Yesterday I had the day off from work (thank you, veterans!) and decided to spend the day with my aunt and my cousin at the Museum of Fine Arts.
I've been going to the MFA my entire life. It is one of my mother's favorite places in Boston and when we were little, my parents used to take us there on the weekends for the MFA children's scavenger hunts. We had such a blast exploring the museum trying to find all the treasures.
As an adult I've come to love the MFA for new reasons. Last month I had the pleasure of accompanying my mother to the opening of the museum's new contemporary wing, which really re-affirmed my love for this place. Between me and you, I've been planning my future wedding there for years.
Yesterday when I arrived it was the perfect fall day. I snapped a few photos using the Instagram for the iPhone app:
When my aunt and cousin arrived, we couldn't wait to get started. My aunt wanted to see the Degas exhibit, so we started there. The exhibit is focused around Degas' nude paintings and drawings. There were so many beautiful works, it was overwhelming!
From there we went to see the jewelry exhibit, which I had been dying to see for weeks! I first blogged about it here. This exhibit is only in one small room (#104), so if you are planning to make a trip to the museum to see just this, you'll be disappointed. What you won't be disappointed in is the bling!
Next we went to a textile exhibit called, Beauty as duty, which was about clothing in Britain during World War II. I really loved this! Even more than the dresses on display, I was mesmerized by the scarves. The designs and colors on these scarves were incredible. You can find this in gallery #152.
After that we explored the art of the Americas, the art of Asia and Africa and then finished with a stunning photography exhibit. This gallery (#169) showcased brightly colored photos of Havana, Cuba by Alex and Rebecca Norris Webb.
At this point, we needed a lunch break! We decided to try the new cafe in the museum, appropriately called the New American Cafe. Here is an aerial shot of the cafe I took on the second floor:
We waited in line about ten minutes and were seated right in the middle of the cafe. The menu was wonderful and we were all having a tough time choosing.
From our table we could see the three tier stairwell in front of us, the Dale Chihuly icicle sculpture to the left and these columns behind us:
I started with an unsweetened ice tea, which was refreshing and had a hint of peach.
Our waiter brought us each a piece of bread, which looked delicious but once we ripped into them, were cold! The butter that came with the bread was also cold and impossible to spread. Bit of a bummer.
My aunt ordered the grilled chicken sandwich which came pressed on sourdough bread.
My cousin ordered the hamburger which looked amazing! It came with potato chips, but he was craving french fries (which they don't have) so he also ordered a side of fingerling potatoes.
I ordered the butternut squash bisque which was thick and bursting with fall flavor. It had a few pumpkin seeds for garnish which was a nice, crunchy surprise.
I also ordered the apple and blue cheese salad which was superb! One of the best versions I've had of this salad.
After our plates were cleared my cousin and aunt ordered cappuccinos and we took in the beautiful views.
After lunch we went up to the modern art gallery on the third floor (#334). This particular room had a touch table where you could learn about each artist and create works of your own. This was so cool! We sat here for easily fifteen minutes. I created variations of great works by Hopper, O'Keefe and Coburn.
Our last stop of the day was the new contemporary wing. Though I'd already done a full exploration, it was fun to see my aunt and cousin discovering everything, especially my favorite piece, Felix Gonzales-Torres' beaded curtain. I just love it! I could walk through it one hundred times.
After five hours, we were pooped! I learned on this trip that if you come back to the museum within ten days, your admission is free on the second visit. Good to know!
What is your favorite exhibit at the MFA?
