Symbols of Liberty: The Magna Carta, the Liberty Bowl, and the American Revolution

In conjunction with the exhibition Magna Carta: Cornerstone of Liberty, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Massachusetts Historical Society will offer a two-day professional development workshop for teachers in grades K-12 that will provide an introduction to the rich collections of 18th-century documents and objects at both institutions. The workshop will include lectures, hands-on activities in the classroom, and gallery explorations using primary source documents and original art objects related to the founding of the United States.

One of only four surviving copies of the original Magna Carta—an inspiration for the US Constitution and Bill of Rights—is on view at the MFA this summer in partnership with the Massachusetts Historical Society and the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Magna Carta—Latin for “Great Charter”— joins other historical documents and objects, as well as portraits and works of art from the Museum’s collection, to tell the story of patriots and revolutionaries who fought for freedom in the face of tyranny. The exhibition also includes portraits, marble busts, and historical documents related to several of the Founding Fathers, presidents, and abolitionists, particularly from Massachusetts, who were inspired by the liberties enshrined in Magna Carta.

Image: Declaration of Independence, manuscript copy by Thomas Jefferson, [1776]. Massachusetts Historical Society.

Registration Fee: $100

Registration covers admission to the MFA, lunch both days, and materials. Participants can earn one graduate credit from Framingham State University for an additional fee. Visit the MFA website to register.

Contact education@masshist.org for more information.