Social Narrative for Kids on the Autism Spectrum and Their Families

This social narrative can help you prepare for your family’s visit to the MFA. You and your family can learn what to expect when you arrive, enter, explore, and leave the museum. Use the arrows or dots below to navigate through the slideshow.

Today, I’m going to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
The Museum is filled with art that I can look at and talk about!

When I get to the Museum, I may wear a mask or face covering to cover my mouth and nose. I may see other visitors and Museum staff wearing masks. I may also see people not wearing masks.
The MFA’s mask policy may change, in accordance with the latest CDC guidelines. Please check Visit for the most up to date information.

My family may have bought tickets before our visit or may choose to buy them when we arrive. Before we can get in and explore, Museum workers will look at our tickets. I will wait patiently for my family’s turn.

If we don’t want to wear our coats in the Museum, we can leave them at the coat check. We’ll have to leave any large items we have with us there too. The security guard at the coat check will put away our things.

The security guard will give us a plastic tag with a number on it. My family will keep the tag in a safe place, and we’ll return it when we pick up our things before we leave.

In the Museum, I will see Museum workers who will be wearing badges. They can answer my questions, remind me of the rules, or help me if I get lost. I will listen to Museum workers when they ask me to do something to help me stay safe.

There is a lot of art to look at in the Museum, and I won’t have time to see everything. My family and I can look at the Museum map and choose what art to see. I will use my walking speed and my indoor voice inside the Museum.

When I look at art with my family, we can play games and ask questions about the art. We can play I Spy and look for animals in different artworks. I can pose like the people in sculptures and paintings. There are many ways to have fun in the Museum!

I will keep my body away from the artwork and glass cases. The oils my fingers make can damage the art, so I will help keep the art safe by keeping my hands near my body. If I get too close to a piece of art, I might hear a beeping sound. If I hear this sound, I will calmly move away from the art.

When I visit the Museum, I will stay close to my family. I will tell my grown-ups when I’m ready to go explore different parts of the Museum. When I put my arm out and I am able to touch my family at all times, I know I am staying close.

While I explore the Museum, I will need to clean my hands:
- Before eating
- After using the bathroom
- After touching my face
- When my grown-ups ask me to clean my hands
To clean my hands, I can use soap and water at the bathroom sink or I can use hand sanitizer.

There are specific places in the Museum where I can take a break to eat or drink. The Garden Cafeteria is a good place inside the Museum where I can eat food or have a drink with my family.
For more information on where you can eat in the Museum, see Dining.

At the end of the visit, I will leave the Museum. I had a great day at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston!

This social narrative can help you prepare for your family’s visit to the MFA. You and your family can learn what to expect when you arrive, enter, explore, and leave the museum. Use the arrows or dots below to navigate through the slideshow.

Today, I’m going to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
The Museum is filled with art that I can look at and talk about!

When I get to the Museum, I may wear a mask or face covering to cover my mouth and nose. I may see other visitors and Museum staff wearing masks. I may also see people not wearing masks.
The MFA’s mask policy may change, in accordance with the latest CDC guidelines. Please check Visit for the most up to date information.

My family may have bought tickets before our visit or may choose to buy them when we arrive. Before we can get in and explore, Museum workers will look at our tickets. I will wait patiently for my family’s turn.

If we don’t want to wear our coats in the Museum, we can leave them at the coat check. We’ll have to leave any large items we have with us there too. The security guard at the coat check will put away our things.

The security guard will give us a plastic tag with a number on it. My family will keep the tag in a safe place, and we’ll return it when we pick up our things before we leave.

In the Museum, I will see Museum workers who will be wearing badges. They can answer my questions, remind me of the rules, or help me if I get lost. I will listen to Museum workers when they ask me to do something to help me stay safe.

There is a lot of art to look at in the Museum, and I won’t have time to see everything. My family and I can look at the Museum map and choose what art to see. I will use my walking speed and my indoor voice inside the Museum.

When I look at art with my family, we can play games and ask questions about the art. We can play I Spy and look for animals in different artworks. I can pose like the people in sculptures and paintings. There are many ways to have fun in the Museum!

I will keep my body away from the artwork and glass cases. The oils my fingers make can damage the art, so I will help keep the art safe by keeping my hands near my body. If I get too close to a piece of art, I might hear a beeping sound. If I hear this sound, I will calmly move away from the art.

When I visit the Museum, I will stay close to my family. I will tell my grown-ups when I’m ready to go explore different parts of the Museum. When I put my arm out and I am able to touch my family at all times, I know I am staying close.

While I explore the Museum, I will need to clean my hands:
- Before eating
- After using the bathroom
- After touching my face
- When my grown-ups ask me to clean my hands
To clean my hands, I can use soap and water at the bathroom sink or I can use hand sanitizer.

There are specific places in the Museum where I can take a break to eat or drink. The Garden Cafeteria is a good place inside the Museum where I can eat food or have a drink with my family.
For more information on where you can eat in the Museum, see Dining.

At the end of the visit, I will leave the Museum. I had a great day at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston!