Pop and hip-hop music blared from ceiling-high speakers as thousands of college students gathered at the Museum of Fine Arts for its seventh annual College Night on Thursday.
College night, sponsored by The Boston Phoenix, began with free snacks in the Shapiro Family Courtyard and ended with a dance party hosted by DJ LeahV. Hundreds of students formed lines for free Chipotle and Pinkberry snacks, while others hula hooped or explored the museum.
There was also music performed by Keith Fullerton Whitman in the Koch Gallery, drawings of live subjects in the Upper Galleria and a coffee house performance by Liz Longley.
Many students came to the museum to view the art galleries. Some students said the MFA’s extended hours fit into their schedule, because the museum is open until 4:45 p.m. on most days.
Boston College sophomores Amy Hachigian and Emily Lynch said they were looking forward to seeing the contemporary art.
“I mainly came here for the museum itself,” said Cass Marks, an Emerson College sophomore. “I like that it’s open really late so I can spend some real time looking at the Egyptian art. It’s nice to be able to do this.”
He said that experience with real-life exhibits is important for students.
“We’re relying on these college students to be the next generation of engineers, artists and researchers, so it’s good that they can go out there and see exotic fish, fine art and meteors,” Marks said. “It’s very important that we continue this tradition of visual education.”
MFA employee Anna Ayala said that College Night at the museum always brings an astounding amount of success. She said that each year, more than a thousand people attend the event.
Brooke Markt, a Boston College sophomore, said that College Night is a really great way to have students come to museums.
“I think it’s definitely a good idea to keep this going,” she said.
Other students said the college-aged crowd would not otherwise leave campus to go to a museum.
“It’s definitely a good way to get kids into art and museums, because college kids don’t usually make time for these kinds of things,” said Leah Casselman, a freshman at Emerson College.
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