Distance Learning Programs

Bring the MFA to your classroom or home school with live, interactive programs

The MFA offers two ways to connect classrooms digitally with its global collection of art. Reserve an individual classroom videoconference program or join free livestreamed programs offered throughout the school year.

These live interactive programs connect students with an MFA educator to engage in discussion and activities that encourage a deeper understanding of the work of an art museum and how art connects us to the human experience, both past and present. All programs are taught live from the MFA galleries, giving students the opportunity to see original works of art while also digging deeper through additional digital content.

Individual Classroom Videoconference Programs

Reserve as an independent program or pair with an MFA Field Trip

Classrooms connect with an MFA educator for a private session. Programs can accommodate your learning environment (in-classroom, remote, or hybrid) and individual class schedules. Maximum of one classroom (up to 30 students) per session; see further details below.

Program Offerings

Artists from around the world find inspiration in the communities in which they live and work. Looking at international and Boston-based artists, students explore artistic depictions of neighborhoods as well as public artworks with local connections.

Recommended for Grades 1–5

Delving into the art of colonial Boston, students look at objects made during this pivotal time in American history and learn how these historic artworks tell multiple stories about race, identity, and power during the time of the American Revolution. Aligns with Massachusetts standards for History and Social Science/Investigating History.

Recommended for Grades 3–8

Dig into the beliefs, values, and everyday lives of ancient Egyptians by looking closely at artworks in the MFA’s galleries. Students examine funerary objects from a Middle Kingdom tomb to learn how ancient beliefs about the afterlife are represented in painting, sculpture, and hieroglyphic writing. Aligns with Massachusetts standards for History and Social Science/Investigating History.

Recommended for Grades 3–8

Examine ancient works of art depicting activities of work and play to see what these objects reveal about daily life in ancient Greece. Students look closely and make inferences about the everyday activities these artworks portray, many of which are still familiar today. Aligns with Massachusetts standards for History and Social Science/Investigating History.

Recommended for Grades 4–12

Looking at 20th- and 21st-century American art, students learn how three Boston-connected African American artists—Allan Rohan Crite, Loïs Mailou Jones, and Stephen Hamilton—traced their roots to Africa as a way to reclaim their ancestral legacies and elevate African arts, traditions, and histories.

Recommended for Grades 6–12

Availability

Programs are offered September 30, 2024–June 13, 2025. No programming during Winter Recess (December 23–January 2), February Recess (February 17–21), April Recess (April 18–25) and Summer Recess.

Available Mondays–Fridays 9 am–4 pm ET.

Pricing

$175 per individual classroom (up to 30 students)

Available Discounts

  • $150 per classroom when scheduling the same program topic for three or more classrooms
  • Free for Title 1 Schools and 50% discount for all other schools when paired with an MFA Field Trip. Field trip order number required to receive discount.
  • Free for Boston Public Schools
  • Free to schools in Maine through the Lunder Maine Student Membership generously funded by The Lunder Foundation
  • Free to schools and those who are home schooled in New Hampshire through the McLane Family New Hampshire Student Membership Program

How to Book

To request an Individual Classroom Videoconference Program, submit a request form at least 3 weeks prior to your preferred program date. Your program will be confirmed within 3–5 business days. Questions? Contact distancelearning@mfa.org.

Request a Session Today

Free Livestreamed Programs

Students connect with an MFA educator for 30-minute live interactive programs.

Distance Learning

Art of Renaissance Italy

Friday, November 15, 2024
11:10 am–11:40 am

Recommended for Grades 6–12

Online
Distance Learning

Art of Ancient Egypt

Tuesday, December 10, 2024
12:10 pm–12:40 pm

Recommended for Grades 6–12

Online
Distance Learning

Art of Ancient Nubia

Thursday, December 19, 2024
1:10 pm–1:40 pm

Recommended for Grades 6–12

Online
Distance Learning

American Revolution: People and Place in the Art of Colonial Boston

Friday, January 17, 2025
11:10 am–11:40 am

Recommended for Grades 3–8

Online
Distance Learning

Black America Made Visible: Art of John Wilson

Thursday, February 27, 2025
1:10 pm–1:40 pm

Recommended for Grades 6–12 and College/University students

Online
Distance Learning

Black America Made Visible: Art of John Wilson

Thursday, February 27, 2025
4:00 pm–4:30 pm

Recommended for Grades 6–12 and College/University students

Online
Distance Learning

Art of Ancient Greece and Rome: Gods and Goddesses

Wednesday, April 16, 2025
1:10 pm–1:40 pm

Recommended for Grades 5–12

Online
Distance Learning

Art of the Ancient Maya

Tuesday, May 6, 2025
12:10 pm–12:40 pm

Recommended for Grades 4–9

Online
Distance Learning

Black America Made Visible: Art of John Wilson

Tuesday, May 27, 2025
11:10 am–11:40 am

Recommended for Grades 6–12 and College/University students

Online
Distance Learning

Exploring Impressionism: The Art of Claude Monet

Tuesday, June 3, 2025
12:10 pm–12:40 pm

Recommended for Grades 1–5

Online

Sponsors

Streamable Learning

Content Partner

Questions About Distance Learning?

For further information about the program content or logistics, e-mail distancelearning@mfa.org.

For reservations, submit a request form at least 3 weeks prior to your preferred dates.

Missed a Livestreamed Program?

View select webinar recordings on our K–12 Distance Learning playlist on YouTube anytime.

View YouTube Playlist