BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston reopened its doors on Saturday, welcoming the public back into the building for what it slated as "one-of-a-kind encounters with works of art."
According to the MFA, 31 galleries of the Art of the Americas Wing were the first to reopen, featuring the work of North, Central and South American and Caribbean artists, and including some of the MFA’s most beloved objects.
"Two special exhibitions—Women Take the Floor and the teen-curated Black Histories, Black Futures also reopened, offering visitors another chance to experience these cornerstone shows of the MFA’s 150th anniversary year," the MFA website says.
The Museum planned to welcome visitors back at a reduced capacity, "in the interest of prioritizing the health and safety of visitors and staff" amid he pandemic. That means all visitors, members and non-members alike, must pre-purchase advance timed-entry tickets online or by phone, which will be released on a monthly basis. Tickets will not sold on site.
All visitors over the age of two must wear a mask, everyone entering the museum will be expected to complete a health check survey for all members of a party, and they must provide contact information, at least one set per party, for contact tracing purposes.
There is also an intensified disinfecting schedule inside the MFA, there are hand sanitizer stations available, enhanced HVAC filtration has been installed throughout the building, and signage will indicate suggested one-way traffic for all visitors and staff.
The MFA will be open Wednesdays through Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and there will be modified admission pricing during the certain entry hours throughout the week.
Following its reopening, the MFA is also planning to unveiled three new and highly anticipated exhibitions that were originally slated to open in the spring: Writing the Future: Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation (October 18 – May 16, 2021), Monet and Boston: Lasting Impression (November 15 – February 28, 2021) and Cézanne: In and Out of Time (November 11 – February 28, 2021.)
“Museums play a crucial role in providing spaces for reflection, solace and inspiration," said Matthew Teitelbaum of the MFA. "We’re grateful to welcome Bostonians back to their MFA and bring a shared experience of art into the lives of many once again. This was, and will continue to be, a challenging time for all of us, but we remain guided by our belief in the power of bringing art and people together."
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(Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio)