SOLSTICE: Reflections on Winter Light
Join us this December for
SOLSTICE: Reflections on Winter Light
Created by MASARY Studios
Commissioned by Mount Auburn Cemetery
SOLSTICE: Reflections on Winter Light is an annual event at Mount Auburn Cemetery that includes an outdoor journey through large-scale light and sound artworks, and an indoor experience with live music and candle lighting. Guests are invited to walk through the light-filled landscape and explore the Winter Solstice atmosphere, and to reflect on moments of change as the year ends and a new cycle begins. Connect to a landscape of exceptional beauty, consider an intention for the new year, or commemorate the memory of a loved one. Let the Solstice light your way as you encounter the unique spirit of Mount Auburn.
This year’s event takes place December 10 – 21 and tickets will go on sale for the general public on November 2nd.
Join or renew your membership today! Members will get advanced access to ticketing and receive a 50% discount on all Adult General Admission tickets.
Event Dates & Times:
Dec 10-11; Dec 13-18; Dec 20-21
Timed entries begin at 5:00 PM and continue every half-hour. The final nightly entry time is 8:30pm.
Ticket information:
Adult, FOMAC Members: $15
Adult: $30
Youth(ages 6-16): $5
Child (5 and under): Free
Member Ticketing pre-sale begins Oct 26, 2022; Public Ticketing starts November 2nd.
Images and video by Aram Boghosian.
Documentary Ranks Mount Auburn Among “World’s Greatest Cemeteries”
Mount Auburn Cemetery was recently featured on PBS in the documentary series World’s Greatest Cemeteries. It is an honor for us to see our hallowed resting places, beautiful grounds, and dedicated staff receive national recognition.
The episode also features interviews with David Barnett, former Mount Auburn President & CEO, as well as Bree Harvey, our Vice President of Cemetery & Visitor Services. It’s rare for us to get a chance to speak directly to such a large audience, telling our story of Mount Auburn’s unique, multi-faceted role as a vibrant urban green space, public garden, and historic site – not just within Greater Boston, but as a destination for tourists, history buffs, and nature lovers from around the world.
The show, produced and hosted by Roberto Mighty, introduces PBS viewers to Mount Auburn’s pioneering role as the first rural, or garden, cemetery in the United States. It explores the lives of several prominent people laid to rest on our grounds, including Dorothea Dix, a pioneering advocate for the mentally ill, and Edmonia Lewis, a renowned 19th-century African-American/Native-American sculptor. It also features dramatizations of several stories, including a freedom seeker-turned philanthropist, and a medical student’s sacrifice during the Smallpox Epidemic of 1849. (Preview the episode featuring Mount Auburn here.)
We are truly grateful to Roberto, who has helped to elevate Mount Auburn’s profile and introduce us to thousands of new community members. This comes at a time when Mount Auburn needs new friends, visitors, and supporters more than ever. Mount Auburn was featured in this series because of its rich and impactful history, but rather than rest on what we have already done, we are aligning the organization for a bright future. Today, we need support at all levels so that Mount Auburn can continue to redefine what cemeteries can be.
The best way we can do that is for our existing community to tell their friends, family, and networks that Mount Auburn is worthy of their support, long after the series is finished. We depend on your generous donations to keep our 175 acres of greenspace, monuments, buildings, and collections well-cared for and thriving, as well as to support our robust roster of arts and educational programming.
Here’s how you can help: ·
- Join or renew your membership to Friends of Mount Auburn.
- If you don’t already, “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
- Encourage your friends and family to visit us, in person or virtually.
Thanks as always for your support. We hope to see you at Mount Auburn soon!
More:
A Conversation with Roberto Mighty
Mount Auburn catches up with filmmaker Roberto Mighty to discuss his new documentary series World’s Greatest Cemeteries. Roberto Mighty previously served as Mount Auburn’s first Artist-in-Residence from 2014 to 2015.
Watch World’s Greatest Cemeteries
“World’s Greatest Cemeteries” is now streaming 24/7 on PBS Passport, while continuing to air on public television stations across the USA. Watch the entire series, including the episode featuring Mount Auburn Cemetery, now!
Current Hours
The Cemetery grounds are open to all visitors 8 AM – 7 PM every day. Please see below for information regarding specific buildings and amenities.
(more…)Visit Elena Li’s “The Art of Living Together” Exhibit, March 2022
After a productive year in Mount Auburn’s cohort of Artists-in-Residence, Zhonghe (Elena) Li is exhibiting work from her project, “The Art of Living Together,” at the Watertown Free Public Library in March 2022. Supported with a grant from the Watertown Cultural Council, “The Art of Living Together” will include Chinese papercuts and watercolors to show the delicate balance between people and nature and interconnectedness of all beings, inspired by Li’s observation of wildlife, plants and trees, and her reflection on life and death over Mount Auburn’s 175-acre landscape.
You can find the exhibit in the second floor gallery space of the Watertown Free Public Library (123 Main Street, Watertown, MA) through the end March 2022 in conjunction with the Library’s One Book, One Watertown programming.
Visit the exhibit anytime during open hours, or attend a special program:
Gallery reception, March 9, 6:00 pm
Chinese papercutting workshop, March 26, 2:30 pm
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Watertown Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
