Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Opens its Doors for Dr Martin Luther King Jr Free Day Celebration

To celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum will open its doors on Monday, Jan. 21, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for a free day of community-building activities, art-making projects, and performances around social justice and healing.

Artists performing in Calderwood Hall include Gregory Groover Jr. Jazz Trio and Charles Street AME Church’s Hamilton Garrett Music and Arts Academy Chorus. Also being presented is a live interactive mural – a collaborative project between TIME and JR, an artist and photographer known for documenting social issues. The mural is both live art and a tool for discussion, and mediated conversations will follow the showing.

Stop by the Bertucci Education Studio throughout the day to craft a care package for families served by the Elizabeth Stone House, which partners with adult and child survivors of domestic violence and related trauma to achieve safety, stability, and overall well-being. In this same space, join in a hands-on planting project with the New Garden Society, an organization that provides horticulture training for incarcerated students in Greater Boston.

Throughout the day, enjoy recorded MLK Speeches playing every hour on the hour in the Courtyard, along with afternoon performances by NEC Latin Jazz quartet 8 Legs.

Please consider bringing donations of new toiletries and gardening supplies for the service projects (travel sized preferred): toothbrushes; toothpaste; tampons and pads; lotions; soap; hand sanitizer; deodorant; baby wipes (full size or travel size packages); plastic gardening hand tools; new men’s cotton gardening gloves.

Free admission will be available at the Museum entrance on Monday, Jan. 21, starting at 11 a.m., on a first-come, first served basis. To ensure everyone’s experience at the Museum is pleasant, entry is timed every 30 minutes beginning at 11 a.m., with the last entry at 4 p.m. Admission includes access to the entire Museum, including special exhibitions.

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