The Highland Street Foundation is a charitable organization established in 1989 by David J. McGrath, Jr., the founder of TAD Resources International, Inc., the famous employment agency. Highland generously supports local non-profit institutions and sponsors a summer program called Free Fun Fridays. There is free admission, with very few restrictions, at many museums, historic sites, theaters, art centers, and many attractions.
Other charities supported by the foundation include: the Highland Hitters that provides free tickets to Red Sox games via non-profit organizations, Highland Hoops that donate tickets for Celtics games, and Highland Hat Tricks that donate tickets for Bruins games. The foundation also funds college scholarships in cooperation with the Red Sox Foundation.
The foundation supports further programs including the Youth Philanthropy Initiative that empowers youth to raise money for charities, ReadBoston, which holds free storytelling events for children in Boston's neighborhoods, Highland Holidays which helps provide toys, books, games, and other supplies to children during the holiday season, and many more programs that support community organizations.
The TADpole Playground on Boston Common, with its famous bronze frog sculptures, was completely renovated for its 10 year anniversary with funds provided by the Highland Street Foundation. Special events for children take place at the playground due to their generous support. Noteworthy, the "TAD" in TADpole honors TAD International, David McGrath's original company.
The Free Fun Fridays schedule for this summer is listed below. Please review the FAQs on the Highland Street Foundation's website for special rules for certain attractions. But of course, the answer to the most important FAQ is: YES, admission is FREE, although there are a few rules for some venues, especially those with LIVE PERFORMANCES (check FAQs link below).
Friday, June 28
Cape Ann Museum (Gloucester)
Clark Art Institute (Williamstown)
Lyric Stage Company (Boston)
(11 am, 12 pm, or 2 pm Peformance)
MIT Museum (Cambridge)
Plimoth Plantation (Plymouth)
Norman Rockwell Museum (Stockbridge)
Wenham Museum (Wenham)
The Mount: Edith Wharton's Home (Lenox)
Worcester Art Museum (Worcester)
Friday, July 5
Amelia Park Children's Museum (Westfield)
Cape Cod Maritime Museum (Hyannis)
Children's Museum in Easton (Easton)
Edward Gorey House (Yarmouth)
Falmouth Musuems on the Green (Falmouth)
Jacob's Pillow (Becket)
Museum of Printing (Haverhill)
Pilgrim Hall Museum (Plymouth)
The Old Manse, Trustees (Concord)
Friday, July 12
Charles River Watershed Association (Boston-Brighton)
Chesterwood (Stockbridge)
Childrens Museum Of Greater Fall River (Fall River)
Gloucester Stage Company (Gloucester)
(Starting
at 11:00 am, Box Office Call or Walk Up, 7:30 pm Performance)
Museum of Fine Arts Boston (Boston)
Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center (Great Barrington)
New England Quilt Museum (Lowell)
The Patriots Hall of Fame (Foxborough)
Smith College of Art (Northampton)
Springfield Museums (Springfield Area)
Friday, July 19
Boston Children's Museum (Boston)
Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University (Boston-Jamaica Plain)
Battleship Cove (Fall River)
Peabody Essex Museum (Salem)
Sandwich Glass Museum (Sandwich)
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (Amherst)
Plus More
Friday, July 26
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston)
Edward M. Kennedy Institute (Boston)
Cape Cod Museum of Art (Dennis)
Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (Boston)
Fitchburg Art Museum (Fitchburg)
Larz Anderson Auto Museum (Brookline)
Plus More
Friday, August 2
Franklin Park Zoo (Boston-Dorchester)
Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood (Lenox)
Concord Museum (Concord)
International Volleyball Hall Of Fame (Holyoke)
The Old State House (Boston)
Plus More
Friday, August 9
Hancock Shaker Village
New Bedford Whaling Museum (New Bedford)
The Greenway Carousel (Boston)
Plus More
Friday, August 16
JFK Library & Museum (Boston-Dorchester)
The Discovery Museums (Acton)
Fruitlands Museum,
The Trustees (Harvard)
Fuller Craft Museum (Brockton)
USS Constitution Museum (Boston-Charlestown)
Plus More
Friday, August 23
Berkshire Museum (Pittsfield)
Buttonwood Park Zoo (New Bedford)
Emily Dickinson Museum
(Amherst)
Heritage Museums & Gardens (Sandwich)
Museum of African American History (Boston)
Institute of Contemporary Art (Boston)
Plus More
Friday, August 30
Cape Cod Museum of Natural History
(Brewster)
EcoTarium (Worcester)
MASS MoCA (North Adams)
Old Sturbridge Village (Sturbridge)
Plus More
Highland Street Foundation
highlandstreet.org/programs/free-fun-fridays-2019
Highland Street Foundation Free Fun Fridays FAQs