Founded in 1870, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is one of the largest art museums in the United States and among the world's finest, visited by more than one million people every year. However, in common with many such institutions, over time the scale of this audience placed a great strain on its facilities. Architecturally, the project echoes themes explored in the Reichstag and the Great Court at the British Museum, combining elements of old and new and strengthening links with the community by making the museum building more open and accessible.