Join us for an evening of art, performances, and activities in celebration of Diwali! This ancient festival of lights is observed around the world by many cultures and religions. On Diwali, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Jains—some of the world’s oldest religious groups—light a diya (oil lamp) with family and friends, celebrating the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. Catch music and dance, make art, tour the galleries of South Asian art, and more.

Special General Admission Pricing after 5 pm on November 7

Enjoy $5 minimum, pay-what-you-wish general admission to MFA Boston during our Diwali celebration (available in person day of, starting at 5 pm).

Events and Activities

Drop-In Art Making: Bright and Bold Floral Designs

Druker Family Pavilion
5–9 pm (last entry 8:45 pm)

Depictions of lotus flowers, ancient symbols of purity across Asia, appear in everything from architecture to clothing and other everyday items. Get inspired by newly installed lotus paintings on view in gallery 176, then create bright and bold floral artwork of your own with oil pastels and black velour paper!

Rangoli Demonstration by Pallavi Eswara

5–6:30 pm, (presentation 5:45 pm)
Riley Seminar Room

Rangoli is a traditional Indian art created through an arrangement of dots, lines, and curves, leading to patterns that represent the world around us. Originating in India from ancient practices of Hinduism, it is a transient art, traditionally created on the ground or floor with rice powder in the shape of flowers, leaves, fruits, lamps, birds, animals, and objects associated with festivities, as well as geometric patterns. 

Three in 30

5:30 and 7 pm
Meet in Sharf Visitor Center

Take a 30-minute tour exploring three objects in the MFA galleries that highlight and connect to Diwali!

Indian Classical Dance by Triveni School of Dance

5:30 and 7 pm
Shapiro Family Courtyard

Dating from as far back 200 BCE, Indian classical dance is known for its rhythmic footwork, language of hand gestures, facial expressions, and body postures—all of which convey stories from Hindu mythology. Catch two opportunities to see all of this in person with Triveni School of Dance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education and performance of Indian classical dance, social awareness, and the celebration of cultural diversity.

Spotlight Talks: Devi on a Lotus Throne

6 and 7 pm
Gallery 183

Join Laura Weinstein, Ananda Coomaraswamy Curator of South Asian and Islamic Art, to look closely at a North Indian painting of a Hindu goddess seated on a lotus, and explore the symbolism of the lotus in Indian art.

Kathak Dimensions: North Indian Classical Dance

Shapiro Family Courtyard
6:30 and 8:30 pm

Dancers from Chhandika Institute of Kathak’s adult and youth ensembles present this dynamic North Indian art form. Be dazzled as this troupe tells ancient stories through sophisticated rhythms, percussive footwork, lush movements, poetry, and music.

SubDrift Community Showcase

6:30–7:30 pm
Gallery 168

Join members of Subcontinental Drift (SubDrift) Boston, part of a national movement building South Asian creative community, for special performances of poetry and music that reflect on how Diwali and the arts create social and spiritual uplift. The showcase ends with a baraat, a celebratory procession, leaving from Gallery 168 and ending in Shapiro Family Courtyard.

The City Talks: South Asian Representation

7–8 pm
Riley Seminar Room

How do we support and develop South Asian creatives, leaders, and artists to increase representation across cultural institutions and leadership? Join Boston-area artists, activists, and more for a discussion inspired by the MFA’s celebration of Diwali. Featuring Sanah Rao, MFA exhibition designer, and moderated by multidisciplinary cultural worker payal kumar. Check back soon for a full list of panelists.

The Sounds of SubDrift

7:45–8:30 pm
Shapiro Family Courtyard

Join members of SubDrift Boston for a special showcase of music and dance.

Diwali Dining Specials

Enjoy a two- or three-course prix fixe menu at New American Café inspired by Diwali. Looking for a snack? Head to Taste for vegetable samosas, chicken and paneer tikka masala, aloo gobi, and naan. Learn more about dining at the MFA.

View Prix Fixe Menu