Image via Museum of Fine Arts, Boston/@JaviMejia

As much as it pains me to say it, Boston’s stoic Museum of Fine Arts isn’t for everyone. At least, perhaps, not at first glance. When I glance upon the neoclassical institution I see antiquity, heritage and elegance. Others, though, might view the exterior as cold and unwelcoming, gray and perhaps even somber, turned off by the massive granite walls and therefore not particularly interested in the treasures contained inside. To help broaden its appeal, especially to younger generations, the Museum has taken to social media as a way of creating an engaging and inviting online allure.

On Saturday, September 20, the MFA opened its doors prior to its normal 10 a.m. admission time to popular, local Instagram users and artist Dave Krugman, who’s done a number of Instameets and worked extensively with New York City’s Met. The event was aptly dubbed #EmptyMFA and those were admitted access were charged with one exciting task: snap and upload photos of the MFA’s hallowed yet empty halls to give an alternate perspective one could never digest during normal operating hours.

“It was an experiment for us,” Christine Stine, the MFA’s digital marketing coordinator told BostInno. “I was excited to see what would happen when we invited all of these creative photographers to share their ways of looking at the masterpieces of the MFA.”

Social media and Instagram in particular have played a pivotal role in marketing the MFA to millennials, the generation that more than any other has grown up alongside swift online and social networking advances.

Stine told BostInno further that she heard of Krugman’s work at the Met – taking to Instagram, which he calls “the fiber that holds this new generation of artists together,” in order to convey some of the greatest artistic exhibits in the world and allow others the opportunity to be inspired because of it.

Known as Instameets, Krugman’s aggregation of Instagram users and their large followings, in the tens of thousands, not only spread the art to people unable to access the museum, but also helped the museum garner more interest digitally. It’s a symbiotic relationship in the utmost.

“We were thrilled that Dave and 14 others could join us for the first #EmptyMFA Instameet and help us reach a much larger audience,” added Stine.

Krugman was joined by Javier Mejia, who helms the @IGersBoston account and the following army of Instagram users, with a ranger of followers from 4,500 to 101,000:

“Our Instagram channel is tailored for our younger visitors and it allows me to use a less formal voice, always lead with a gorgeous image, and have a lot of fun,” said Stine. “@mfaboston is full of behind-the-scenes looks, inspirational art, and our visitors’ best photos. And it’s worked – among our social media channels our Instagram followers are the most engaged, frequently commenting and sharing their own pictures.”

Stine indicated that the overwhelming success of the Instameet, coupled with a substantial interest in the photos taken and their commitment to using social media to connect with an audience more accustomed to next-gen technologies will yield more social events not unlike this one in the imminent future.

But more than bolstering the MFA’s online user-engagement and the reputation of the Instagram users, the purpose is to share the wealth of artistic expression housed within the MFA’s walls. 

“When you look at their pictures the galleries come into focus in a new way, and you see how light, shadows, and reflections frame the artworks on the wall,” mentioned Stine in closing. “Next time I’d love to give everyone more time to discover the space, although I don’t think it ever would be enough!”

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