Museum · Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: free entry days, tickets & hours
One of America's great encyclopedic art museums: Egyptian and Nubian art, Impressionists, American art and the Art of the Americas wing.
Independent guide, not the official MFA Boston website. Official links are under Sources.
MFA Boston is free for some visitors, not for everyone.
- Free for: children aged 6 and under; US active-duty military plus up to 5 guests, all year; US veterans plus up to 5 guests, all year; Open House days: free for Massachusetts residents (MLK Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth); and more below.
- Otherwise: adult general admission — $30.
- BPS students are enrolled automatically; others register at boston.gov/boston-family-days. Venues suggest pre-registering for tickets.
Calendar
Free days at MFA Boston
For Boston-resident students and their guests
- SUN1NOVSunday, 1 November 2026 · in 4 days
- SUN8NOVSunday, 8 November 2026 · in 11 days
- SUN6DECSunday, 6 December 2026 · in 6 weeks
- SUN13DECSunday, 13 December 2026 · in 7 weeks
For Bank of America cardholders (Museums on Us)
- SAT7NOVSaturday, 7 November 2026 · in 10 days
- SUN8NOVSunday, 8 November 2026 · in 11 days
- SAT5DECSaturday, 5 December 2026 · in 5 weeks
- SUN6DECSunday, 6 December 2026 · in 6 weeks
- SAT2JANSaturday, 2 January 2027 · in 2 months
- SUN3JANSunday, 3 January 2027 · in 2 months
For Massachusetts residents
- MON18JANMonday, 18 January 2027 · in 3 months
- MON31MAYMonday, 31 May 2027 · in 7 months
- FRI18JUNFriday, 18 June 2027 · in 8 months
Closures and public holidays are already taken out. Group-only days need proof of eligibility.
Before you go
How to actually get in for free
- Boston Family Days: free for Boston-resident students (K-12, Boston Pre-K) plus two guests, 1st and 2nd Sundays (through Dec 2026): BPS students are enrolled automatically; others register at boston.gov/boston-family-days. Venues suggest pre-registering for tickets.
- Youth tickets (7-17) now cost $14. Old guides that say kids get in free after 3pm are out of date.
- Third Thursday evenings are pay-what-you-wish from $5, not free. Tickets are sold in person from 5pm.
- Military and veteran tickets, the Open House days and Bank of America tickets are given out in person only, not online.
- Massachusetts residents: the next free Open House is MLK Day, Mon 18 Jan 2027. Bring proof of a Massachusetts zip code.
All free options
Who gets in free, and when
| Free option | Who | Conditions | Book? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free forFree for children aged 6 and under | children under 7 | Every visitor, including babies, needs a (free) ticket. | No |
| Free forFree for US active-duty military plus up to 5 guests, all year | military members and families | Show a US active-duty military ID in person at a ticket desk; not available in advance. | No |
| Free forFree for US veterans plus up to 5 guests, all year | veterans | Show a US veteran ID in person at a ticket desk; not available in advance. | No |
| Free dayOpen House days: free for Massachusetts residents (MLK Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth) | Massachusetts residents | Give a valid Massachusetts zip code. Tickets in person only, first come first served; no advance tickets. | No |
| Free dayBank of America Museums on Us: one free ticket per cardholder on the first full weekend of each month | Bank of America cardholders (Museums on Us) | One ticket per cardholder; present the Bank of America card in person at a ticket desk. Guests pay. Exhibition tickets subject to availability. | No |
| Free forCard to Culture: free youth (7-17) tickets for Massachusetts EBT and ConnectorCare cardholders; adults $3 | EBT cardholders (Museums for All) | Massachusetts cards only, in person. Free for up to four youths 7-17; adults pay $3 (up to four). Valid for general admission or a ticketed exhibition. | No |
| Free forFree for students, faculty and staff of participating colleges and universities | students | Only colleges in the MFA's university membership program; show a valid student or faculty ID in person. Not available in advance. | No |
| Free forFree for a caregiver accompanying a visitor with a disability | carers of visitors with disabilities | — | No |
| Free dayBoston Family Days: free for Boston-resident students (K-12, Boston Pre-K) plus two guests, 1st and 2nd Sundays (through Dec 2026) | Boston-resident students and their guests | Students who live in Boston (grades K-12 or Boston Pre-K) and up to two guests. Show the Boston Family Days Program Pass sent by BPS or the City of Boston. The City says the program runs until December 2026. | Yes |
Official prices
MFA Boston ticket prices
| Adult general admission — Youths 7-17 $14; ages 0-6 free (ticket still required). Special exhibitions such as "Maverick Kings" need a separate timed ticket. | $30 |
| $5 Third Thursdays: pay-what-you-wish admission (minimum $5) after 5pm on the third Thursday (19 Nov, 17 Dec 2026) — Tickets in person only, from 5pm on the day. | $5 |
Prices from the official website, checked Oct 2026. Free options are listed above.
Worth timing your visit?
What a free day saves
Based on the official price (adult general admission). Free days are busier — if your dates don't line up, a timed ticket is the trade-off.
Tickets & tours
Best-rated tickets and tours: MFA Boston
Ratings and prices from the booking partners; prices may change.
Practical
Opening hours & how to get there
| Mon | 10:00–17:00 |
|---|---|
| Tue | Closed |
| Wed | 10:00–17:00 |
| Thu | 10:00–22:00 |
| Fri | 10:00–22:00 |
| Sat | 10:00–17:00 |
| Sun | 10:00–17:00 |
Sun, Mon, Wed, Sat 10am-5pm; Thu-Fri 10am-10pm; closed Tuesday. Last entry 30 minutes before closing. Closes at 5pm on Friday 6 Nov 2026.
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Also free nearby
Make a free afternoon of it
FAQ
MFA Boston: common questions
Is MFA Boston free?
MFA Boston has no free entry for everyone. Also free: children aged 6 and under; US active-duty military plus up to 5 guests, all year; US veterans plus up to 5 guests, all year; Open House days: free for Massachusetts residents (MLK Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth); and more below. Otherwise the official ticket costs $30.
When are the free days at MFA Boston for Boston-resident students and their guests?
Upcoming free dates for Boston-resident students and their guests: Sun 1 Nov, Sun 8 Nov, Sun 6 Dec and Sun 13 Dec. Bring proof of eligibility; booking rules are listed above.
When are the free days at MFA Boston for Bank of America cardholders (Museums on Us)?
Upcoming free dates for Bank of America cardholders (Museums on Us): Sat 7 Nov, Sun 8 Nov, Sat 5 Dec and Sun 6 Dec. Bring proof of eligibility; booking rules are listed above.
When are the free days at MFA Boston for Massachusetts residents?
Upcoming free dates for Massachusetts residents: Mon 18 Jan, Mon 31 May and Fri 18 Jun. Bring proof of eligibility; booking rules are listed above.
Who gets free entry to MFA Boston?
Children under 7 — every visitor, including babies, needs a (free) ticket.. Military members and families — show a US active-duty military ID in person at a ticket desk; not available in advance.. Veterans — show a US veteran ID in person at a ticket desk; not available in advance.. EBT cardholders (Museums for All) — massachusetts cards only, in person. Free for up to four youths 7-17; adults pay $3 (up to four). Valid for general admission or a ticketed exhibition.. Students — only colleges in the MFA's university membership program; show a valid student or faculty ID in person. Not available in advance.. Carers of visitors with disabilities.
Do I need to book for free entry to MFA Boston?
BPS students are enrolled automatically; others register at boston.gov/boston-family-days. Venues suggest pre-registering for tickets.
How much is a ticket to MFA Boston?
Adult general admission costs $30 on the official site.
What day is MFA Boston closed?
MFA Boston is closed on Tuesdays. Sun, Mon, Wed, Sat 10am-5pm; Thu-Fri 10am-10pm; closed Tuesday. Last entry 30 minutes before closing. Closes at 5pm on Friday 6 Nov 2026.
Visitor reviews
What visitors say about MFA Boston
No reviews yet. Been here? Tell others how it went — especially on a free day.
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Sources
Where this comes from
- mfa.org/visit · checked Wednesday, 28 October 2026
- mfa.org/visit/free-and-discounted-admission · checked Wednesday, 28 October 2026
- mfa.org/visit/boston-family-days · checked Wednesday, 28 October 2026
Every free rule is checked against the official source and re-checked on a schedule. Spotted a change? Tell us.