Center
Pick up an Art Connections Card and explore chocolate, celebrations, and other themes throughout the Museum. Made possible by The Lowell Institute.
A Guide to Family Fun at the MFA, Sharf Visitor Center
Pick up one of our free pocket-sized informational guides on visiting and exploring the Museum with kids. Includes tips, gallery games, and ideas for looking at and discussing art.
Behind the Scenes, Galleries 125 and 225, Art of the Americas Wing
Peek behind the scenes and learn about the hidden work that happens every day at the MFA. Watch a video, try out the interactive kiosks, or just relax and enjoy a view of Boston.
