MMFA for Seniors

THURSDAYS AT THE MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS
A new cultural rendezvous for seniors

On the occasion of the International Seniors Day, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) in partnership with with Réseau Sélection, an organization which is a Quebec leader in retirement complexes, are launching a new initiative Thursdays at the MMFA. People aged 65 and over will be able to visit the museum’s permanent collections and the small temporary Discovery exhibitions for free on Thursdays year round, and also enjoy guided tours and creative workshops. This, however, does not apply to the museum's major exhibitions.

A quote from Jean-Luc Murray, Director of Education and Community Programmes at the MMFA:

“The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is delighted to provide activities for seniors that help them to enjoy our encyclopedic collection and learn more about it. An observation by Picasso – ‘It takes a long time to become young’ – sums up the approach of this unique partnership between the Museum and Réseau Sélection!”

The main goal of Thursdays at the Museum is to spark curiosity while offering an introduction to art in a pleasant and friendly ambience. The hands-on workshops are open to all, regardless of ability, and foster a relaxed atmosphere that caters to the requirements of today’s seniors. The aim is to allow participants to experiment with a variety of techniques, such as clay modelling, painting with a palette knife and watercolours, and also to introduce them to our collections: world cultures with the traditional Japanese art of suminagashi, the Middle Eastern collection with the creation of traditional lanterns, and the decorative art collections with painting on fabric.

Educational projects and art therapy are priorities for the MMFA. In keeping with its commitment to education, the MMFA devotes part of its programming to educational displays in the Studios Art & Education Michel de la Chenelière. All year long, the Museum presents school and community projects that re-examine and reinterpret the permanent collection. The MMFA also organizes tours that give groups the opportunity to gain new insight into the works and then take part in creative workshops. On the weekend, the Museum’s educational facilities are very popular with families, who come in droves to take part in a host of free activities for visitors of all ages. The Sharing the Museum programme was established over fifteen years ago to offer free educational experiences to community groups that would not otherwise visit the Museum. MMFA is also developing well-being programmes based on cutting-edge approaches to art therapy in collaboration with experts in the health field. 

Find more on the MMFA website here.