By Richard Baiano, Patron Program Committee member

In February 2020, during the 150th anniversary celebration days, the Museum unveiled MFA Journey: Explore 150 Years in 15 Works of Art, a self-guided tour exploring the history of the Museum and its world-renowned collection through the lens of 15 works of art—one for each decade of the Museum’s history. The tour traces the journey of each artwork, revealing the fascinating stories behind how they came to be in the MFA’s collection.

In looking at these 15 objects, MFA Journey shares the stories of several prominent donors and follows the changing tastes of Boston’s museum-going public over the course of the Museum’s 150-year history. The tour is a powerful reminder that the MFA’s collection was built through the generous donations of Museum patrons, past and present. Every work of art in the Museum’s collection was acquired either directly from a donor or through donated funds. Throughout the Museum’s history, donations have formed the backbone of the collection and continue to expand the breadth and depth of the Museum’s holdings.

The tour incorporates works from across the globe and time, encouraging visitors to explore the enormous wealth and depth of the Museum’s collections. Before the Museum closed, the tour sent visitors to every corner of the MFA with an accompanying print brochure and map. You can enjoy these remarkable artworks and their stories from home with this online slideshow.

The brainchild of Maureen Melton, Susan Morse Hilles Director of Libraries and Archives and Museum Historian, MFA Journey puts the rich institutional history of the Museum itself on display. The result is a truly unique program providing a fascinating look at the individuals and events that have shaped the Museum’s history and collection. A tiny fraction of the MFA’s nearly 500,000 objects, these 15 works offer a distilled story, but one that offers a wealth of insight into how a major museum collection is built and shaped by its patrons and public.