Museum of Fine Arts station (MBTA)
| Company type | Light rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
Area served | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Products | Light rail transit service |
Museum of Fine Arts is an at-grade light rail station on the MBTA Green Line E branch, situated within the median of Huntington Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts, positioned between Museum Road and Ruggles Street. The stop derives its name from the nearby Museum of Fine Arts and also provides transit access to Northeastern University, Wentworth Institute of Technology, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. This station is fully equipped for accessible boarding.
History
Prior to the opening of the Huntington Avenue subway segment extending from to a portal near Opera Place on February 16, 1941, streetcars ran at street level starting from Boylston Street. Similar to other stops located along this median stretch, Ruggles Street station featured simple asphalt platforms. The MBTA proposed a reconstruction plan for this corridor in 1972, which was eventually implemented in 1980 to support new Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs). Service was temporarily truncated to on March 21, 1980; subsequently extended to Northeastern on June 21 and further to on September 20.
Initially known as Ruggles Street or Ruggles–Museum, the station was renamed Museum (occasionally Museum/Ruggles) following the inauguration of nearby Ruggles station in 1987. During the 1990s, it adopted its present title, Museum of Fine Arts.
In the early 2000s, under the scope of the Light Rail Accessibility Program, the MBTA enhanced key surface stops by installing raised platforms to improve accessibility. Temporary portable lifts were introduced around 2000. The platforms underwent extension and were resurfaced with concrete as part of a $32 million upgrade involving thirteen stations across the B, C, and E branches, which concluded on January 13, 2003. Approximately in 2006, a wooden mini-high platform was constructed on the outbound side to facilitate level boarding for older Type 7 LRVs. These improvements were executed as part of the resolution of Joanne Daniels-Finegold, et al. v. MBTA.
External links
- MBTA Green Line – Museum of Fine Arts
- Google Maps Street View: Museum Road entrance, Ruggles Street entrance