John Singleton Copley, Paul Revere, 1768, Oil on canvas, Gift of Joseph W. Revere, William B. Revere and Edward H. R. Revere, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 30.781, photograph © 2019 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Despite the fact that the cold of New England lifted this past weekend, we’ve already returned to the more realistic January weather. Unfortunately, this is the time of year that most museums and historic sites start to see a big drop in numbers. The holiday season is over and with little visitation, some institutions need to close for the season or at least cut back on hours. However, there is some light at the end of the tunnel with these dreary days. Here are some exciting things happening in the area in the next few weeks: 

  • The Institute of Contemporary Art:  
    • Tschabalala Self: Out of Body is an upcoming art exhibition that will open on January 20th. This is Tschabalala’s biggest exhibition yet, featuring her “large-scale figurative paintings” that mesh a variety of techniques.  
    • Beyond Midnight: Paul Revere was organized by the American Antiquarian Society, and it goes into detail about the life of Paul Revere beyond just the famous ride he is known for. The exhibition will be split between the both museums listed here. It opens at the Concord Museum on February 14th and at the Worcester Art Museum on February 15th 
  • Museum of Science 
    • Dogs! A Science Tail opens on February 9thVisitors can investigate why humans and dogs have such a close bond and what it’s like to be in the life of a dog through hands-on activities 
  • In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, January 20th), several Boston cultural institutions are offering free admission. They include: 
    • The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 
    • Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum 
    • Zoo New England 
    • The Institute of Contemporary Art