Boston Loves Impressionism

Admission to the MFA is free today! In honor of the museum's generosity, here are our favorite peices from the Boston Loves Impressionism exhibit:

Earn $$$ by Sharing Your Local Gems

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- Cameron

Yale University Art Gallery

You might be shocked to learn that the JUGs occasionally leave the wonderful metropolis of Boston. Though none of us have cars, we are all fans of a good roadtrip now and then. I recently took a little trip down to New Haven with my family and explored the Yale Art Gallery. Without a doubt, it is one of the best art museums in New England. From Ancient China to Picasso, the *free* gallery has something for everyone.

- Cameron

Think Pink Exhibit at the MFA

The JUGs love browsing our beloved Museum of Fine Arts every few months - afterall, admission is free after 4pm on Wednesdays. And during my last visit, I was delighted to stumble across the Think Pink exhibit. The exhibit explores the history of the color in fashion and femininity. I was shocked to learn that pink wasn't considered a "girl color" until about 1920! In fact, the exhibit features some great portraits of young boys wearing pink dresses - which apparently, was totally normal at the time.  And don't forget about Jay Gatsby's infamous pink suit, which is also on display (Robert Redford version). Anyway, forget about the boys, Think Pink had some gorgeous dresses on display:

Think Pink also tackles women's love-hate relationship with the color. Pink somehow determines our identity even if we don't even like the color. But for those of us gals that do like pink - bring on the Mattel toys and Lilly Pulitzer!

Portrait from Photographer Jeong Mee Yoon's "Pink and Blue Project"  

Night at the Hippie Chic Exhibit

The much-loved Hippie Chic exhibit has left the MFA, so if you missed it - here are some of the JUGs' favorite looks! 

Night at the Museum: Omni Theater

As a Boston-area kid, I grew up going to the Museum of Science at least once a year. But, as a twenty-something, I realized that somehow it had been about 10 years since I last saw a show at the Mugar Omni Theater! So on Wednesday, a group of gal-friends and I went to see "The Last Reef." In the midst of the Boston Marathon Tragedy investigation, the museum was eerily empty, but it felt good to be out with friends supporting such a great Boston institution.

The Last Reef was fantastic! It featured some truly breathtaking images of the Bikini coral reefs and the odd creatures that live there (our favorites were the sea slugs...so cool!). After learning some fun facts about reef creatures, the movie highlighted some of the major threats to the future of the world's coral reefs - but no worries, it ended with an uplifting message. The best part, Omni tickets are about the same price as a regular movie theater!

Night at the Museum: Isabella Stewart Gardner

Just last week, the FBI announced that it found the culprits of the 1990 heist in which $500 million in masterpieces were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. What better time to visit this historical Boston gem?!

When visiting art museums, it can be hard to concentrate. Instead of thinking of the purpose of an exhibit as a whole, it is easy to just go from piece to piece thinking of each one in its own context. So, to get the most out of a museum trip, it is fun to have questions to focus your visit (they can also be good group talking points for a post-museum cocktail).

Here are some basic questions for a trip to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum:

1. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum isn’t set up like a traditional art museum. What are the pros and cons of this layout? Have you been to other museums like it?

2. What does the museum tell you about Isabella’s taste? If you could ask her just one question, what would it be?

3. If your dream home was to be turned into a museum, what would it look like? What message would it portray to future generations?

4. Do you think the missing paintings from the infamous heist will ever be found? Why or for what purpose do you think someone would buy a famously stolen painting?

1 / 2 / 3

- Cameron

Museum of the Month Series

After two successful art museum trips in the first month of 2013, I've decided to plan a monthly museum trip open to all JUGs! Boston is a small city, but it has an infinite amount of art, science, and cultural events to experience, and it would be a shame not to take advantage of these wonderful opportunities.

Tentative list of museums to visit in 2013 include:

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Busch-Reisinger Museum at Harvard
Peabody Essex Museum
Omni Theater Show
MIT List Visual Arts Center
Harvard Museum of Natural History
New England Aquarium
Newport Mansion Tour (day trip)
Gloucester Artists' Colony
Boston Tea Party Museum
Paul Revere House Tour

Feel free to share other suggestions!

image courtesy of society6.com