What the MFA Means for Boston
The MFA’s mission is as follows:
"to encourage inquiry and to heighten public understanding and appreciation of the visual world."
There is a community-centered consideration that is very much tangible in the city of Boston. There is a familial emphasis in the city, for it is one of a diverse cultural history that continues to breathe into the flow of the physical city itself. The MFA is no exception. Their mission reflects the essence of the city’s core trait, and walking through the museum, there is an organic energy that pulses as your steps carry you from exhibit to exhibit. As a comprehensive institution, there is no shortage of diversity among the many exhibits, and Bostonians and tourists alike are allowed the chance to expose themselves to the diversity of the world while still feeling a personal connection to it. The museum prides itself in its community outreach, for its efforts in educating younger, less-exposed generations of local Bostonians to the treasures within its walls.
While the emotional impact of the museum’s presence should not be ignored, there is an actual economic component to the MFA that is worth noting. New York City, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles are all known for their museums. This is true. Boston is on that list, too. The Museum of Fine Arts, all of the Harvard museums, the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Science, along with countless other smaller galleries and museums complement the city’s undeniable academic dimension. In that sense, visitors of these artistic, enriching institutions come and contribute to the monetary flow as well as the human flow of the museum sector. 25% of the museum’s $61 million spending goes directly into the city Boston. MFA visitors actually contribute $168 million through their spending throughout the rest of Boston in the hospitality, retail, and restaurant industries. Combine that with the public revenue that the MFA generates for the city of Boston, and without the MFA, there would be a noticeable difference in the city that people have come to know and love.