McMullen Portal
January 30–June 4, 2023
Connect with people around the world through art, conversation, music, and more.
What is the Portal?
The McMullen Portal, located in the Museum’s third floor Monan Gallery, strives to foster connections with international Portals to provide meaningful conversations between individuals across the world. Dialogues will touch on Landscape of Memory’s themes of identity, exile, and memory in addition to curated connections that fit faculty curricula and student group interests.
Shared_Studios hosts Portals that offer live, immersive experiences to individuals and communities across the world. Transcending borders, Portals are interconnected audiovisual environments that allow visitors to converse with those in a distant Portal, as if in the same room. Shared_Studios Portals have been used for educational, cultural, and artistic exchanges, conferences, shared meals, and much more.
The McMullen Portal has been underwritten by the Institute for the Liberal Arts, the Islamic Civilization and Societies Program, and the University Council on Teaching of Boston College.
Reserve a visit to the McMullen Portal
McMullen Portal sessions will connect with Mexico City, Mexico; Walkers Savannah, Barbados; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Medellín, Colombia; Santos, Brazil; Lagos, Nigeria; Nakivale, Uganda; Nairobi, Kenya; Kigali, Rwanda; Johannesburg, South Africa; Gaza City, Palestine; Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan; Bengaluru, India; Mumbai, India; Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Doha, Qatar.
For Boston College class and student organization reservations
Faculty and student groups interested in organizing Portal sessions for a group should contact McMullen Manager of Education, Rachel Chamberlain (rachel.chamberlain@bc.edu) at least two weeks ahead of time. We can book a visit at a time that is convenient for your party and fits within the time zones listed below with each Portal connection.
Each session can accommodate 6–15 participants. Multiple sessions can be booked, back-to-back or on different dates. Note that session times and lengths vary, to approximate the BC class schedule, but are 50 minutes at minimum. Larger classes of up to 30 can be split into two groups for 25 minutes each to accommodate more students.
For all Museum visitors
The Museum is also offering a series of open sessions that allow the museum’s public visitors, as well as students, faculty, and staff, to visit the Portal individually. To sign up for a Portal session or find a time when walk-ins are available, visit the McMullen Events page. Public parties may also request a separate group reservation two weeks in advance by contacting Rachel Chamberlain (rachel.chamberlain@bc.edu).
Additional opportunities to engage
- Sunday 2:00 pm docent tours of Landscape of Memory followed by a Portal session (beginning February 19).
- Questions about the Portal? Contact McMullen Manager of Education, Rachel Chamberlain (rachel.chamberlain@bc.edu).
Current connections
The McMullen Portal will be able to connect with:
Mexico City, MexicoCentro de Cultura Digital Connections available between: 9 am–9 pm EST The Mexico City Portal is located at the entrance of Chapultepec Park, one of the most iconic spaces in Mexico City. The Portal is hosted by Centro de Cultura Digital, a museum focused on digital arts, performances, and technologies. The Portal sits next to the Estela de Luz monument and attracts a diverse mix of locals as well as tourists from around the globe. Topic areas
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Walkers Savannah, BarbadosThe Walkers Institute for Regenerative Research and Design (WIRRED) Connections available between: 8 am–5 pm EST The Barbados Portal is hosted by WIRRED, which brings solutions to complex problems by creating disruptive design systems that increase biodiversity, enhance ecosystem services, and improve the well-being of individuals and communities. Through ongoing research, education, design, and community partnerships WIRRED creates regenerative spaces in which individuals can connect/reconnect to the environment, while building more resilient economies, ecosystems and communities. Topic areas
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Santos, BrazilProcomun Institute Connections available between: 7 am–5 pm EST The Santos Portal is powered by Procomun, an institute that seeks to create a world that respects, protects, and defends a common good through affectionate and authentic connection and to promote coexistence agreements based on multiple needs, dreams, knowledge, and realization capacities, recognizing, and respecting differences in a search of a full and powerful life for all. Topic areas
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Lagos, NigeriaSustainable Green Environment Initiative (SGE) Connections available between: 7 am–3 pm EST The Lagos Portal is in partnership with the Sustainable Green Environment Initiative (SGE), a non-governmental organization supporting a community of young people and professionals training to become internationally recognized sustainable professionals. SGE is working to revive and transform the depleting environment toward a more sustainable environment for the next generation. Topic areas
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Addis Ababa, EthiopiaRotary Ethiopia Connections available between: 9 am–12 pm EST The Addis Ababa Portal is powered by Rotary Ethiopia, a non-profit, non-political and non-religious network of volunteers who serve their communities. Their goal is to create a world where people unite and take action toward lasting change—across the globe, in their communities, and in themselves. Topic areas
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Nakivale, UgandaOpportunigee Connections available between: 9 am–1 pm EST The Nakivale Portal is located in the Nakivale Refugee Camp, which is home to 150,000+ people from nine countries across the African continent. The Nakivale Portal is operated by refugee-led organization Opportunigee that helps refugees build skills and gain employment in Uganda. The Nakivale Portal has the distinction of being the first Portal to be constructed using bottle bricks. Topic areas
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Nairobi, KenyaImpact Hub Nairobi Connections available between: 7 am–noon EST The Nairobi Portal is located at Impact Hub Nairobi, a collaborative space for innovation and entrepreneurship. Their goal is to create a thriving, innovative ecosystem where people collaborate across organizations and the globe to solve the world’s toughest challenges. Topic areas
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Kigali, RwandaImpact Hub + Kurema, Kureba, Kwiga Connections available between: 9 am–3 pm EST The Kigali Portal is located at Impact Hub Kigali and run by Kurema, Kureba, Kwiga (“To Create, To See, To Learn”), a public arts social enterprise that uses street-arts and art actions to involve civil society in positive social change. The organization creates large-scale public artworks and works to create new opportunities on both the supply and demand side of the creative arts economy in Rwanda. The Kigali Portal first launched in May 2016 inside of Impact Hub’s conference room, and in September 2019 relaunched with a new space custom built into the rooftop cafe atop the Hub. Topic areas
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Johannesburg, South Africa (Powered by the Museum for the United Nations)Makers Valley Connections available between: 9 am–3 pm EST The Johannesburg Portal is hosted by Makers Valley, a neighborhood in Johannesburg that refers to the growing presence and activities of many forms of creative entrepreneurism in the area. It is home to artists, cultural practitioners, artisans, urban gardeners, carpenters, shoemakers, metal and woodworkers, clothing designers and others, live and work in the Valley. Building on the Changemaking concept originally coined byAshoka, activities are inspired by the conviction that progressive entrepreneurs and organizations mobilizing locally can help to propel systemic change within a well being economy. Topic areas
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Gaza City, PalestineGaza Sky Geeks + Mercy Corps Connections available between: 7 am–9 am (ending by 10 am) EST The Gaza City Portal is hosted by Gaza Sky Geeks, Palestine’s premier tech incubator. Gaza Sky Geeks was founded in 2011 to build Gaza’s start-up movement and is a part of a vibrant co-working space. In 2013, the Gaza Sky Geeks accelerator began connecting top teams tasked with building usable products to global resources to transform Gaza’s most talented youth into the Middle East’s brightest business leaders. Topic areas
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Erbil, Iraqi KurdistanUNICEF Connections available between: 7 am–1 pm (ending by 2 pm) EST The Erbil Portal is located in the Harsham Camp for Internally Displaced Persons. Harsham hosts more than 1,500 Iraqi families who fled militant attacks in Mosul and its surrounding villages. The Erbil Portal is housed in a converted gas station and is operated in partnership with UNICEF Iraq. Topic areas
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Bengaluru, India (Powered by the Museum for the United Nations)Bengaluru Science Gallery Connections available between: 7 am–10 am EST The Bengaluru Portal is hosted by the Bengaluru Science Gallery, a not-for-profit institution for research-based engagement targeted at young adults. They work at the intersection of the natural and human sciences, engineering and the arts through a Public Lab Complex, ever-changing exhibitions, and mentorship programmes.Their goals are to empower young adults, engage in research, and shape culture with the specific goal of bringing science back into culture. Topic areas
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Mumbai, IndiaCompound 13 Connections available between: 7 am–10 am EST Located in Mumbai’s oldest surviving settlement Dharayi, the Mumbai Portal is sponsored by Compound 13. Compound 13 is a space for experimental design and learning. Their program introduces design and media tools, audiovisual technologies, 3D design and digital fabrication to disadvantaged, marginalized citizens who because of their socio-economic status do not normally have access to these resources. Topic areas
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Cox’s Bazar, BangladeshHumanitarian Assistance Program Connections available between: 7 am–9 am EST The Cox’s Bazar Portal is run by HAP, a youth-led social enterprise that provides technical and strategic support to humanitarian organizations and donors. They train youth in humanitarian principles around climate awareness, how to mobile during humanitarian and and natural disasters, and how to effectively respond to climate change in their communities. The youth design thinking to help build natural-based, short and long term solutions and disaster risk reductions strategies in their community. In return HAP provides access to job experience, placement, and scholarship opportunities for these volunteers. Topic areas
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Jakarta, IndonesiaImpact Hub Jakarta Connections available between: 7 am–9 am EST The Jakarta Portal is in partnership with Impact Hub Jakarta, a coworking and innovation space that exists to support organizations and entrepreneurs creating sustainable positive impact in Indonesia. They offer programs, events, and an inspiring place to work or collaborate with others in the local community, and are part of a 100+ global network that is passionate about connecting Indonesia to the global entrepreneurial ecosystem. Topic areas
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Additional PortalsDoha, QatarDoha Debates The Doha Portal is operated by Doha Debates, an international media organization that seeks new and collaborative solutions to global challenges through debate and to inspire individual action. They have a number of products including podcasts, signature debates, and an ambassador program that trains the facilitators of tomorrow in partnership with Shared_Studios.
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