MFA Boston: Vacation Week Adventures

Museum of Fine Arts Children's Vacation Activities during Spring Break!

Discover the wide range of colors found in art! All are invited to April Vacation Week to enjoy interactive family tours and drop-in art-making activities exploring color! All ages and abilities welcome; children must be accompanied by an adult. No registration required. See Visiting with Kids and Family for more information.

  • Drop-In Art Making: Sun Catchers

    • 10 am–4 pm
    • Shapiro Family Courtyard
    • See how light changes color by taking a closer look at beautiful examples of stained glass on view in galleries 218, 221, 222, 223, and 228. Then head to the Shapiro Family Courtyard to create your own hanging artwork that glows with help from the sun.
  • Drop-In Art Making: Felt Art Whimsy

    • 10 am–4 pm
    • Druker Studios, 159, Linde Family Wing
    • Learn how to transform natural wool fibers into a beautiful felt work of art with artist Alexandra Adamo from Alex Makes Art.
    • Please note: Felting needles are sharp! This activity is only for visitors ten years old and up.
  • Drop-In Art Making: Ukrainian Easter Eggs

    • 10 am–4 pm
    • Druker Studios, 160, Linde Family Wing
    • Welcome spring by learning about pysanky, traditional Ukrainian painted eggs. Then create your very own pysanka by adding bright colors and intricate patterns to a wooden egg using watercolor-based dye, tape, and masking fluid.
  • Drop-In Art Making: Paper Flowers

    • Occurs every day but Saturday, April 22
    • 10 am–4 pm
    • Koch Gallery, 250
    • Take a look at Dutch and Flemish paintings depicting flowers in galleries 243 and 244. Then stop by gallery 250 to create realistic-looking flowers using paper, wire, tape, and scissors.
  • Story Hour

    • 10:30 am and 1:30 pm
    • Gallery LG36
    • Stop by to hear children’s stories about color. Leave after one story or stay for the whole hour.
  • Family Tour: Colors All Around Us

    • Occurs every day but Saturday, April 22
    • 10:30 am, 11:15 am, 1 pm, 1:45 pm, and 2:30 pm
    • Meet at Sharf Visitor Center
    • Join a family-friendly tour in search of the most bold and vibrant colors in the Museum! What’s your favorite? Tours are 30 minutes.
  • Conservation Up Close: Gilding Frames

    • Wednesday, April 19
    • 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, and 2:30 pm
    • Meet in Gallery 168
    • Join Christine Storti, head of Furniture and Frame Conservation; and Gregory Porter, assistant frame conservator; to explore the materials and tools used to gild frames. See up close the delicate nature of gold leaf, and learn how gilders used squirrel hair brushes to transfer the leaf and agate gemstones to burnish the gold for shine.
    • Space is limited. Free tickets available for pickup in Gallery 168 on a first-come, first-served basis 30 minutes prior to the start of each session.
  • Conservation Up Close: Making Traditional Egg Tempera Paint

    • Saturday, April 22
    • 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, and 2:30 pm
    • Meet in Gallery 168
    • Join Sarah Mastrangelo, Cunningham Associate Conservator of Paintings, for a brief history of the use of egg tempera in Italian panel painting and a demonstration of how traditional egg tempera paint is made. Take part in a discussion on the manufacture and processing of pigments, and get a feel for the difference between egg tempera and a contemporary paint medium like gouache.
    • Space is limited. Free tickets available for pickup in Gallery 168 on a first-come, first-served basis 30 minutes prior to the start of each session.
When: 
Wednesday, April 19 – Saturday, April 22, 2023 10am–4pm
Phone: 
617.267.9300
Brookwood School Summer Program for kids Pre-K through 9 in Manchester Massachusetts

Todd Farm Market

Come to Todd Farm on Sunday - A classic New England Fleas Market in Rowley Massachusetts!
From early Spring to late Fall, Todd Farm is a great Sunday destination for families!  Head to the farm and explore the outdoor award-winning Market featuring up to 240 vendors from all over New England and New York!
5:00 am to 3:00 pm

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Pingree School in Hmailton Massachusetts hosts their annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture exhibit each Fall. Sculpture: Phoenix by Robin Tost.
Pingree School hosts the 16th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, Massachusetts .
8:00 am to 6:00 pm

The Lady of Salem: Maritime Art

Learn about the history of Salem Massachusetts through this unique public art installation self-guided tour!
Discover Salem’s Golden Age of Sail as you uncover clues! Celebrate America’s Maritime History! The Ladies of Salem will have you looking up at whimsical and beautifully designed figureheads gracing lampposts downtown. “What is a figurehead ?” you may ask? It’s a large carved wooden decorative...
8:00 am to 10:00 pm

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour

Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a self guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
This self-guided walking tour is designed to help explain the true history behind the Salem Witch Trials. After more than three centuries of storytelling through countless books, movies, and television shows, the line between historical fact and dramatic fiction has become increasingly blurred....
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Crescent Farm Corn Maze

Crescent Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
Imagine the biggest puzzle you’ve ever seen. Now imagine a day in the sunshine with your friends or family. Now add an adventure that takes teamwork and memory skills. All these things and more can be found at Crescent Farms Corn Maze. Crescent Farm Corn Maze trails cut into 9 acres of corn. Inside...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Rowley Farmers Market

Rowley Farmers Market - a seasonal open-air market every Sunday July-September on Rowley Common
The Rowley Farmers Market is an open air market held on Sundays on the Rowley Town Common.  There's always a great selection of fresh local produce, food stuffs and locally hand-made goods. Come pick up some great locally grown food, freshly baked bread by Faith Anne's Unique bread, specialty teas...
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Fall Frolic 5K & Kids Fun Run

The Fall Frolic 5k and kids fun run is a rain or shine race held at Beverly's Lynch Park!
Join in the fun for the Annual 5k & Fun Run event – an awesome team effort that brings together all five Beverly elementary schools for a day of running fun!!2025 brings the 14th annual Fall Frolic 5K & Fun Run that benefits all Beverly public elementary schools in our community! This...
Where: Lynch Park
9:00 am to 11:00 am

Newburyport Farmers' Market

Newburyport Farmers find organic locally grown produce, meat, dairy Newburyport
The Newburyport Farmers Summer Market celebrates local fresh produce every Sunday morning rain or shine!  Start your Sunday browsing fresh North Shore local produce, meats, cheeses, and seafood in an open air market atmosphere! Food and beverage vendors offer fresh hot coffee, breakfast treats and...
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Haunted Happenings Marketplace

The Haunted Happenings Marketplace runs Thursdays-Sundays during October in Salem Massachusetts
The Haunted Happenings Merchant Marketplace is coming this October! Get ready for a one-of-a-kind shopping extravaganza throughout Historic (and some say haunted) Downtown Salem!
10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Marini Farm Corn Maze

The 2025 Marini Farm Corn Maze in Ipswich Massachusetts is themed for The Wizard of Oz
Come to Marini Farm for a fun journey through our corn maze! The Maze Park, corn maze, farm stand, bakery and other attractions provide a great destination for kids birthday parties, school trips, corporate team building, scout outings, and family activities. Marini Farm is located in beautiful...
10:00 am to 10:00 pm

Newburyport's Fall Festival

The Newburyport Fall Festival is a tradition filled with family fun on the waterfront in Massachusetts
Come to downtown Newburyport's Annual Fall Festival hosted by the Newburyport Chamber of Commerce! Enjoy great food, live music, and family fun while celebrating autumn's arrival on the waterfront in downtown Newburyport Massachusetts.
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Magtoberfest 2025

Celebrate Magtoberfest in charming Manolia Village, part of Gloucester Massachusetts.
The Magnolia Library invites you to join us for the best block party this side of the bridge! Music, Food Trucks, Makers Market, Kid Zone, Biergarten and more. Grab your family, friends, and come celebrate with your neighbors on Lexington Ave.
11:00 am to 5:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
11:00 am

Georgia Made This: Scavenger Coin Hunt

Georgia Wrenn was born and is being raised in the Witch City of Salem, Massachusetts, where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year.
Georgia's seventh annual Salem Gold Coin Hunt returns this October, courtesy of the Peabody Essex Museum! Each Saturday and Sunday throughout October, Georgia will release special clues at 12 noon through her Instagram page and the PEM's Instagram story. Those clues will help coin hunters narrow...
12:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works Tours

Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.
2:00 pm

Sunday STEAM Club at North Shore Children's Museum

Visit Peabody MA, NorthShore, North Shore Children's Museum
Join in on Sundays at 2:30 for STEAM Club for ages 5-11. Each week participants will explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math with our NSCM staff! Every STEAM club session will see your kids participating in hands-on activities while exploring a new topic. Space is limited, please...
2:30 pm to 4:00 pm

Halloween on the Hill

The Trustees host a celebration of Autumn and Halloween at Long Hill Sedgewick Gardens in Beverly Massachusetts
The Trustees of Reservations invite you to tour the gardens at Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts to celebrate Autumn and Halloween! Long Hill is excited to bring back our annual Halloween on the Hill event! Come explore our beautiful property as we transform the Long Hill gardens into a...
5:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Topsfield Fair

Topsfield Fair is one of the longest running annual fairs in the United States
The Topsfield Fair is a perennial favorite for us.  We're not the biggest fans of the midway, although it is always worth a walkthrough and a ride or two.  We love fruits and vegetables, and are always on the lookout for the winning 'biggest pumpkin'.  Another favorite is checking out the pigs and...
10:00 am to 10:00 pm

Sunday, October 19

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Wonderful Winter Birding

Beginning winter birding is held on the 3rd Sunday of each Winter month at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport Massachusetts
Halibut Point State Park, along the Atlantic migratory path, is an excellent locale for winter birding species you rarely see anywhere else.Winter brings birds and ducks from frozen ponds up north to our seashore. See Harlequin ducks and loons among the winter visitors at this rocky coastal water’s...
8:00 am to 10:00 am

The Lady of Salem: Maritime Art

Learn about the history of Salem Massachusetts through this unique public art installation self-guided tour!
Discover Salem’s Golden Age of Sail as you uncover clues! Celebrate America’s Maritime History! The Ladies of Salem will have you looking up at whimsical and beautifully designed figureheads gracing lampposts downtown. “What is a figurehead ?” you may ask? It’s a large carved wooden decorative...
8:00 am to 10:00 pm

Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Pingree School in Hmailton Massachusetts hosts their annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture exhibit each Fall. Sculpture: Phoenix by Robin Tost.
Pingree School hosts the 16th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, Massachusetts .
8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Newburyport Farmers' Market

Newburyport Farmers find organic locally grown produce, meat, dairy Newburyport
The Newburyport Farmers Summer Market celebrates local fresh produce every Sunday morning rain or shine!  Start your Sunday browsing fresh North Shore local produce, meats, cheeses, and seafood in an open air market atmosphere! Food and beverage vendors offer fresh hot coffee, breakfast treats and...
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour

Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a self guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
This self-guided walking tour is designed to help explain the true history behind the Salem Witch Trials. After more than three centuries of storytelling through countless books, movies, and television shows, the line between historical fact and dramatic fiction has become increasingly blurred....
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Crescent Farm Corn Maze

Crescent Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
Imagine the biggest puzzle you’ve ever seen. Now imagine a day in the sunshine with your friends or family. Now add an adventure that takes teamwork and memory skills. All these things and more can be found at Crescent Farms Corn Maze. Crescent Farm Corn Maze trails cut into 9 acres of corn. Inside...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Rowley Farmers Market

Rowley Farmers Market - a seasonal open-air market every Sunday July-September on Rowley Common
The Rowley Farmers Market is an open air market held on Sundays on the Rowley Town Common.  There's always a great selection of fresh local produce, food stuffs and locally hand-made goods. Come pick up some great locally grown food, freshly baked bread by Faith Anne's Unique bread, specialty teas...
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Marini Farm Corn Maze

The 2025 Marini Farm Corn Maze in Ipswich Massachusetts is themed for The Wizard of Oz
Come to Marini Farm for a fun journey through our corn maze! The Maze Park, corn maze, farm stand, bakery and other attractions provide a great destination for kids birthday parties, school trips, corporate team building, scout outings, and family activities. Marini Farm is located in beautiful...
10:00 am to 10:00 pm