For over 100 years the Museum has been part of a matrix of local public and private organizations that enrich the lives of children and families, and in fiscal year 2022 the Museum continued to deepen and expand its connection with the Greater Boston Community. Noteworthy work included:
- Collaboration with City of Boston GrowBoston: Office of Urban Agriculture and the Office of Food Justice to engage kids in urban gardening. The completion of the Fenway Farms Rooftop Garden provided the perfect space to host programs for children and families, and to encourage curiosity towards plants and animals and develop a capacity to care for them. Groups visiting the rooftop garden during the summer included the North American Indian Center of Boston (NAICOB), Beat the Streets New England, and the Boston Public School McKinley South End Academy.
- The Museum’s Collection department hosted Community Open House events where families were invited to look at what’s in the Museum collections, talk with Museum staff about what their family collects and why, make suggestions on what to put in Museum windows and exhibit cases, and learn about and be a part of our accession, deaccession, and decolonization work.
- In concert with community partners, the Museum hosted special events Un Dia de Kayak and The Joy of Kayaking days where families from Roxbury and Dorchester came together with friends and neighbors for a free fun day of land and water activities in Fort Point Channel (The American City Coalition); and Waterfront Wellness Week Family Day, with fitness and yoga activities along with water safety programming (Coalition for an Inclusive & Resilient Waterfront).
- Joined with a number of our partners to host community day events outside the Museum including Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center Family Day; Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA) Festival Betances; Winter Walk Boston, a 2 mile walk to help end homelessness; and YMCA Healthy Kids Day.
- Developed resources and programming to support early learning for children in Massachusetts including bringing tinkering kits and training to children, families, and educators in Lawrence, Massachusetts in partnership with Community Day Care of Lawrence, Greater Lawrence Community Action Council, Merrimack Valley YMCA, U.S. Taekwondo Academy, and YWCA of Northeastern Massachusetts; with Horizons for Homeless Children, co-created and piloted resources and programs for families in three Boston area shelters; and again hosted the fun and inspiring Boston Public School’s Countdown to Kindergarten event for Boston children entering kindergarten, welcoming over 400 kindergartners and their families.