Tag Archives: Museum of Fine Arts

Oh the Places You’ll Go (With Your Tufts ID Card)

Written by Ruaidhri Crofton, History & Museum Studies M.A. 2020

As a graduate student, being able to save money is important. But at the same time, being able to take some time away from your studies to visit a museum, go to a movie, or grab something to eat is a great way to change up your routine and ensure that you’re not burning yourself out from working nonstop. Finding a balance between saving and going out to do something fun isn’t always easy, but thanks your handy dandy Tufts student ID card you have access to a number of things that will allow you to decompress, explore, and learn something new without spending too much, if anything!

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Perhaps one of the most exciting perks of being a Tufts student is free (yes, that’s right, FREE) admission to Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts (MFA)! Located right next to the Tufts Fenway Campus, the museum is easily accessible both via public transportation and the university shuttle. Though visitors typically pay as much as $25 to enter this renowned cultural institution, you have the opportunity to peruse its seemingly endless galleries and corridors as frequently as you like for no charge. Explore vast collections of art from around the world ranging from Roman pottery and Egyptian mummies to Colonial Era American paintings and modern art from around the globe. Home to nearly 500,000 pieces of art, I have never found myself able to see everything there is to see, even after multiple visits. However, even if you were to manage this impressive feat, the museum’s array of temporary exhibits and public programming will hopefully keep drawing you back over and over again!

The Royall House & Slave Quarters

A mere 10 minutes walking distance from the Tufts Somerville/Medford campus, The Royall House and Slave Quarters preserves the 18th century home of the Royall family, the largest slaveholding family in Massachusetts, along with the only remaining slave quarters in the northern United States. Visitors are welcome to visit the site from mid-March to mid-November where they can take a guided tour of both the mansion and slave quarters to learn more about the property’s role in the history of race, class, and slavery in North America. Though the stories preserved and interpreted by the site can be troubling to hear, a visit to the museum provides an impactful means of learning about this country’s past and its significance today. Admission is typically only $10, but Tufts students are able to visit for free.

Theaters

Taking the time to see a cool new movie on the big screen or even attending a play or concert can make for a fun night out. However, the cost of seeing a film in theaters alone can often cost nearly $20. That being said, several movie theaters in the Boston area offer discounted showings and student rates. Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline is a popular independent theater known for showing a wide variety of mainstream and independent movies, as well as being affordable for students. Even the AMC chain theaters in Boston and Somerville offer a fairly substantial discount on tickets (though they can vary from location to location). Although I haven’t seen a formal student discount at the Somerville Theater in Davis Square, it’s $11 ticket prices certainly beat out other theaters in the area and it’s only a short walk away from campus!

Groceries, Shops, and Restaurants

As a graduate student, finding time to cook and eat can definitely be challenging. Having the luxury of going out to eat isn’t always possible, especially on a tight budget. However, many restaurants, shops, and even grocery stores in Davis Square and elsewhere near the Tufts Somerville/Medford campus offer discounts to Tufts students to make eating out a bit more affordable. Perhaps the most well well known among Tufts students is Yoshi’s Japanese and Korean Cuisine, which offers a 10% discount to students who show their ID. B-Fresh Market, a grocery store in Davis Square, similarly offers a 5% discount on groceries at checkout to students (just make sure you use a regular checkout and not a self-checkout to get this discount). Multiple other businesses also offer similar discounts so make sure you keep your ID card with you and your eyes out for signs promoting these deals!

So Much More!

Though these are just a few examples of some of the deals you can get with a Tufts student ID, there are plenty of other museums, restaurants, events, and businesses in the Boston area that offer discounts and promotions for students. Make sure you always keep your ID handy to take advantage of these offers, and make your experience as a graduate student just a bit more affordable and fun!

The Top 5 Ways to “Treat Yo’ Self” (on a grad student budget)

Written by Gina Mantica, Biology Ph.D. Candidate

Ice cream

Massachusetts is filled to the brim with homemade ice cream shops, and nothing says “treat yo ’self” like a small Death by Chocolate (chocolate ice cream with a chocolate swirl, chocolate chips, and fudgy brownies) in a colorful house-made waffle cone. Head on over to C.B. Scoops if you’re near the 200 Boston Avenue buildings for this decadent treat.

If you’re closer to the hill, don’t fret. Walk down or take the bus to Davis Square and hit up JP Licks, where you’ll find fun seasonal flavors, as well as some great dairy-free options!

If you’re feeling adventurous, drive or take a cab on over to Tipping Cow ice cream on Medford Street. A hip, nut-free ice cream stop boasting unique rotating flavors like Vanilla Buttermilk and Earl Grey, you will never be bored or disappointed by their selection.

Books

For all you bookworms out there, I dare you to treat yourself to a book that is entirely unrelated to your thesis, dissertation, and class work. Next on my own non-academic reading list is Paris in the Present Tenseby Mark Helprin. If you’re into flowery prose and details that will make you forget where you are, I highly recommend his works.

If flowery and detailed is not really your cup of tea, make a day out of finding your new book with your own piping hot cup of tea. Head downtown to Trident Café and Booksellers on Newbury Street. There, you can peruse the aisles while enjoying a drink or a light snack. The café has a wide selection of coffees, teas, and pastries (they also serve an amazing brunch).

Museum of Fine Arts

Did you know that your Tufts ID gets you free admission to the MFA? With one of the largest collections of Claude Monet’s work outside of France, you could spend an entire day (or 2!) at this museum. They have incredible temporary exhibitions, so even if you think you’ve seen everything the museum has to offer, there is always something new. This past fall semester, for example, they had a Winnie the Pooh exhibit filled with original drawings of Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and friends!

Ice Skating

In Boston, when people think “ice skating” they tend to immediately think of the Frog Pond on the Boston Common. While the Frog Pong is beautiful, it is also a little pricey on a graduate student budget. If you’re looking for a cheaper option, head on over to the LoConte Memorial Rink in Medford. During public skating hours, admission is free and skates are only $5 to rent! Due to its location, the crowd at the LoConte Rink is mostly middle and high school students, but take a date or a group of friends and you’ll have a blast!

Sports games

Did you know that the Celtics, Bruins, and Red Sox all offer affordable options for students to see games? Register online to get updates on Red Sox student ticket availability. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a Red Sox game that way, but last time I went the tickets were less than $20 a piece! Similarly, register online for the Buzzer Beater Pass offered by the Celtics to get notified if last minute tickets are available for purchase on game days. Also, check out the Student Nights offered each year by the Bruins for half-price ticket options.

Art Sale @ SMFA at Tufts

Written by Lennon Wolcott, M.F.A. 2017

Recently I was in a Lyft talking with the driver about the greater Boston community. As he was a Boston native, we discussed the things one learns when moving to the area for school. As I was telling him that I had graduated from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, he turned his head and said “Wait, so you’re an artist?” His shock subsided, and he asked what kind of work I made, then followed up to my response with “I never would have thought you were an artist because you’re so open and social.”

I smiled politely, and informed him that I had grown to be open and in dialog about my work from my years at SMFA at Tufts. I told him that artists thrive with connection, engagement, and the kind of community support I had experienced.

The misconception that artists are sullen creatures, only found tormented and lamenting in their studios is out of date and counterintuitive to the artist’s educational path. Sure, artists can be frustrated like anyone else, however artists pursue graduate arts education not only for instruction, but to build a network of trusted mentors and colleagues. One of the aspects that I love about the SMFA community is its focused events, such as the upcoming SMFA Art Sale.

Every year, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts welcomes alumni, faculty, and the supporting community to come back to the school to showcase and sell their work in the sale. The event gives alumni a voice within the school while at the same time provides the greater Boston community with a chance to view and purchase work by established and emerging artists. Like many of my colleagues, mentors, and friends, I look forward to the opening reception and the chance to catch up with the contemporary Boston community and see some amazing artwork that will be exhibited and sold!

This year, the sale opens on Thursday, November 15^thwith a public reception that evening and runs through Sunday, November 18^th. This is a great opportunity to engage with the artistic community of SMFA at Tufts, and perhaps strike up a conversation with some amazing artists.

OPENING RECEPTION Please join the SMFA community on Thursday, November 15, at 5:30 p.m., for light fare, cash bar, music, and more!

PUBLIC DAYS Thursday, November 15–Saturday, November 17, 11:00 a.m.– 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 18, 11:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m.

SCHOOL OF THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS AT TUFTS 230 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115

FOR MORE INFORMATION call 617-627-SMFA (7632) or email SMFAartsale@tufts.edu.