MFA Celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day with Free Open House

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a free open house on Monday, January 21, 2013, from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

The day of family-friendly presentations will include an original spoken word and musical performance commemorating the 50th anniversary of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech, a tribute to Dr. King by Berklee College of Music Professor Lawrence Watson, and art-making activities related to the themes of equality, peace, community, and reflections.  

In addition, the Museum will air the live broadcast of the 57th Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama.

Visitors will also enjoy recently opened exhibitions showcasing the works of acclaimed African American artist Loïs Mailou Jones and photographer Bruce Davidson, as well as a display of art highlighting Dr. King’s legacy by local students from the Boys and Girls Clubs and other afterschool organizations participating in the MFA’s Community Arts Initiative.

For the past 16 years, the MFA has celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day by offering free admission.  In tribute to Dr. King, who advocated activism through non-violence, the MFA invites members of the community to explore the Museum and embrace the notion of expression through art.

Since its inception in 1997, nearly 100,000 visitors have enjoyed MLK Jr. Day programming and exhibitions featuring several influential African American artists, such as prominent muralist John Biggers, Boston-based artist Allan Rohan Crite, and Civil Rights-era photographer Ernest Withers.  

See full schedule of events here.