Distance Learning Programs

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

The MFA offers two ways for students to connect digitally with its global collection of art. Reserve an individual classroom videoconference program on a date of your choice, 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

Students connect with an MFA educator for a 30–45 minute 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

Everyday Inspiration: Finding Art in Community and Place (Grades 1–5; 30 minutes)

Learn how 20th-century African American artists Allan Rohan Crite and Walter Augustus Simon, as well as contemporary artist Rob “Problak” Gibbs, found inspiration in the places and communities in which they lived and worked. Introduce students to how an artist’s environment, including the people around them, can influence their style.

Recommended for Grades 1–5

Art of the American Revolution (Grades 3–8; 45 minutes)

Students delve into the art of colonial Boston by looking at objects made during this pivotal time in American history and learning how these historic artworks tell multiple stories about race, identity, and power during the time of the American Revolution.

Recommended for Grades 3–8

Art of Ancient Egypt (Grades 3–8; 45 minutes)

Dig into the beliefs, values, and everyday lives of ancient Egyptians by looking closely at artworks in the MFA’s galleries. Students learn about the Museum’s early 20th century excavations in Egypt, reflect on questions of how these objects came to be part of the collection, and gain a deeper understanding of how to view and interpret ancient objects displayed outside their original context.

Recommended for Grades 3–8

Art of Ancient Greece (Grades 4–12; 45 minutes)

Examine ancient 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.

Recommended for Grades 4–12

Latin American Art (Grades 6–12; 45 minutes)

Visit the MFA’s gallery dedicated to Latin American art of the 20th century. Through in-depth exploration, students discover what these artworks—and their creators—reveal about Latin America’s modern history and its diversity of peoples, cultures, and languages.

Recommended for Grades 6–12

African American Art (Grades 6–12; 45 minutes)

By looking at American art from the 20th and 21st centuries, 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 October 2, 2023–June 14, 2024. No programming during Winter Recess (December 22–January 2), February Recess (February 19–23), April Recess (April 15–19) and Summer Recess.

Programs are available Mondays and Thursdays 9 am–4 pm and Fridays 9 am–1 pm, and can accommodate individual class schedules. All times EST.

Pricing

$175 per individual classroom (up to 30 students). Discounted fee of $150 per classroom when scheduling the same program topic for three or more classrooms.

Note: No charge to Boston Public Schools.

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