BOSTON, MASS.- This fall, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, celebrates the 20th anniversary of Malcolm Rogers, Ann and Graham Gund Director, with a range of special programs and events, including an array of “20 Reasons to Visit.” The longest-tenured Director in the Museum’s 144-year history, Rogers marks two decades at the MFA on September 1. A free MFA Community Day: Celebrating 20 Years of Director Malcolm Rogers will be held on Sunday September 7, which follows a weekend of exclusive events, including a gala (sold out) and a lively MFA by Moonlight party on Saturday, September 6 (tickets on sale now). Special member events, exhibitions and public lectures will encourage visitors to come back for exciting activities all month long. Social media channels will use the hashtag #MR20 to highlight the festivities surrounding Rogers’ anniversary, with fans and followers invited to participate on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Free Community Day
Community has been a cornerstone of Rogers’ 20-year tenure. Over the years he has increased free open houses and cultural celebrations at the MFA, along with eliminating admission fees for children 17 and under. To mark this commitment, the Museum will offer a free “MFA Community Day: Celebrating 20 Years of Director Malcolm Rogers” on Sunday, September 7. Starting at 10 am, Rogers will greet the public at the Huntington Avenue doors on the MFA’s Bank of America Plaza. Later, he will welcome visitors at noon in the Museum’s glass Shapiro Family Courtyard. The free open house will feature 20 things to do, including family activities, special art-making sessions and a performance led by artist Shinique Smith, whose solo exhibition, Shinique Smith: BRIGHT MATTER, will be on view in the Henry and Lois Foster Gallery. MFA partner Diablo Glass School—a local art studio based in Mission Hill—will demonstrate the art of glass blowing outside the Huntington Avenue entrance. A full schedule of events, including special performances by Revolution of Hope—a local youth orchestra from Roxbury–is available on mfa.org. MFA Community Day: Celebrating 20 Years of Ann and Graham Gund Director Malcolm Rogers is supported by The Malcolm Rogers 20th Anniversary Fund.

Gala Event and Evening Celebrations
A sold-out gala event on Saturday, September 6, is co-chaired by Honorary Trustee Ann Gund and her husband Graham, Honorary Trustee George Behrakis and his wife Margo, and Bank of America Global Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer Anne Finucane. Additionally, Governor Deval L. Patrick and First Lady Diane B. Patrick and Mayor Martin J. Walsh are honorary chairs. Proceeds from the gala benefit education, access and community programs at the MFA—highlighting Rogers’ commitment to these areas. Tickets are currently on sale for a late-night party, “MFA by Moonlight,” starting at 9:30 pm ($200). Music by a special guest DJ, dancing in the Calderwood Courtyard and late night cocktails and bites keep the celebration going into the evening. The Gala is generously supported by Bank of America. Wine and champagne generously gifted by Martignetti Companies.

20 Reasons to Visit
There are fun activities seven days a week at the Museum, and this September visitors can look forward to “20 Reasons to Visit” the MFA. Families can travel back in time in three new classical galleries dedicated to Wine, Poets and Performers in Ancient Greece, or stop by the recently opened exhibition, Shinique Smith: BRIGHT MATTER. For an artful way to start the month, MFA First Fridays offer cocktails, music and conversation on September 5. From new exhibitions such as Hollywood Glamour: Fashion and Jewelry from the Silver Screen to concerts, Drawing in the Galleries, shopping and more, visitors will find plenty of reasons to return this fall. The complete list will be featured on mfa.org and social media channels.

Member Guest Days
From Thursday–Sunday, September 25–28, special events and activities for MFA members feature the Museum’s renovated Ancient Greek galleries. Members will be among the first to experience the new interactive, multimedia displays, which explore the Museum’s world-renowned collection of objects relating to The Iliad and The Odyssey as well as the Greek theater and symposium. Sunday, September 28 marks a special Member Family Day, with Rogers greeting visitors as they participate in tours, story hour and art making. The opening of the Greek galleries marks a milestone in Rogers’ transformation of the Museum—102 of 147 galleries will have been built or renovated during his tenure. Members always enjoy unlimited visits to the MFA, allowing them to explore all “20 Reasons to Visit” this September.

Public Programs–Lectures, Concerts and more
The Museum always offers an array of public programming, including MFA Playdates for toddlers, studio art classes and film series. In honor of Boston’s diverse cultural institutions and Rogers’ love of the piano, a special edition of “Sound Bites: Nancy Lee Clark Concert Series” on September 11 will feature pianists from the Boston Conservatory, New England Conservatory and Berklee College of Music in the Edward H. Linde Gallery. Additionally, in the coming months Rogers will present two lectures reflecting on his time at the Museum. On October 29 and 30, he will look back at 20 personas that have influenced his thinking about museums and the MFA during his tenure. Due to popular demand, Rogers will offer the lecture twice, allowing visitors to hear about the influence of the volunteer, the politician, the donor, the colleague, the educator, the artist and more. On February 25, 2015, he will lecture on 20 significant acquisitions of works of art made by the Museum over the past 20 years.