MFA Boston: Vacation Week Adventures

Museum of Fine Arts Children's Vacation Activities

From dragons and unicorns to ancient Egyptian objects, the Museum of Fine Arts is filled with artworks both magical and mythical. Make art, enjoy performances, go on a family art walk, and listen to spellbinding children’s stories. Enjoy free drop-in activities all week. All ages and abilities welcome; kids are free, but children must be accompanied by an adult. No registration required.

Enjoy free drop-in activities all week, supported by the Cogan Family Foundation.

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.)

Always Available

Art Connections Activity Cards | Sharf Visitor Center
Pick up an Art Connections card and explore birds, powerful figures, bugs and other themes throughout the Museum. Some cards available in Spanish.

A Guide to Family Fun at the MFA | Sharf Visitor Center
Available in English, Spanish, and Chinese. 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 together.

Behind the Scenes Galleries | Galleries 125 and 225
Peek behind the scenes to learn about all the hidden work that happens every day at the MFA. Watch a video, explore the interactive kiosks, or just relax and enjoy views of Boston.

When: 
Tuesday, April 17, 2018 – Friday, April 20, 2018
Special hours: Wed, April 18, 10 am–8 pm
Location: 
Museum of Fine Arts
Phone: 
617-267-9300
Link(s): 
MFA Boston April School Vacation Week
Boston
Museum
April Vacation

Robots and Beyond: Exploring Artificial Intelligence at MIT
Minsky Arm, created by Marvin Minsky on display at the MIT Museum!
Robots and Beyond shares the results of decades of Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation at MIT. Explore the ideas that shaped AI and the birth of robotics, fields that are synonymous with research at MIT.
Where: MIT Museum
♦ Read More →

Cambridge Science Festival 2018
The Cambridge Science Festival makes science accessible, interactive and fun
The Cambridge Science Festival is the first of its kind in the United States. It is a fun and engaging celebration showcasing  the leading edge in science, technology, engineering, and math in our region. The Cambridge Science Festival makes science accessible, interactive and fun with hundreds of...
Where: MIT Museum, Where: Museum of Science
♦ Read More →

April Vacation at Cape Ann Art Haven
April Vacation Programs at Art Haven in Gloucester Massachusetts
Cape Ann Art Haven has a week full of fun activities planned for kids during April Vacation week. There are programs for all ages that will appeal to many styles of artistic expression with morning and additional afternoon sessions.
Where: Cape Ann Art Haven
♦ Read More →

Adventure Day: Water World
Kids will get a close-up look at creatures and bugs that live in IRWS wetlands.
Wetlands are wonderful places full of fascinating animals and plants. Together we will discover the wetland habitats of the sanctuary. We'll hike to Hassocky Meadow and search for ducks, turtles, snakes, and more. We will continue our explorations at a real vernal pool and look for breeding...
Where: Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
8:30 am to 3:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Farmer for a Day: Kids in the Kitchen
Appleton Farm's Kids in the Kitchen program is geared to children aged 7-10
The farm is coming alive in April and there is so much to do! Dig into vacation at Appleton Farms and become a farmer for a day (or 4)! You’ll get to help care for our animals, learn to grow and eat farm fresh food, create natural crafts, and explore the farm as it wakes up to spring!  Your little...
Where: Appleton Farms
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Public Skate and Learn to Skate at Peabody Skating Rink
Learn to Skate with the Peabody Skating Club at Peabody Skating Rink
The McVann-O'Keefe Skating Rink in Peabody is open for Public Skating weekdays from 10-11:45 am, Saturday's at 2 pm, and Sundays at 2:10 pm. Call today to ask about the Learn to Skate program at with the Peabody Skating Club. The ice is perfect. The Halloween and Christmas parties are a blast, and...
Where: McVann-O'Keefe Memorial Skating Rink
10:00 am to 11:45 am
♦ Read More →

Sing & Dance with the Music Man
Sing & Dance with the Music Man Brian Doser in Hamilton visit Massachusetts
Come join the fun at Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham Monday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. for 30 - 45 minutes of great music with Brian Doser! Sing and dance with the Music Man during a family concert, featuring familiar and original tunes, performed by local dad and musician...
Where: Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham
10:00 am to 10:45 am
♦ Read More →

See The Addison’s Model Ship Collection - Andover
Addison Gallery of American Art Andover MA. Addison Gallery of American Art
Families are invited to explore The Addison Gallery's famed model ship collection, permanently installed in the building's lower level, consisted originally of 24 works commissioned by the museum's founder, Thomas Cochran, to document four centuries of American history.
Where: Addison Gallery of American Art
10:00 am to 5:00 pm
♦ Read More →

April Vacation Treks & Trails: Joppa Flats
Identifying Minnows with naturalists from the Mass Audubon Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport Massachusetts. Photo by Lisa Hutchings
Joppa Flats Education Center helps families beat the blahs and keep minds active and hands busy during school break! Head out into the wild with kids and families for great outdoor explorations this April vacation. For families with children ages 3 and up, School and Youth Education Coordinator...
Where: Joppa Flats Education Center
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
♦ Read More →

XYZT: A Journey in 4 Dimensions at PEM - Salem
Peabody Essex Museum in Salem MA. Family friendly arts and culture North of Boston
Journey through nature and activate the senses as you explore mathematical paradoxes, typographical illusions and metaphors in motion in our new digital exhibition, XYZT: A Journey in 4 Dimensions.
Where: Peabody Essex Museum
10:00 am to 5:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Sing & Dance with the Music Man - Saturday
Sing & Dance with the Music Man Brian Doser in Hamilton Visit Massachusetts
Come join the fun at Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham Monday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. for 30 - 45 minutes of great music with Brian Doser! Sing and dance with the Music Man during a family concert, featuring familiar and original tunes, performed by local dad and musician...
Where: Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham
10:00 am to 10:45 am
♦ Read More →

MFA: Mark Rothko: Reflection
Museum of Fine Art Mark Rothko Exhibit
An immersive display of 11 masterpieces by Mark Rothko (1903–70), on loan from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., invites visitors to contemplate the power of art to shape human experience. Opening on September 24, don’t miss “Mark Rothko: Reflection,” an immersive display of 11...
Where: Museum of Fine Arts
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
♦ Read More →

MFA Boston: Vacation Week Adventures
Museum of Fine Arts Children's Vacation Activities
From dragons and unicorns to ancient Egyptian objects, the Museum of Fine Arts is filled with artworks both magical and mythical. Make art, enjoy performances, go on a family art walk, and listen to spellbinding children’s stories. Enjoy free drop-in activities all week. All ages and abilities...
Where: Museum of Fine Arts
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Arts and Crafts for Little Ones with Colleen Apostolos-Marsh
Art Classes for children with Colleen Apostolos-Marsh
Certified Montessori teacher, artist and local mother, Colleen Apostolos-Marsh will guide your young artist in an exploration of color, shape, and texture. Using a variety of media, your child will be free to express their in a beautiful space while socializing and engaging in cooperative play.
10:15 am to 11:15 am
♦ Read More →

AJH: Mother & Baby Support Classes: Haverhill
Mother & Baby Support Groups at Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport MA
Mother & Baby Groups Anna Jaques is pleased to offer free group classes for all mothers in our community to provide support, encouragement and advice on parenthood and questions that arise after going home. Formerly named Lactation Support Groups, the Mother & Baby Group is facilitated by a...
Where: Anna Jaques Hospital Womens Health Care
10:30 am to 12:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Get Outside This April Vacation Cruises with Charles Riverboat Company
Vacation fun for families and children
Bring the kids and spend April School Vacation week with us! Enjoy a 60-minute, fully-narrated sightseeing cruise along the Charles River. Your captain and crew will both entertain and educate while pointing out the historic and cultural sights of Boston and Cambridge. Sights include Beacon Hill...
12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Fish Prints for Kids!
Join the Trustees for a Fish Printing session at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts
Looking for something to do during school vacation? Come with us as we search for shapes in the wrackline to print and press. We’ll start with a walk on the beach to find shells and seaweed, then head to the Barn to learn how to transfer our treasures to t-shirts and art paper. A variety of fish...
Where: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
♦ Read More →

April Vacation at CAM | Museum Guard
Tweens and teens are invited to Cape Ann Museum for this Spring Vacation program.
Can you keep the artwork safe? Venture behind closed doors with the CAM Education team and Museum Guard Nick Tarrantino.  Contact Kirsten Vega with questions.
Where: Cape Ann Museum
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Aleppo Shriners Circus 2018
Shriners Circus in Wilmington MA
Fun for the whole family! Enjoy 5 days of animals, acrobats and much more. The all-new Shriner's Circus thrills, during April school vacation week. Enjoy elephant rides, clown photos, and all sorts of exciting acts - right up close.
2:00 pm to 8:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Vacation Week: Farm Felting
Learn about the process of making felt from wool at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts during February Vacation!
Warmer spring weather means its sheep shearing time on the farm.  But what to do with all that wool? Learn about the time honored tradition of wool felting. We’ll start by learning how to “card” the raw wool into soft fiber for spinning or felting. Afterwards, we’ll try our hand at making felt...
Where: Appleton Farms
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Minecraft Club at Newbury Library
Kids can learn Minecraft skill from others at the Newbury Town Library!
“Can you teleport me?” “How do I fly?” “I need a sword!” “What are you building?” These exclamations are the sounds of a room full of kids playing Minecraftedu. Welcome to Minecraft Club!
Where: Newbury Town Library
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm
♦ Read More →

Junior STEAM Team
Sawyer Free Library STEAM Team for Children ages 3-6. Dwarf Galaxy Image by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory
Sawyer Free Library offers a S.T.E.A.M.* club for children ages 3-5. We will be providing STEAM, story, and sensory activities all year round with opportunities for your child to do safe science experiments, build with Duplo and other materials, play some beginner Minecraft, read stories, make art...
Where: Sawyer Free Library
4:00 pm to 4:30 pm
♦ Read More →

Friday, April 20

Cambridge Science Festival 2018
The Cambridge Science Festival makes science accessible, interactive and fun
The Cambridge Science Festival is the first of its kind in the United States. It is a fun and engaging celebration showcasing  the leading edge in science, technology, engineering, and math in our region. The Cambridge Science Festival makes science accessible, interactive and fun with hundreds of...
Where: MIT Museum, Where: Museum of Science
♦ Read More →

Robots and Beyond: Exploring Artificial Intelligence at MIT
Minsky Arm, created by Marvin Minsky on display at the MIT Museum!
Robots and Beyond shares the results of decades of Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation at MIT. Explore the ideas that shaped AI and the birth of robotics, fields that are synonymous with research at MIT.
Where: MIT Museum
♦ Read More →

April Vacation at Cape Ann Art Haven
April Vacation Programs at Art Haven in Gloucester Massachusetts
Cape Ann Art Haven has a week full of fun activities planned for kids during April Vacation week. There are programs for all ages that will appeal to many styles of artistic expression with morning and additional afternoon sessions.
Where: Cape Ann Art Haven
♦ Read More →

Adventure Day: Soil Scientist
Kids will explore the IRWS and find out what lives in the soil there!
Kids will get their hands dirty and dig into the science of soil at this April vacation session. Meet the critters of the sanctuary that call dirt home. Worms, millipedes, sow bugs, weasels, and voles are a few soil creatures that we will hope to see. Find out what it takes to make a garden grow,...
Where: Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
8:30 am to 3:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Summits & Sea Creatures with Joppa Flats
Hike Mount Agamenticus in Maine with Mass Audubon's Joppa Flats Education Center during April Vacation!
Joppa Flats Education Center invites teens and tweens to explore a mountaintop and the ocean in one day - it's the best of both worlds! We'll start at Long Sands Beach, where we'll investigate the tide pools for marine life. The, we'll hike up Mount Agamenticus, where we'll keep an eye out for...
Where: Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary
9:00 am to 3:30 pm
♦ Read More →

Farmer for a Day: Dairy Detectives
This April vacation program at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts will follow the farms dairy operation.
The farm is coming alive in April and there is so much to do! Dig into vacation at Appleton Farms and become a farmer for a day (or 4)! You’ll get to help care for our animals, learn to grow and eat farm fresh food, create natural crafts, and explore the farm as it wakes up to spring!  Your little...
Where: Appleton Farms
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
♦ Read More →

MFA Boston: Vacation Week Adventures
Museum of Fine Arts Children's Vacation Activities
From dragons and unicorns to ancient Egyptian objects, the Museum of Fine Arts is filled with artworks both magical and mythical. Make art, enjoy performances, go on a family art walk, and listen to spellbinding children’s stories. Enjoy free drop-in activities all week. All ages and abilities...
Where: Museum of Fine Arts
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
♦ Read More →

MFA: Mark Rothko: Reflection
Museum of Fine Art Mark Rothko Exhibit
An immersive display of 11 masterpieces by Mark Rothko (1903–70), on loan from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., invites visitors to contemplate the power of art to shape human experience. Opening on September 24, don’t miss “Mark Rothko: Reflection,” an immersive display of 11...
Where: Museum of Fine Arts
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Public Skate and Learn to Skate at Peabody Skating Rink
Learn to Skate with the Peabody Skating Club at Peabody Skating Rink
The McVann-O'Keefe Skating Rink in Peabody is open for Public Skating weekdays from 10-11:45 am, Saturday's at 2 pm, and Sundays at 2:10 pm. Call today to ask about the Learn to Skate program at with the Peabody Skating Club. The ice is perfect. The Halloween and Christmas parties are a blast, and...
Where: McVann-O'Keefe Memorial Skating Rink
10:00 am to 11:45 am
♦ Read More →

XYZT: A Journey in 4 Dimensions at PEM - Salem
Peabody Essex Museum in Salem MA. Family friendly arts and culture North of Boston
Journey through nature and activate the senses as you explore mathematical paradoxes, typographical illusions and metaphors in motion in our new digital exhibition, XYZT: A Journey in 4 Dimensions.
Where: Peabody Essex Museum
10:00 am to 5:00 pm
♦ Read More →