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Monday,
October 14, 2024

Printable Schedule

Downloadable and printable schedule.

Sponsors

Thanks to our sponsors for making this festival possible.

Map of OOD ​locations in the Fenway Cultural District

Plan Your Day

Find restaurant, parking, travel recommendations, and suggested itineraries and printable schedule.

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Welcome to the schedule of events for the 23rd annual Opening Our Doors Day, a celebration of the Fenway Cultural District!

There are programs throughout the Fenway Cultural District including art exhibits, performances, nature and historical walks, art activities, open houses and more  - please see our list of locations and program information below. Please check out our printable schedule and site listings below for more details! 

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NOTE: Some programs require advance registration, such as MFA, Boston and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Most however are free and open to the public without advance registration! be sure to check out the programs at YMCA Huntington Avenue and The Green at 401 Park - both new to Opening Our Doors this year! 

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Opening Our Doors location changes due to rain forecast: the OOD Kick-off Celebration will be moved inside to the BYSO building at 235 Huntington Avenue on The Christian Science Plaza. The Green at 401 Park stage will be moved inside to Time Out Market, 401 Park Drive. 

OOD 2024 Kick Off Ceremony

10:00am -11:15am
BYSO, Youth Center For Music 
235 Huntington Avenue

Join us as we kick-off this year’s Opening Our Doors Day:

Welcome and speaking program with Senator Will Brownsberger; Representative Jay Livingstone; City Councilor Sharon Durkan; and representatives from Mass Cultural Council and Mayor's Office of Art & Culture. Reading by the Boston Youth Poet Laureate Parker-Vincent Alva (see bio below); Performances by Boston Children’s Chorus; Handel and Haydn Society Youth Choruses; Northeastern University's Eon Dance Troupe and the BYSO string quartet. Join us! All are welcome! 

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Meet Boston Youth Poet Laureate Finalist Parker-Vincent Alva

Parker-Vincent Alva is a student and writer from Boston, MA. He writes poetry and prose centering on the intersection of desire and identity. A 2023 YAWP Teen Fellow and the 3rd Youth Poet Laureate of Boston, he aims to increase public appreciation of literature and push the boundaries of what's possible. When he's not at his desk, you can find him destroying his kitchen trying to bake.

Join us to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day at the MFA. This year, they’re offering free admission—including access to “Georgia O’Keeffe and Henry Moore”—for Massachusetts residents. Enjoy gallery tours, engaging family art-making activities, and more! Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognizes and honors the heritage of Native Americans and Indigenous peoples and the histories of their many nations and communities. General admission is free to MA residents.

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

465 Huntington Avenue

All Day: 10:00am - 5:00pm

Reserve tickets:

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Stop by the Massachusetts Historical Society to explore the current exhibition, Boston Views: Through the Lens of Arthur A. Shurcliff. Our library staff will be on hand to answer questions about our collections throughout the day. At 11:00 AM, join us for a walking tour of the neighborhood’s Victory Gardens and view related items from our collections. At 1:00 PM, MHS staff will lead a tour and talk about the work of the MHS.

Massachusetts Historical Society

1154 Boylston Street

10:00am - 2:00pm; Victory Gardens Tour: 11:00am - 12:00pm; MHS Tour: 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Registration required:

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Join MAAM and our neighboring cultural institutions for a free day of fun in the Fenway! At MAAM, explore our current exhibition, Displacement, and get creative in the Barkan Family Big Ideas Studio with hands-on artmaking for all ages.

MassArt Art Museum (MAAM) 

621 Huntington Avenue 

All Day: 11:00am - 5:00pm

More information:

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First Church of Christ, Scientist

Come by the Christian Science Publishing House building for free admission to the How Do You See the World? experience + MappariumTM globe, free guided tours of The Mother Church and Sunday School, and two free organ concerts in The Mother Church Extension–one especially for kids. Be sure to pick up a “passport” and have it stamped at each event location! Our building is wheelchair accessible.

Christian Science Plaza

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210 Massachusetts Avenue 

All Day: 10:00am - 4:00pm

More information:

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Stop by the Shattuck Visitor Center for guided tours, lawn games and more! At 10:30, Aquinnah Wampanoag artist Elizabeth James-Perry will lead an educational walk highlighting Indigenous cuisine, architectural tribal uses and stewardship practices in the lands and waters now known as the Emerald Necklace. At 1:00, join us for a tour about the history of the Fens and their design by Frederick Law Olmsted, highlighting several of the park’s most iconic landmarks!

Emerald Necklace Conservancy 

125 The Fenway 

10:00am - 4:00pm; Indigenous People's Day Tour: 10:30am - 12:00pm; Opening Our Doors Tour: 1:00pm - 2:30 pm

Registration required:

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 Join us for a day of musical fun featuring interactive programming from NEC’s Preparatory School, performances by an NEC ensemble, and activities for all ages. Explore the joy of music-making through pop-up events designed for children, teens, and families, including sing-alongs, rhythm games, and movement-based music activities. Whether you’re new to music or an experienced musician, there’s something for everyone! Rebecca's Cafe will be open! 

New England Conservatory of Music 

255 St Botolph Street

12:00pm - 5:00pm

More information:

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As part of Opening Our Doors Day, go behind the scenes at the Huntington Theatre, peek backstage and into the costume shop, and visit our coloring station, costume corner, and other family-friendly activities!

The Huntington Theatre 

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264 Huntington Avenue 

11:00am - 3:00pm

More information:

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Stop by the Fenway Gallery on Opening Our Doors day to check out Fenway Studio Artists, on view now through November 10th. Don't miss out on the Berklee jazz performance in the gallery starting at 1:30pm! Entry is free. Seating for the performance is limited so follow the link below for more information on how to reserve your spot today!

Fenway Gallery at Fenway Studios

30 Ipswich Street, B-1

12:00pm - 4:00pm; Berklee Jazz Performance: 1:30pm - 3:30pm

More information:

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Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (BYSO) is proud to open its doors to the BYSO Youth Center for Music, as part of the Opening Our Doors event. On this day guests will be offered tours of the building led by a BYSO student ambassador or explore the space in a self-guided tour. BYSO will also offer student performances, instrument demonstrations by BYSO musicians, arts and craft activities, and more!

Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras​

235 Huntington Avenue

11:30am - 2:00pm

Learn about the org:

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Join us as we celebrate and honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day for a day of connection, community, and family through art-making, storytelling, and more. The theme for this day is “Connection to Place,” and the Gardner Museum is honored to collaborate with Elizabeth Solomon (Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag) and Erin Genia (Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate) to amplify the voices of local Indigenous artists. General admission is free.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

25 Evans Way

All Day: 11:00am - 5:00pm

Reserve tickets:

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Visit the Boston Symphony Orchestra to try out instruments of the string, percussion, brass and woodwind families at an Instrument Playground, take a mini-tour of Symphony Hall, and more! All ages welcome.

Boston Symphony Orchestra 

301 Massachusetts Avenue 

10:30am - 12:30pm

Learn about the org:

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Under the guidance of MassArt Fine Arts 3D faculty Marjee-Anne Levine and current MassArt students, participants carve their own design into a “scratch block” (a pre-formed mold made of resin-bonded sand) and watch as the design is cast in metal. Aluminum will be melted on site and poured into the scratch blocks. Within minutes the metal will be solidified, cooled, and finished by the MassArt team. Participants will walk away with their custom cast aluminum art!

Massachusetts College of Art and Design

621 Huntington Avenue, Plaza

11:30am - 2:00pm

More information:

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Learn more about Mary Baker Eddy at the interactive touchtable that’s part of the How Do You See the World? experience–and be sure to participate in the scavenger hunt! Then join us in the exhibit classroom to make your own “Seeds of Hope” bracelet. We are located in the Christian Science Publishing Society building, which is wheelchair accessible.

The Mary Baker Eddy Library 

210 Massachusetts Avenue 

All Day: 10:00am - 4:00pm

More information:

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Please join SIDE Presents for OURS at Time Out Market, an afternoon of celebration, creativity, and community as we honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day through powerful performances and artistic expression. This year we're happy to have A Trike Called Funk with us, bringing together an incredible lineup of guest artists who will stir your soul and inspire your spirit. While you enjoy the performance, check out what 16 different food and drink vendors have to offer!

"OURS" at Time Out Market​

401 Park Drive

12:00pm - 4:00pm

More information:

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Come by the newly renovated Christian Science Reading Room for kid-friendly craft activities and interactive storytimes (English and Spanish), plus 30% off all children’s products. We offer a peaceful space for kids and adults for coloring, reading, browsing, Bible study, and also staff to answer questions. Our store is wheelchair accessible.

The Mother Church Reading Room

194 Massachusetts Avenue

11:00am - 4:00pm

More information:

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Join us for Opening Our Doors: United World, a day of celebration, culture, and community! This family-friendly event will feature live music, free food, wellness activities, fun games, and prizes for all ages.

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3:00 PM: Performance by Northeastern University Madrigal Singers.

YMCA Huntington Avenue 

316 Huntington Avenue

12:00am - 4:00pm

More information:

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Simmons University presents Signal to Signal featuring new and site specific work by Crystalle Lacouture. This exhibition is on view until Friday, October 18, 2024. Make sure to experience it before it's gone!

Trustman Gallery at Simmons University

300 The Fenway, 4th floor

All Day: 10:00am - 4:30pm

More information:

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Ulises: Assembly, is a residency and exhibition engaging the labor of bookworkers from Philadelphia-based collective Ulises. The exhibition fundamentally asks: “what do you do?,” delving into the printed matters of art publishing today and includes a bookshop, cataloging station, archives, billboard installation by Ken Lum, and workshops with Nontsikelelo Mutiti, Lizania Cruz, Limited Time Engagement, and BB Workshop.

Tufts University Art Galleries at SMFA at Tufts

230 The Fenway

All Day: 11:00am - 5:00pm; SMFA Café: 10:00am - 3:00pm

More information:

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Enjoy a watercolor painting demonstration by Gary Tucker from 1:00pm to 3:00pm followed by gallery viewing time. This painting demonstration coincides with his solo exhibition in the gallery titled "My Backyard- The Muddy River". Come enjoy the scenic views and the beauty of watercolor. This event is FREE and open to the public. Register by emailing administrator@kajiasostudio.com.

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Kaji Aso Studio

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40 Saint Stephen Street

1:00pm - 4:00pm; Painting Demonstration: 1:00pm - 3:00 pm

Registration required:

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Map of the Fenway 

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