But thanks to the Clark Art Institute, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see one of the founding documents of our freedom will be free -- if you have a child.

 

In response to overwhelming interest to the Clark's special exhibit, "Radical Words: From Magna Carta to the Constitution," the museum is offering free admission to adults accompanied by a child on Sundays from 2 to 5 p.m. through Oct. 26.

 

"We have had a lot of success with the Magna Carta show, especially with school groups," Clark Director of Communications Vicki Saltzman said this week. "We are actually at full capacity in terms of our ability to take in school groups. There are limits on the amount of people who can be in the gallery at one time.

 

"We're at maximum capacity for field trips, but we don't want this great opportunity to pass without making sure the most children possible have the chance to see all these documents together."

 

The Clark has one of four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta on loan from Lincoln Cathedral, which is allowing the artifact to tour the United States in preparation for its 800th anniversary next year.

 

In Williamstown, the document that changed the course of Western Civilization is exhibited with one of 26 known surviving copies of the Declaration of Independence printed on July 4, 1776 (on loan from Williams College's Chapin Library), a draft of the U.S. Constitution annotated by founding father George Mason, an 1863 original folio copy of the Emancipation Proclamation printed by the U.S. State Department two days after President Lincoln signed the original, an 1876 original of the Declaration of Rights of Women published by the National Woman Suffrage Association and a 1949 copy of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

 

"Recognizing what an exceptional teaching opportunity this is for school children ... we want to do all that we can to make the exhibition accessible to children throughout the region," Clark Director Michael Conforti said in a news release. "We encourage adults to bring children to the Clark for this very special experience."

 

"Radical Words" is on view through Nov. 2, when the museum also will be open for free for the Clark's "Freedom Family Day" from 1 to 4:30. Events will include musical performances, a puppet show and art-making projects.

 

One of the Clark's summer exhibitions closes this Sunday. "Cast for Eternity: Ancient Ritual Bronzes from the Shanghai Museum," the first exhibit in the new Clark Center, wraps up its nearly three-month run. The Clark Center's other show, "Make It New: Abstract Painting from the National Gallery of Art 1950-1975," ends on Oct. 13. "Raw Color: The Circles of David Smith" concludes on Oct. 19.

 

In years past, the end of the Clark's summer exhibitions has heralded the beginning of free admission six days a week in the museum's galleries, but this summer there has been speculation the Clark would end that practice and begin charging in the "off season."

 

Saltzman said no decision has been made to change past practices. She added the Clark routinely evaluates all of its policies, including its admission policy.