The New MFA is Underway

The Museum of Fine Arts dug its shovels into the Fenway today, marking the groundbreaking of its $500 million expansion project, which is scheduled to be completed by 2010. The MFA has been working toward this new wing since 2001 and has already raised $316 million of the half billion dollar price tag, the largest fundraising campaign in the city's cultural history. Designed by the British firm Foster and Partners of London, the addition to the museum will be over two and a half football fields' worth of art space. The wing will feature a new place for the Art of the Americas, some renovations to the Art of Europe galleries, a new auditorium, and more space to hold workshops, new exhibits, and the like. The Shapiro family donated $15 million, hence the "Shapiro Family Courtyard," which will convert the existing garden courtyard area into a year-round space with a glass ceiling.

While Bostonist is all jazzed at the thought of the aging MFA getting a much needed face lift, we are also hoping that the MFA doesn't decide to raise the ticket prices any more than the current rate of $15. We heart the MFA but let's keep the prices to a minimum, huh?

Sketch courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston