Boston Council Committee Advances $300,000 in Museum Access Grants for City Families

BOSTON — August 20, 2025 — Boston's City Council arts committee advanced two $150,000 grants to sustain the Boston Family Days free museum access program. Committee Chair Edward M. Flynn convened the August 20 hearing on Docket 0527, a $150,000 grant from Pilothouse Philanthropy for the BPS Sunday Phase II evaluation, and Docket 1262, $150,000 from the Boston Foundation through the James M. and Kathleen D. Stone Foundation for the 2025-2026 Family Day program, both to be administered by the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture. Interim Chief Kenny Masqueray told the panel that more than 65,000 Boston students and family members had participated since February 2024, with over half of recent visits from returning families. Councilor Erin J. Murphy pressed for clarity on long-term funding sustainability once philanthropic dollars run out, calling the program valuable only if it is "truly equitable, sustainable, and transparent." City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune declared her support at the outset, and the committee adjourned without a formal vote, setting the stage for full council action on both dockets.