All BMA galleries will be closed on Saturday, Nov. 23 to prepare for the evening's BMA Ball and After Party, celebrating the Museum's 110th Anniversary. See our November gallery closures.
Family Activities
Visit the BMA or create art with your family at home! Museum admission and online activities are free, so bring the whole family and stay as long as you’d like or experience the collection from the comfort of your living room.
Tips for Visiting with Families
- Strollers are welcome in the Museum.
- All restrooms are equipped with baby changing stations.
- A Family Restroom is located in the East Entrance Lobby.
- Soft baby carriers may be carried on the front, but not on the back. Hard baby carriers are not permitted.
- Children might enjoy the Museum more if you look at just a few objects, or one special exhibition. An hour—or even half an hour—may be enough time. Remember, you can always come back. Admission is free!
Baby Art Date
Baby Art Date is a free program designed for young children (birth through age 2) and their caregivers to explore art and learn together at the BMA.
Free Family Sundays at Home
Can’t make it to the galleries? Explore the collection and see how art connects to our daily lives through downloadable arts and craft activities.
Art Break Live
Take a break, bring your kids, and explore the collection in our interactive tour series for families led by Manager of Tour Experiences, Suzy Wolffe.
Fun Things to Do at the BMA
- Family members: Take turns describing a detail from a painting aloud while the other(s) stands in the center of the gallery with eyes closed. When eyes are opened, can the painting with the detail described be found?
- Pretend you’re a team of detectives. Find a work of art or an object from long ago. Examine the visual clues to determine WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, and HOW. Like any good sleuths, you’ll need to make guesses based on evidence and hunches.
- Act it out! Find a painting that depicts more than one person. Take roles. What are the characters saying to one another? How are they related?
- Tell a tale. Can you find a work of art that tells a story? Maybe it tells about everyday life or the person who made it or used it. It could illustrate a legend or myth. Some artworks are mysterious, whimsical, or fantastical -try making up a tall tale!