Reviews of Institute of Contemporary Art. (Museum) in Boston (Massachusetts).

Institute of Contemporary Art

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347 Comments

Museum

Art museum

25 Harbor Shore Dr, Boston, MA 02210, United States

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Information of Institute of Contemporary Art, Museum in Boston (Massachusetts)

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Reviews of Institute of Contemporary Art

Douglas Seah

There is a decent collection of contemporary art exhibits. Good location at seaport. Simple walk around the gallery. Free entrance on Thursday evenings for the main gallery. Good seating view of the harbour area. Worth a trip although not a must go for non contemporary art fans.

Ida Li

Nice little art museum that offers interactive installations, which is great since it engaged the audience and made the visit more fun! I went on a Thursday to take advantage of the free admission. All galleries available were on the 4th floor. They have a little space behind the elevator for your belongings which was helpful since I went after work. After stepping off the elevator, it takes you through a series of small exhibitions before a great view of the port. When you're done, go sit outside on the grand steps for a nice view and breeze!

Alejandro Nuñez-Jimenez

Cool contemporary art museum. The building is very interesting and located in a very dynamic part of Boston. The exhibitions were very varied and well curated. Despite the building's size, only one floor hosts exhibitions. Therefore, the visit was shorter than I thought. $20 for an adult ($15 with a student ID) felt a bit much for the size of the museum. It gets sold out, so book in advance.

Tania H

First of all, the building itself is absolutely beautiful. The entire gallery is located on the 4th floor only and features art in different mediums (paintings, photographs, sculptures, etc). There are cards and pencils available with games that kids can follow. Definitely worth visiting!

K'Leigh Hernandez

The museum was okay, the architecture was great, but the staff was amazing which is why I gave 5 stars. My friends and I went on Thursday after 5 to get in free and we didn't purchase the online tickets ahead of time. As we are from texas we didnt know to purchase the tickets. However, they were sold out but the staff was very kind and allowed us in. Thank you!

Jennifer McWhinnie

ICA is a must-do if you’re visiting the seaport. The museum offers a nice variety and it’s easy to move through the various galleries. The sitting area on the 2nd floor offers a spectacular view and is a great place to pause and reflect.

yaotomesoba 8

The Kusama exhibit was beautiful and so unique! I would definitely recommend visiting just to see this exhibit while it’s still in Boston. The rest of the museum, however, was lackluster and very sparse. I was warned that the majority of the exhibits were closed today but even still this museum only has one floor with exhibits out of the four in the building. The rest of the building seems to be occupied with office space. I don’t think a few statues and some embroidery is worth even ($15 student discount price) to see. The shop is cute but mostly has coffee table books and tableware, not many prints and very little related to the exhibits they have.

Zenab Bastawala

A must visit if you are an Art lover and loves gallery. ICA is perfectly places near the harbor with spectacular views and overlooking water views. Perfect for weekend holidays.

Nan Arm

Definitely worth the stop if you're visiting from out of town. Large selection of art and easy flow through the gallery rooms. Clean bathrooms and fast elevators. Visitors were respectful and friendly as well. Great view from the fourth floor looking out into the water and fun adventurous atmosphere wandering the the museum.

Miranda

What an experience! You can get lost here for hours. Lots of great artists and exhibits - notably "love is Calling" by yayoi kusama. Views on the 4th floor is so beautiful, you see the harbour.

Carey S

I went solely to see the Yayoi Kusama mirrored infinity room and got lucky enough to go in alone (which was amazing!). However, the museum is really small (only one floor). Great view of the harbor. But, I wouldn't necessarily recommend, unless you're going for a specific exhibit.

Emma Rivera

Located in the Boston Seaport area, the Institute of Contemporary Art is a beautifully situated and realized arts institution. Though the collection and gallery space are relatively small, the ICA offers a full experience by utilizing each space as fully as possible. Though the current (November 2021) main draw is the Kusama infinity room, the exhibit of works by Deanna Lawson are a highlight as well. Equally compelling as the contemporary art are the views of the water from both inside the museum and out on the esplanade. If you love contemporary art, this is a must-visit for any Boston trip.

Laura Clingman

Nice location, great people who work there, beautiful views from the front seating upstairs, but I really didn't care for the exhibit on display at the time, really not my style. Too narrow minded. But we all have our own perception of what we view as 'art'.

Bubba Lichvar

Honestly a bit of a let down. There was only one floor of displays. The top floor has some neat views if the weather is good.

domenica jimenez orbea

Nice. But I couldn’t see love is calling Exhibition (kusama) I don’t know because it was a free day (all thursdays. 5 to 9 pm). But you can see a basquiat 🤌🏻 …

Devin M

Excellent museum we had lots of fun seeing everything, the art pieces are so beautiful this was a great experience, we got in for free with the free Thursday night tickets offered by the website. Museum is on the top floor of the building so we were a little confused at first but realized we just needed to go up. The “love is calling” experience was so cool and unique definitely worth it just for that.

Daniel Mundo

Very cool spot. The art inside is even more gorgeous than the art that is the building and the space. Be sure to book the exhibit beforehand!

Ashley Foster

Beautiful art, stunning exhibit, such a fun boat ride to the watershed too. As always, we LOVE the ICA

Ivy

The ICA is an incredible place to be. The staff are kind, the exhibits are always captivating. I’ve gone by myself, with a group of friends and with a large high school group. All times it was great!

Évelyne Sunatori

Nice exhibition on art inspired by children. Free on Thursday evenings. You have to book the day of in advance online.

Anna Bachman

Very picturesque place to be in the seaport of Boston! Overall the gallery’s were well put together and was a fun place to go to view some incredible art work!

L. G.

Stunning!! First time visitors and we really enjoyed it. Huge shout out to the guy with a dark beard and glasses who was very informative about great art and libraries in the area! Really made our visit so much more enjoyable, especially since I work in a library. Loved that Porter Square Books donated a children’s book collection in the Begin Again exhibit, they rock!! A gallery attendant let us know that their shop is just steps away, so we visited their independent book shop after exploring the ICA. Another shout out to the young lady in the giant cross-stitch room who gave us a tip about a poetry book! The short guy who led us into Love is Calling and encouraged us to draw in the notebooks in the Begin Again exhibit was also fabulous!! Beautiful art, truly exceptional staff. Very pleased with our visit and looking forward to coming back!

Sophia Paul

Nicely located, very clean and knowledgeable and professional staff. The seatings overlooking the shoreline and East Boston offer the most amazing views. The exhibition of Virgil Abloh "Figures of speech" was very original and reflective. It was at a reasonable price, discounted for seniors, free for students and children. There was parking next door in the back of ICA and it was only 17 dollars when we spent 3 hours around there between the watershed, the restaurants and ICA itself. My family really enjoyed the outing and would certainly take them back soon.

Américo Sequeira

Beautiful building in a breathtaking area of Boston. Very nice collection of art and exhibits, aldow a bit small.

Daniel Botsko

Nice architecture and seating spaces overlooking east Boston. Virgil Abloh: “Figures of Speech” was very interesting and reflective. Free under 18!! 💵 Parking is impossible like anywhere downtown 😕 unless you want to pay $473937 📉 …

Wayne Geiser

It's a small museum with all the exhibits on the top floor. We got timed tickets, presumably to control the number of people in the space. Masks were required and it appeared as if they were prepared to provide a mask if you forgot yours. Parking was conveniently located across the street, but was, as usual for Boston, a bit pricey.

Anthony

The new Deana Lawson exhibit is really pleasant and worth the visit! The staff at the ICA are also very helpful and nice like usual. 🚨Student discounts available and also free visits on Thursday after 5pm!🚨 …

Food Advisor

I Want there during a weekday after work,. It was not too busy. Good exposition, kind of tiny

J. King

I really enjoyed myself. I don't remember how much it was to get in but I know it was worth the price of admission.

Andrea McDermott

I went on a Thursday evening when it’s free entry - had to reserve the tickets that morning (available at 10am). It was a cute and inexpensive date night!! We stopped by honey grow on our walk back and it’s in a great location to bop around to get food or continue the night. Looking forward to visiting again when the exhibits have changed.

Abigail Epplett

I visited the museum about a year ago to find at least one closed exhibits, which had not been mentioned on the website. It is rare that I visit a museum and take very few pictures, but this was the case for the ICA. The view of the water from the hallway was my favorite part of the museum. Part of the mental block that kept me from enjoying the museum is that the space felt empty, as if the curators were not using the walls and floors to their full potential. William Kentridge's film KABOOM! was my favorite exhibit and Ragnar Kjartansson's incredibly lengthy film The Visitors was at least unique, but I was generally not enamored with the rest of it.

Abhishek Singhania

It's defintely worth a visit. I made two. Would recommend not going close to closing time. They have free days once in a while. Some of the exhibits were experienced / walk in them, interact. The view of the harbor is nice. Definitely would recommend their shop on the ground floor with all kinds of cool items to buy as gifts or to decorate.

karrie Weddle (Sylestia)

This is a very small museum. I gave it 3 stars for the 2 special exhibits they had. I specifically went for Kusama to find out it was just 1 single Infinity box. Most installations I've been to for this artist, there are multiple boxes and other artwork.

Helen Carpenter

I love The Visitors and the ICA everytime I go here I have a fantastic time. Whether it is a few hours for introspection time by myself or if I am partying it up on a Friday night! I had a great time tonight but it was a party. Tomorrow I am going back alone to just get lost in the art. 👋 …

Hsin Yi Wei

I am not sure why the reviews of ICA are not good but we did enjoy our entire experience there. We were there for the exhibition of Virgil Abloh, who is the founder & designer of streetwear brand Off-White. The ticket was $15 each including museum entry & boat tour to East Boston and an appointment with specific time slot was needed. It took us about 1 hour to finish our visit, so the price of admission is really reasonable in our opinions.

Nick Felker

I visited this place on a Sunday afternoon and went right up to the fourth floor, the only floor with art. I was here about three hours until there was nothing left. There is a neat mix of paintings, sculptures, and media. Also you should check out the mirrors exhibit. There's something you'll enjoy.

zheng chi

I really really enjoyed the works on exhibit there. The view over the seaport is amazing too. The only negative thing is that if you want to enjoy the arts in a peaceful manner, try to avoid going on Thursday evening when the entrance is free. I am shocked by how inconsiderate some people are, running around in the exhibit room, or staying in the middle in group loudly chatting about their personal stuff, giggling and laughing..... It's super annoying for people who want to enjoy the arts without being disturbed.

Madelin Nova

Went here on Labor Day and all I can say is that this place is nothing but beautiful !! Such wonderful staff as well. HUGE HUGE shoutout and thank you to Juliette. She helped me greatly getting tickets for such a busy day. It's because of people like her, who are willing to go above and beyond in providing customer service, that customers like me, will keep coming back. Lovely place, lovely staff. 10/10

Stephan Gilly

One of my favorite places in the city especially at night! Always something beautiful here.

Renata Oliveira

Most galleries were closed today. Just a couple open ones on the 4th floor. The store has a great selection. The harbor view on the 4th floor is great! Would recommend once they've opened all of their galleries in July.

Tanya Melnikova

I think its too little for $20 per person. Great view though

Greg B

Excellent building. Top floor was excellently curated, and the museum staff were excited and engaging, and knowledgeable about the works presented. This was a fun place to visit. Wish there were more exhibits open to public on the other floors.

Adrian Harris

Staff was very knowledgeable of exhibitions, and very friendly. One employee in particular was very helpful in my visit cant remember his name but he worked the Virgil store entrance Jul 11. Thank you, ICA staff made the 8 hour drive worth the effort. 🍻 …

Leah Klein

The ICA has wonderful exhibits. The building itself is a visit all of its own because of the views and thoughtful architecture. It is an oasis in the city whether you go inside or just relax on the steps overlooking the water outside. The museum shop has lots of wonderful gifts, books, clothing, jewelry and objets of all sorts.

Jane K.

The actual gallery space is smaller than you'd expect. If you're just walking through, don't expect to spend a lot of time there. The exhibits were interesting and different, so the cost may be worth it if you're into contemporary art. The view from the windows is also nice since it's by the harbor/

M H T

Its in an inconvenient location and can be a hassle to get to. The exhibits are small. A good exhibit may be worth the trip. One featured exhibit was timed for only 1 minute to view. It would have been better with more time to experience it.

Mike Moran

Very nice and well maintained. My wife and I had a great time even though its a moderately quick art adventure. Look forward to seeing future exhibits.

Trei Martin

Very interesting exhibits - when I went in summer of 2022, many were centered on the life and experiences of queer people.

Etienne M

Quite small, worth it when free admission especially with kids. Very beautiful location and interior, wow!

Kirk Swan

I struggle with contemporary art sometimes so I was worried the visit would be a bad experience. With that said, I truly enjoyed my visit to IAC. The museum offers some truly unique and interesting exhibits. The space and view from the building is worth the visit alone. I was surprised to see an installation by Yayoi Kusama (the highlight of my visit). I recommend visiting

Colin McGibbon

An ok museum. The displays are average at best. The only slightly redeeming part of the visit is the waterfront view. This should cost $5 not $20.

Karen Boxer

Some nice exhibits and great view from the top overlooking harbour. But at $20 each was Expensive for what it was. Took us half an hour to cover it.

Thomas Vasili

It's always a good time visiting the ICA.

Minh Le

It was okay. Not much of an art fan but it was cool seeing the pieces. The gallery is one floor and it's usually not too crowded. It's a bit on the expensive end but the location is super nice with a great view to the ocean.

Victor Wang

Good museum but felt the galleries and artifacts are a bit lacking. Museum was not very large with the entire gallery on one floor. Half was split in to a large permanent collection and the other half is a smaller collection. Staff is friendly and the admission prices are reasonable although a bit higher than I would have expected for the small space. They do participate in Bank of America's Museums on Us program though.

Jennifer Humphrey

I am in Boston for a few days and was told about free Thursdays at the Institute of Contemporary Art. Before going I explored the present exhibits online and really wanted to see the "Love is Calling" installation by Yayoi Kusama. It said it was sold out through out February! However, while checking in we were automatically given a time to view the exhibit and after seeing it we could return as many times as we liked! The other exhibits were enjoyable as well ( not that many) and I was glad to have watched all the videos about the artists and the inspiration behind their pieces before hand. It really changed the way I viewed their art!

Jason Phillips

What an amazing museum! Very cool piece of architecture along the wharf made for a brisk walk to the museum. Once inside, I enjoyed the exhibits and gift shop. I especially fell in love with the audio/video installation of Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson called "The Visitors".

Steven Joseph

What a nice place! Right on the waterfront and the building design is something to take in when arriving. Make sure to venture the boardwalk out front to get a nice view! We took advantage of the Free admission on public holidays, today is Labor Day. Took in some great pieces of work and reflected on the story each artist was trying to convey, there were some truly great works but the Native American exhibit really hit deep for me. We also got free admission to the "Love is calling" by Yayoi Kusama exhibit and it was very short, but well displayed and transported you out of reality for a timed minute.

Randy Kim

Beautiful spacious place right next to the Harbor and with a wonderful view of it. Visit the current exhibit on "When Home Won't Let you Stay" which is about the refugee migration crisis. Deeply moving and the current Yayoi Kusama exhibit going on till 2021

Winnie Hsu

A totally amazing experience! I didn’t know there a Yayoi kusama exhibition until I got to Boston, so all the tickets of the month was already sold out and I almost couldn’t visit it. Luckily there was the First Friday event if ICA every month. I went at around a quarter baffle 5pm and I got ticket easily! The event was organized well! I saw them selling food, drinks and some workshops too. The people working there were also really nice:)

Jessica Shin

Saw the wonderful Nari Ward exhibit. Building is beautiful and modern inside, but I was expecting the space to have more exhibits, especially paying $15 to get in. It seemed like there was only a full exhibit on the 4th floor.

Collin Davis

Beautiful museum. Unique architecture. Always a good ticket show. Saw the infinity wall. Completely mirrored room with pastel black spotted tentacles. Dope. Also the study room has a wall that is not level that is also glass and all you can see is the ocean Trippy. Like it makes you almost trip because you are. Disoriented. Cool.

Joseph Brown

A modest contemporary art museum with some unique views of the harbor. Unfortunately, when I went only a couple exhibits were open. However, I did get free entry since it was holiday Monday. Most of the attractions are on the 4th floor, and they mainly involve visual arts like paintings and sculptures.

Danielle Wong

This was the second time I visited ICA during my time in Boston. It was a pleasant experience. The exhibits are always varied and interesting to me. The new infinity mirror experience was a nice touch! I enjoy the opportunities for visitors to contribute to the gallery. Very interactive! Looking forward to future visits. There's also a great view of the seaport!

Tracey Oliver

Loved the museum and exhibits. Interesting and beautiful. Fantastic view of the water in the seats overlooking the shipping channel. Great gift shop.

An Yoshihide

Went specifically for the Yayoi Kusama exhibit, this museum purchased her largest infinity room, and since I went on Thursday- it was completely free to attend! This infinity room was extraordinary, and like no other experience before. You get 2 minutes inside the room, and then you are free to explore the other exhibits. Each artist featured in this museum has their own room- dedicated to their art. However, there are currently only 5 exhibits including Kusama.

Jordan McAngus

The Museum was wonderful to see. One could spend all day taking in all the scenery & getting lost in the art.

Christian Adams

Pretty cool museum with the virgil abloh exhibit up right now. Cheap considering it gets you a ticket to the watershed across the harbor as well. Would definitely just come on a free day as there’s not a lot to see. A one time thing but cool to see once.

Minh Long

Since only the forth floor is for exhibition, the ICA feels much smaller than I expected. My favourite part is the Poss Family Mediatheque, so soothing and calm. There is a small room with nice view to the waves as well.

X K

I love art museums and this one had some great pieces. The employees here were also some of the best museum folks I've ever met. We weren't able to go to the second location. Clean bathrooms but the ticket cost was a little steep and I wish it was a larger museum.

Sridhar Sampath

If you are a lover of contemporary art, this place is a must visit! Some amazing displays!!

Carlos Esteban Restrepo

Great museum to visit in Boston. It is too big but it has the Kusama Infinity Room. So you must go. Buy your tickets in advance because it's regularly sold out

Cecile Braun-Jones

Beautiful space, beautiful views, great art. Saw the Forthyse installations or rather experienced them as they are all interactive and inviting visitors to step inside the art. Reasonable price and children 17 and under are free. Also enjoyed the every day object exhibit where adhesive tape becomes a delicate ground cover of white flowers

Sylvan Franklin

Cool building— glass elevator and waterfront view. The art is pretty good too.

Lena Owens

Love the ICA building and location, very beautiful! The gift shop and everyone working there is great. I also really appreciate that they do free Thursdays, and I think this is great for the Boston community. That being said, I wish they had more art. For a large museum it seemed like most of it was administrative offices etc and the exhibit space was pretty small and left me wanting more.

Julia Moreland

I recommend going on a free night! Otherwise, pretty steep price for how small the museum is. Good collection of art and gorgeous views! Some exhibits change around, which keeps it fresh and I appreciate. They validate $5 off parking but it’s so expensive I recommend taking the T.

Valeria Ariño

AMAZING!! Art of young artists, which is inspirational and beautiful. The building and sight you can view of Boston from it are wonderful too. We went on Thursday evening, at it was free. We had to book the tickets at 10am online. This museum is a must-visit destination in Boston.

Rachel O'Brien

Has some great artwork!!! Is near some nice Restaurants as well.

Jordan Holmes

Wonderful museum, exhibits are well laid out and the museum is exceptionally clean. Loved the water taxi and additional exhibit in east Boston!

Paulina Banyte

The perfect location, I just wish there were more exhibitions and pieces as it felt a bit empty. My favorite piece was by Kehinde Wiley which I was not expecting to see. I also loved the installation with musicians and videos that felt extremely immersive and well put together.

Laura Janks

Great experience! Best part was the Infinity Exhibit! Great views of the harbor too.

Lucius Luo

View is great. Exhibitions are okay. Too many young artists’ work and the creativity presented is a bit lackluster. Could be a great place for hanging out with your partner.

Sylvie Rozak

The pieces exposed are interesting, but we felt like $20 just for one floor is a bit expensive. To compare the ticket for The Museum of Fine Arts is $27 but you have three floors to explore and so much items to see!

Elisa Cortés

Excellent museum, always entertaining exhibitions, beautifully architecture, nice space outdoors, all the people taht works here is beyond charming and they also make incredible events Thursdays are free, but you need to do a reservation at 10 am

Connolly K

One of my favorites, inside and out. Great and constantly changing exhibits. T accessible. Beautiful harbor front location. Student rates. Fun for the whole family!

Tiffany Knight

Hands-down one of the best places to experience art and events in Boston. The ICA has a knack for Curating interesting art and events drawing in diverse audiences.

Robert Drake

ICA is a good art pavillion. As with any institution that endeavors to be cutting edge, things are hit or miss. When focusing one a new and innovative artist, ICA is at it's best. When pushing a message, not so much. Still, the view is lovely and the staff are very kind. Thursday nights are free and transit is 3 blocks.

beat shona

Beautiful museum building and location right at harbour. The exhibit itself was small on our visit, just a couple of rooms in fourth floor. And one room was blocked off with a special exhibit that was sold out (would have been an extra charge). For the size of the exhibit we felt the price as too high, and not worth it.

Birgit Pauli-Haack

My favorite place in Boston for a dive into what ever contemporary art the curators find. It is always inspiring and thought provoking. The building is well suited for large exhibitions. The selection in the gift shop could be its own little exhibition.

Durvank Yewle

Fantastic art collection and ideal place to kill some time - I say kill because I am not a big art enthusiast but thoroughly enjoyed my time - if you are an art fan, this is a must visit place while in Boston They have much of abstract art with a mind-blowing collection by Ragnar kjartansson - I have added a pic to describe the guy and art, but overall it is a simultaneous film shooting of 64 rooms in one of the famous mansions of NYC - mostly are musicians and the video collection in ICA with audio effects creates a mesmerising experience for audience!

Jenna DeFosse

Nice museum, I always come here on the free Thursday evenings. Decent size, you don’t get tired walking around since only a few floors have exhibits. Have some interesting exhibits. Parking seems a little expense in the lot right outside the museum. Love the gift shop, haha.

Tommy Xia (夏晨阳Tommyxcy)

Pretty small, won’t recommend going all the way to visit, MFA has better museum experience.

Katie Hatch

Excellent range of exhibits, thoughtfully curated. Lots of knowledgeable staff in the galleries as well as spaces to learn, reflect and take in the art.

Monika Turek

I did not plan this trip carefully, because I did not realize that it was a fairly small museum. Based on the size of the building, I really expected much more than 4 rooms.

Melodie Arya

Pretty building and gorgeous art that changes very regularly. Plus it's a fun people watching spot. The shop is also just as good

Jack Guthrie

Decent contemporary art museum. Nice views of the waterfront. Fairly small selection of art and spaces.

Shane Larsen

It is in a beautiful location however all of the galleries are on the 4th floor and the others are reserved for education. It's a great quick visit.

Z Dewald

This was an amazing experience. The exhibits were gorgeous! I will definitely be back.

Filip Ilnicki

Nice museum but very small exhibition. It was only one Yaoi Kusama instalation. I am not sure if it was wortk 15 USD

Andrew Shen

Great galleries. Sadly we went when some were closed but still worth it. Also worth it to see the love is calling exhibit by Kusama. Other great works by Nick Cave, Vivian Suter, and many more.

Jason Garrabrant

Nice contemporary museum. Small exhibit space but the flow is good and they update thier collection to new themes frequently. On the weekends parking runs about 17$ for the day at most nearby garages.

Kris Takasuka

Lovely place. Went on Thursday morning. Hardly anyone there so it was a pleasure to linger without feeling like you were blocking someone. Only one floor so it was easy to cover. Beautiful view of the harbor. Nice audio visual exhibits. One can take pics as long as you don't use a flash. The is a small kids area. Thursday evenings (not sure if it's every Th) are free. $15 general $10 student

Wayne MacDonald

Labor Day visit. No Fee. My first visit here. This style of art was interesting to view. New for me. I prefer a more classic style. The artist bios focused on what was the motivation behind much of their work.

kee love

VERY cool exhibits in a very cool building. The staff is easy to find, pleasant to talk to, and very knowledgeable.

Sushma Akoju

The most intriguing and interesting display: "Less is a bore: Maximalist Art & Design". As an ardent fan of minimalism, it was good to think of another perspective. The visit to watershed begins with a ferry ride, which is a lovely trip. "John Akomfrah: Purple" video is a spine chilling reminder of climate change, ecological imbalance created by wars and industrialization and its impact over decades.

Carolann Joseph

Very great experience. I went with a friend. Also, it is free on Thursday after 5 pm. You will have to buy the ticket at 10 am in the day.

Christopher Kimball

A great museum for both the harbor views and a rotating gallery. You won’t be kept as busy as you will at some of the other art museums in the city, but it’s a great way to spend a few hours. Parking is a bit of an issue, so be prepared to find a garage nearby in advance, but that is the case at every museum in Boston. Stop by on one of their free nights if you can!

Sammi Zhang

Really small not much to see. Boston is so boring. The Love to Call is just a room of inflatable balloons.

Stephen Bowzer

I know the main gallery is under construction for November, so the most exciting thing was the gift shop. The main galaxy will take you 10 min to go through.

Claire Yang

Nice museum in Seaport with a wide array of exhibits and displays! Convenient area and located right near the water

Gaguk Yudiarinto

I visited IOC in the night. The school was close. I enjoy the beautiful of this artistic building.

Ralph Stan

We saw the Dana Schutz exhibit at the ICA recently, love the Comuter painting. Sometimes I feel like the guy in the back seat... The Henry Taylor painting was my favorite, very cool.

Michael Morales

Beautiful art and security making sure all art is kept in the same shape it’s shown up in! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Alan Dupes

Finally made time to go visit ICA and it was a very nice museum. Lots of staff there to answer any questions you might have about the art. I made it for the Art in the age of the internet. I recommend checking out the Virtual Reality installation.

David Udin

Good space for art. Exhibits were interesting, although I don't recall whether any were of a permanent collection. Check website for more information. Recommend to anyone interested in contemporary art.

carol lebold

Absolutely amazing space - beautiful building and soaring glass with views of the harbor. The current exhibits are provocative in good ways. Some interactive installations. If you're a Massachusetts educator you might ask for a discount. Free on Thursday nights.

Stephanie H

Very interesting place to see some modern art works. I spent about 2 hours there and watched the "love is calling". Had a great time and will come back some other time!

J H

Very nice although I wish there was more than one floor for the exhibits. Space was clean and orderly. Gift shop was okay, though a lot of the products were common. A good selection of books, gifts and knickknacks.

Jarritt Sheel

Absolutely loved it! A well thought space for art in the port area of Boston. The location is awesome.

YJ

The ICA is always a delight to visit. I love the contemporary artworks they have on show

Mary Dybka Diorio

Stunning views of the harbor, make sure you purchase tickets in advance to the special rotating exhibits. Looking forward to seeing this museum grow!

Christy SassDeluxe

Loved the displays and exhibits, and the staff was super friendly, helpful and insightful. Appreciate the Free Thursday, thank you!

Patricia Miranda

All the exhibits on the fourth floor--from the video Swinguerra to the Yayoi Kusama mirrored room to the figurative paintings--really impressed us. We also loved taking the boat shuttle to the ICA Watershed to view the massive installations there. It was a lovely afternoon, so we walked to the Pier Park nearby before heading back to the boat shuttle. The ICA was a highlight of our visit to Boston.

Nyree Smith

Highly recommend their Friday night DJ events. Music was amazing and the veiw is killer! Posting photos where you can get a glimpse of how beautiful the sunset was!

Alison

I always love visiting this little museum! They currently have timed tickets to keep the crowds manageable, and I love the different perspectives I can go see :)

Alan Dupes

Nice open space with lots of helpers if you have any questions about the art. Nice views on the outside too.

Jannis “Falke” Ackermann

A great variety of arts is to be seen in the ICA. Friendly staff and clean toilets. To me it seems a bit pricy paying 15$ as a student.

Babette Nuckolls

Beautiful building right on the water! Interesting, contemporary exhibits with very helpful and knowledgeable gallery guides. Don't miss the Kusama exhibit!💜

Mitchell

ICA offers amazing events and art. Always have a good time here. Quick shoutout to the marketing team for getting their events to my eyes and creating actual event that people want to attend. This is a great example of how you keep attention focus in the name of art. Love it. Keep up the good work everyone over there. I’ll be back!

Monica Renaud

Outstanding building design. The museum allows natural light and inspiring views. We visited during Black history month and were able to see African-American portraits. Appreciate the portraits' honesty and beauty. My daughters loved the stuff at the gift shop.

Michael Currie

I love their 'new' location. Had not been in awhile. Thin on exhibits, but many installations were just being assembled.

Carlos del Castillo

Some great exhibits and the location is great, right by the water steps away from the Fan Pier Park.

Samantha Mackowitz

Saw the love is calling exhibit. It was cool. I liked the museum. The gift shop was the best part!

Michelle Hirsch

I have always liked the ICA when it was in Boston now it's at a beautiful sight overlooking the water so some extraordinary exhibitions

Sergio Nieto

Very nice architecture and great views too the seaport. I didn't love the exhibition, but that's just because of my taste. It's worth the visit

Lancy Yang

It was not worth the price. $30 for 2 min inside the installation "Love is Calling". There are 4 floors to this museum but floors 2 and 3 are closed (but there is one piece of art beside the elevator on 2nd floor. Make sure you don't miss that!) and floor 1 is a cafe & a gift shop.

Ethan Samuel

They have very interesting exhibits that are picturesque and it's on the water making it really cool to look over. It's also really close to some great places to eat. But it's also on a very busy street and it's very difficult to find parking.

John Benton

I've only gone one time, but I had an amazing experience. I saw the Virgil Abloh show and it was incredible, but the museum itself is such an amazing place to be. It is truly a place to come and feel inspired from what is current in todays art world. The grounds of the museum are worth just hanging around even if you aren't going in.

Reda B.

The ICA musuem is medium size. It has great temporary exhibitions. And it was free entrance only Fridays.

Quinlan Gallagher

Great place to spend an afternoon at! We got a time slot, and right when we got there we were able go in. Gorgeous architecture as well and interesting art.

Karina

Great venue. One minus is the music ends at 10pm on Fridays, it should go later until at least midnight. Overall, fun spot to listen to music.

Tomas Orlando

It's worth a visit. Very well curated. It's a bit small, in 1.5 h you can have a thorough visit.

MaryBeth L

Art kind of went over kids head but they enjoyed the spinning chairs outside and the create your own art area that was open 1030-1230. Kids are free and there is a parking garage right across the street.

Dr. Böhm

Great exhibits. Not too crowded. Friendly staff. One improvement is a family restroom. I was incredibly cramped in the men’s stall on the fourth floor changing a diaper.

Grant Stinnett

Boston Dance Theater performed an amazing show at the ICA. Just outstanding. Every minute was captivating.

Carlos Burguete

Really enjoyed the current show. Views are fantastic and mediation on point - 10/10 would recommend

Anthony F

Everyone was so friendly! We could ask anyone anything and they could share features of the exhibits they were monitoring. Absolutely wonderful experience. My wife absolutely adored the "Love is Calling" exhibit. It was one of my daughters favorite museums she's been to. We all recommend checking it out.

Jenna Sunshine

Went for a dance performance and absolutely loved it! Comfortable seating, clean bathrooms, nice theatre

Jonathan Che

Interesting and important exhibitions in a gorgeous space. They host some nice outdoor events during the summer as well

Kiki West

Wonderful staff. Great art. Family Saturday at the end of the month amazing. Art projects for the kids. The exhibits were perfectly balanced to interest anyone.

Beverly Azure

Great space, interesting exhibits. Located on Boston harbour in seaport. Beautiful views of Boston

Odai Okleh

The museum is nice, and hosting some cool artwork. It's never busy or you have to wait in line to get there. If you're into art, give it a visit, there might be interesting artists there.

Tata Ortiz

What a beautiful place to pass a summer time. Thursdays is free in the afternoon and the do great activities all the time .. I rally love it.

David Schwartz

Agood space that had an interesting local exhibit. Wouldnt be the first thing I'd do in Boston

Casey Murphree

I have a problem even APPROACHING this place. 'would make a good hay-barn' comes to mind - - 'looks like it might fall on you' also

Brian Putnam

Much smaller than I expected, didn't find many of the exhibits particularly interesting.

Abel Mathews

There's currently a video exihibit thats covid related that was a really unique experience. Virgil's stuff was cool too but was greatly surprised by the other one

Wissal

I loved it. They have free Thursday evenings and a guide tour.

anne oshima

Beautiful building and setting. The Yayoi exhibit is definitely worth the trip. Currently the "Migration through Contemporary Art" is on view. Captivating, beautiful!

Ana Camba

I am not used to visiting museums but this was a really cool one in my opinion. The art is very modern and fun to appreciate.

Keith G

Not for me, sorry. I've wanted to visit this venue for some time and I'm glad we did. However I wasn't impressed with the layout, design and art that was selected. It's just not for me. We were told the displayed art was on the 4th floor. That was the extent of the options we had to figure out where to go. No map, no signage, and no way to know if we visited all the galleries. We almost gave up and left but decided to peak around the corner to find another artist's work. The harbor view are okay from the 4th floor, but not stunning as we had expected.

Liyi F

Small museum, all exhibits on the top floor. Nice view of the water in a couple areas. Cool gift store. Didn't feel it was worth the price compared to similar museums in Los Angeles and Australia which is my point of comparison.

Jessica Vanni

Went during the Free Thursdays time slot and was well worth the trip there! So glad we were able to check out the special exhibition of Yayoi Kusama's "Love Is Calling."

Arvind Sharma

Theatre is great - enjoy the sea view while watching movies...

Becki Warshow

Went there to see the Kusama. Lovely exhibits and a lot of LGBTQ empowering /conspiring pieces

Paul George

Go there for the virtual reality installation facing the harbour. It will surely blow your mind. There are many other interesting installations too in this otherwise great location in the seaport area

Tim Price

Such a great experience, like a tall glass of cool water. We will remember this visit.

Jeff Williamson

A great representation of Contemporary Art. Wonderful gift shop with very reasonable pricing.

Jane W

Some interesting artists but this museum is very small. Even going very slowly, we were done in an hour. That said, there are some very well planned experiences, like the glass the elevator (which makes it feels like the ground on other floors is dropping vs. you going up.)

Star McBabe

Accidentally catching the Virgil Abloh pop up shop on the last day was the best part!!! The special exhibition was sold out online, I would have upgraded with a sign or mention as the staff was telling other there were tickets available. The location is amazing and I love the Boston art museums, was just a bit disheartened that only 1 floor of exhibitions were open. Also the closest parking was double the cost of the admission ticket. Fingers crossed an exhibition comes here that has me try this experience again!!

Christian Pasquel

They have some interesting galleries although $15 is a bit too much for the size of the museum IMO

Adam MacDonald

Wonderful collection of art in a stunning building. That said, the galleries are rather small for the cost of admission.

Daniel McPeters

Nice staff and facility. Only 4 gallery rooms and nothing inspiring on display for my visit. Some art never answers the question "why".

Kiariladyboss

On my short trip to Boston (Nov 11th and 12th) i was able to visit ICA Boston to check out Yayoi Kusama “Love is calling” exhibit. I saw the same exhibit in NYC 7 years ago bot i will never get tired of it. Amazing artist, incredible exhibit. I recommend anyone to enjoy one or more of her exhibits soon!

Dan Freeman

Great exhibits but smaller than I expected. Only the top floor has art.

Po Yu Chung

Great contemporary museum!

Scott Hepler

Great art experience. Thoughtfully curated exhibits of wonderful pieces.

Zak Haque

Great exhibit. Worth adding into your itinerary.

Fileve Tlaloc

Amazing building situated by the pier. Great free place to lounge outside. If you wanna see the art it's a $15 fee. Most of the building was closed for installation so the price is was $6 a piece for only one interactive exhibit. Very cool but I question the fee on a regard day with only one floor available for displays.

Deborah Heines

The ICA curators do an unbelievable job of keeping a rotation of interesting and often interactive exhibits. They also make themselves accessible but keep the experience elevated.

Erica Garrity

Highly recommend! Was totally worth the $15 entry. Would 100% come back. Only thing I found a bit distracting was all the talking by those around us. I'm so used to super quiet museums apparently

jeffrey Robin

Great Contemporary Museum, we loved it. Fantastic Building and art.

Dennis Garrett

Stunning Boston Waterfront contemporary art museum. Rotating exhibits. Interesting Boston Harbor viewing spots inside the museum.

Joe D

A rather small collection of very average contemporary art. The exhibition space conceivably also cannot host larger exhibition items. At $15 the ticket is quite overpriced for what there is. The only thing going for it is its location and gift shop.

Kieran Fahey

Excellent venue for the redbull cliff diving event

Chris Cammarano

Not too big, but very cool

Lukas Kasimor

The building is very nice and has excellent views of the water. I enjoyed some of the art but it is not my favorite of modern art exhibits. Additionally, much of the galleries were inaccessible when I visited which made my visit quite short.

Cadu Ferreira

The exhibition for me was nice but I really expected for more about this space.

Rachel Black

Great experience. Nice exhibit and beautiful view of the bay

Juan

Interesting pieces. But I was hoping it would be a bit bigger. Great views of the harbor.

Susanne Behrisch

Awesome place. My kids loved the scavenger hunt!

Rachel Rensing

A smaller museum - I stayed about an hour and saw all the 4th floor galleries. The whole museum is probably under 2 hours. Reasonable ticket prices, although the $4 "advance ticket" fee online stings a bit when that's the only option due to COVID. I'm sure I'll be back! The Visitors was a perfect exhibit for the present moment.

Christian Scott

Love the ICA, kinda wish they would dial down the sex stuff so it's more accessible. I'm no pride, but it's over the top. Beautiful site, great staff.

Elif Asar

The Institute of Contemporary Art has a lot of different art pieces, very impressive...

Darren Mack

Amazing Virgil Abloh exhibition. Beautiful outdoor scenery.

Klára Pavlíčková

Definitely an interesting place to see. There are various contemporary exhibitions and the location with a view of the harbor is marvelous!

David Day

I love the constantly changing art presented at the ICA. I also enjoyed the presentation of less represented artists.

Kev C

We appreciate the ICA has free entry in Thursday night and bands singing in the summer. LOVE IS CALLING is a wonderful experience and a Must. I hope the exhibit is getting bigger and more arts to see.

Elizabeth Norman

Good place to visit and relax with your friends and family! ICA is good for photographers to know more about the contemporary art! I would recommend 18+ to visit as there are some sensitive photos maybe not suitable for kids

Valérie Baudais Baconnet

A very interesting view of the state of contemporary and modern art. Not to bé missed when in Boston

Emily N

This museum is so fun and it’s always changing. They have fun Thursday nights from 5-9 where’s it’s free for anyone to stop by. I come here and always see something new

Selin Çetin

Great building, the view was amazing. We saw Love is Calling by Yayoi Kusama and it was an experience. The museum is not that big but the area is super nice

Nikolai Yinger

Great history, awesome art, even better view to the harvor

Roman

The ICA is always a fun place to see art and the city, great views of Boston and the ocean from the big windows. An excellent family trip.

Uygar Sarı

Worth visiting, spend time to see what each painting offers.

Lu Zeng

Well worth a visit. It was shocking busy (there was a queue by the time we left) when we went the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but people still flowed well. The rooms were so well curated and everything was logical; you also get a fabulous view of the harbor. The visiting exhibits was awesome when I went, and I trust there will be other nice ones in the future.

Victor “Ghost” Coles

It was ok! Not really what I expected, but ok! Some of the art work was cool!

John

It was fun. Of course it is all modern art, so it is definitely refreshing compared to other museums. Overall there wasn't too much in terms of the exhibits, couldn't spend as much time here as some other museums. We went for the Kusama exhibit which was great. Unfortunately since it is in such high demand you only have 2 minutes inside the infinity room.

Rose Liang

Amazing space and great for both art lover and family just to have fun!

Elizabeth T

Personally I feel everyone can enjoy some element of the muesum. 18 and younger is free and adult is $20

Victoria Lee

I had a great time with my friends. Challenging art and just a beautiful view over the water made our trip very interesting. It was handicap friendly and it kids enjoyed the space.

Leo Shi

Not a lot of collections, only one floor, but the entrance fee is only $15, so it's worth it. I enjoyed 1.5 hour here.

Brooks Payne

I rode my bike there from my South End home and loved the exhibits. However, I'd have a very different opinion if I had planned this with friends and had to pay for parking because there were only a few rooms with artwork open since the museum had closed off some important rooms while they installed new exhibits. Admission was free because of this but I would have been very disappointed if I wasn't a local. There's really nothing else in the area to see, unlike the Avenue of the Arts in the Fenway where you have many choices of museums within an easy walk of one another. I must add that the view from the glassed-in deck is one of the best in town of the waterfront and harbor.

G Aquino

Lots of beautiful and inspiring art pieces here, and the views of the harbor from inside and the outside steps are just breathtaking! They also have spaces for people to make their own art. The building itself is a work of art and an architectural eye candy. The gift shop was nice but very $$$$. They have another art space across the harbor called 'Watershed', which you can visit for free. To get there, go to the pier just steps from this art gallery, take a 20-minute ferry ride, and then walk 10 minutes once you're on the other side. Allot an extra 1.5 hours if you plan to go there. The ferry ride is included in their admission fee, so be sure to buy admission tickets before boarding.

Mohammad Karimian

Unique and beautiful. Awesome neighborhood by the water.

candace charpentier

My family and I have been attending family day for years and I can't say enough about how welcoming and inclusive it feels.

MrsWayfarer

Colorful, mesmerizing contemporary art. Though I still don’t get it as much as classical ones I quite enjoyed my visit here.

Tommy Duque

The Boston Institute of a contemporary art is quite the museum. It has great works from many artists in rotation and the view is just spectacular. It hosts a free Thursday, where you can enter the museum for free from 5 pm till close on certain Thursdays of the month. The staff is very helpful and help you with whatever needs you may have. I thoroughly enjoyed this museum with my family and we were able to discuss different pieces that we enjoyed. I don’t know the cost of entrance because as I said I went on a free Thursday (which I recommend). Great place to visit and experience all in all.

Skirman

Amazing place to visit. I visited with my high school and classmates they were extremely welcoming and nice. Their a lot of interesting art around the whole building and is truly worth taking a weekend off to go visit this place. They have a nice place at the first floor where you can sit down and eat or just relax and enjoy the beautiful ocean view. They also have this cool shaped room where you can see the beautiful ocean.

Manish Patel

It was nice. But not my style. I'm looking for more obvious political art these days.

Samuel Peck

Great display of two artists work - Dana Schultz and Mark Dion. It was great to see Schutz exhibiting again after the Whitney incident

Tersia Snyman

Some contemporary art museums leaves you slightly disturbed, but not this one. It is an experience. This art, the view, the shop.

Daniel DeNinno

This museum was fantastic. The admission was reasonable and the galleries were breathtaking. There were a lot of thought provoking and beautiful pieces of art. The staff are friendly and helpful, and the building is beautiful and well-made. There are a lot of cool rooms, and even cooler exhibits. I would go again!

Katie Coleman

Great for professional events! Servers and bartenders were fun and entertaining, but also quick when busy. At 2 separate events they had the same setup with at least 5 bar stations to keep up with traffic. Loved the outdoor patio area. The art is very unique and the 3rd floor was my favorite by far.

Ashraf Abdelghany, MD

It’s really a nice place to visit in Boston! For free!!

Ben Dottinger

The basic admission gets you into the gallery, which is pretty small. There's a nice view of the water, and overall I'd definitely say it's worth 2-3 hours of your time, and even more if you sign up for one of the classes, screenings, or premium exhibits

Catherine Hofmann

They have a pretty small collection - maybe a smaller exhibit because of Covid? The Virgil Abloh retrospective was on as well but I wasn’t impressed or inspired by his work. They had a boat going to an exhibit across the water but the timing didn’t work out.

Mr. Campbell

I would like to personally thank the ICA store Manager Jennifer(I think that was her name). She went above and beyond to help me with my order that UPS delivered to the wrong address. Her customer service was truly outstanding.

Ole Jik

Cool ship !!! Good time in the museum!!

Jane Smith

One of my favorite museums ever! Impressive building by the water, but of course, the magic happens inside! I have such great memories of their collections. I’m sure it varies from time to time but you won’t be disappointed. This museum is a pile of fun!

Matt Gross

The building is impressive and occupies a great location on the water. Museum collection is good but not amazing so it's better if you can time your visit for a good visiting exhibit. Hard to believe it was surrounded by parking lots just a few years ago and now is dwarfed by high rises in every direction.

Samalid Maldonado

Highly recommend visiting, especially on event and exhibit nights. All exhibits are on the 4th floor. Can take you about 30 minutes to complete visit, unless you look into the art's soul to decipher the origin and meaning- you can be there for hours or an eternity. Great place to catch up with friends and/or first date. Don't forget to visit store, they have cute items to purchase. Then grab a drink and go outside, sit on the long tall steps to enjoy a nice view of the ocean front and chat the evening away.

Susan Marie Lee

Always an interesting take! Loved the short boat ride across the harbor to see the boatshed exhibit. The entire stroll to the boat shed is a trip in itself: Art on the street/buildings. The cafe is yummy. Try something new here and you won't be disappointed. Lots of activities. Check the Calendar. With everything going on here, a membership is a bargain!!

Natalie Vaughn

Not really what I was expecting. Some of the exhibits were closed, and the ones that were open were pretty small.

Sarah Black

Small museum in a great location. The galleries are not overwhelming, and the waterfront views of Boston harbor are fabulous.

Travis Simpson

Very disappointing. Attended on a free day during summer 2018 and only one floor was being exhibited. Much of the exhibit felt more like history than modern art; that is just my interpretation and may not be a negative for everyone. I have been to multiple other modern art venues and this one was by far the most underwhelming. If driving, make sure to get their early for street parking or be willing to pay a lot for parking.

Jerode Larsen

Just WOW! Great place to visit on your trip to Boston.

Diana Mariani

The works showed are really good and the staff was nice, but I was shocked with the ticket pricing, the webpage charged me 4 extra usd for each ticket, apart from the $15usd cost, for the "advanced reservation" ¿?¿?¿?

d mayo-wells

On our last visit we participated for the first time in guided tours of two of the exhibitions, they offered a lot of insight and perspective on how to approach the art. Rotating exhibitions here are sometimes a bit challenging, almost always thought provoking, sometimes amazing. Small enough that you can comfortably see most of the galleries within a few hours.

Flora Tsui

This place is so pretty and the artwork is absolutely amazing. Also, there are artworks that are interactive and those are super fun! The gift shop also has a lot of cool stuff like Llama tea infuser and a lot of books that are very interesting like one that I read was about the color that matches your birthdate.

Shehan Jaro

This place is pretty cool. Loved the collection more than I expected to.

Madlene Hamilton

This ICA is one of my favorite spaces in Boston. The museum is on the water and has spectacular views. It’s a modern and innovative space. The exhibits are sometimes interactive which makes the experience fun. it’s also a great event venue. Check out the First Friday events which includes music, art, food, and fun.

Hamza Malik

Pretty cool place to visit now and then with friends. They have interesting exhibits, and good turnout. They also have free nights on Thursday, which is pretty decent! I would definitely visit there again, it is really nice for going out and about the city with friends.

Sonya Schwarz

It was okay. I am always checking out art galleries and museums. There wasn't that much to see here. Was a little disappointed.

Samuel A

I love this museum. I don't know what else I could say. If you haven't been to a contemporary art museum then you should definitely check it out. I'm not a big fan of classical art museums but I love this place. The exhibits change frequently enough that you can enjoy the walk through multiple times a year. Check their website for information on the children's activities they do. The last time we went there was some sort of children's art program going on. Looks like a good time.

Oyun-Erdene Altan-Ochir

Love is calling exhibit was awesome but it was too short just 1 min. However, I think you can stand in line again and get again 😅 …

WILLIAM RUDY

Cool place. Great exhibits. I wish it were bigger and had more exhibits. Many cool items in gift ship, but too expensive.

Samuel

Beautiful place right on the water. The exhibits rotate out regularly and are quite cool! The gift shop is also cute.

Megan Good

They didn't have quite as much art as I expected, but I loved everything they did have. One exhibit, "We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women," was particularly interesting. It covered a part of the art movement (and society in general) that has been overlooked for far too long. It was refreshing to see this subject matter showcased in such a big museum. Overall, I really enjoyed my visit and would highly recommend it to anyone.

Carla Redondo

Love it! A great space designed thinking on the user, the people and their surroundings. The link between the water and the building is impressive. We really enjoyed our time there, listening to live music and catching up with friends. The collection inside was well curated. Very modern and the colorful.

Afsaneh Aayani

Beautiful building, beautiful art, wonderful staff. A must see in Boston.

Adriano Mondini

Take some time to explore the fourth floor and write a message on the huge wall after the entrance door! Good experiences

Alejandro Jaime

The building and its architecture are impressive, and the exposition could or not be liked, as always happens with contemporary art. But that is the point.

Mishkat Khetran

Half of it was closed due to renovations so they charged us half tickets which was $6 each. It's good but not something exceptional. Not much history but some good art work. Still, my information is incomplete as I wasn't able to see the other half.

Tom Brittain

They had a great single exhibit. The rest seemed to be filler. And it’s really too small of a museum to to make it really worthwhile

Sherly Sanchez

If you really enjoy contemporary art, this is the place for you!

Roger Shepard

So great to see contemporary art thrive. Always interesting installations.

Jesse Marder

Half of the collection looked to be under renovation in mid October. They charged less than normal because of that. Tour was a little cooky but I guess it's modern art. Beautiful views of the harbor and store had some cool stuff.

Anthony Trinciante

Came here a few days ago to experience Yayoi Kusama’s LOVE IS CALLING, an infinity mirror room. It was awesome but you’re only allowed in for one minute, not enough time to fully appreciate if you’re snapping pics.

Daniel Weiss

We were blown away by our visit to this museum. This is such a unique place with some wonderful exhibits and amazing art. Really loved how they used the space to present the different artists in their own unique way. Looking forward to another visit!

Amy Jane Larkin

The ICA curates great programming in a very cool space right on the water. Highlights from their permanent collection are always worth checking out. They do great work promoting, buying and showing contemporary art made my women. Rotating exhibitions never disappoint and First Fridays are super fun. A membership here is absolutely worth it. Summer events outside are amazing too!

Jared Hall

Beautiful architectural building home to contemporary art. The location is great for a half day trip offering plenty to due in the area. The exhibits can sometimes be outlandish (sorry, not an art snob) but keep an open mind coming in and you will most likely enjoy a lot of it. Tip - water taxi is available out back

Phresh K Da DJ

Great Exhibit...It was so good that I shared my experience w/ my friends

Claus Christensen

Great space with thoughtfully curated exhibitions.

Adam Ross

I am a Boston native, history in the performing and visual arts, and I am most critical of the aforementioned. I KNOW that the ICA was a big deal and people were so very excited when they broke ground... But, I mean... The space lacks soul. It's boxes stacked on boxes with a weird little box jammed in one of the other boxes at an angle. Also, the recent seaport developments has hidden the building from the area. What's the point? You can't appreciate the architecture unless you're on a boat. The staff is great, the galleries a open and bright and the natural light is superb... And they don't force you to exit through thr gift shop! A gift shop, by the way, that has an absolutely BANGING 60% off clearance shelf. Worth a visit, but don't expect to be able to spend a whole day here.

Jaclyn L

I've been to ten different contemporary art museums in my life and this one ranks at the bottom. Of the four accessible floors, there is only one floor that actually has exhibits, and not one of those exhibits was particularly memorable or provocative. I realize the exhibits change with some regularity, so this may not always be the case. It just seemed like they could fill the space more, maybe put exhibits along the stairwell or near the elevator, but perhaps the nothingness is supposed to be some sort of statement in and of itself. Didn't really do anything for me.

Ruth Benyo

Wonderful museum who's always trying to get people to come see art. I highly recommend, especially the watershed which is across the harbour and had an exceptional exhibit when I saw it.

Caroline Lee

Great exhibit with multimedia features and intriguing stylistic distinctions. If you're looking for a good deal, take the Water Taxi to see Purple (lands at Piers Point around the T's Maverick Blue Line station) - admission includes your fare. Totally worth it, even in the rain.

Katerina Erickson

I went on a Thursday free admission night, and there were a good amount of people at the museum. Very interesting and unique displays such as a live woman knitting herself into a yarn cocoon, chandeliers made of string and bells, and various abstract paintings. It's located right on the water in the seaport district, and has a beautiful view outside and on the 3rd floor (I believe?) through the tall windows.

Andres Cardona

Amazing museum. We had a live jazz session that was magical.

Fatima Ali-Salaam

Spent a wonderful afternoon exploring a must see museum!

Adam Kaplan

One of the cheaper art museums in Boston. Even though the building has multiple floors, the gallery is only on the top floor. During my visit they built the exhibition around different themes and focused mostly on the 70s, 80s race and feminist issues. I really enjoyed the visit!

Health Enthusiast

I love the building, great volumes, clean lines. Awesome museum shop with designer stuff. Big esplanade for outdoor concerts and a bay off the library floor looking into the harbor. I last yesars, there has even been red bull diving competitions from the roof into the harbor. Go on Thursday night's, it's free for all and closes late

Madeline Bennetti

Definitely worth the visit! The building itself is beautiful, and it's in a great location near the aquarium, the water, and cool restaurants. There are a lot of programs and ways to get discounts or free entry as well.

John Saylor

Free Thursdays after 5! Great stuff. You can always count on this crew to put such great pieces on exhibit. I've seen some really forward-thinking art here. Advanced, inventive, and everything has, I feel, a lot to say about our times. Hence, "Contemporary". I'm an avid museum goer, and I love the ICA; it's every bit as good as the modern art museums in New York. Good job, Boston!

Amanda TheFighter

Went to an event here! Very nice art pieces as well

Jasmine L

Had a great time there. I especially like their Pop up talks where staff members there engage visitors for a 15 min conversation about a selected piece of art. It was a great way to learn more about an art piece, and more engaging than a regular tour. Would definitely go back!

Dr. J

Located in seaport area. Great collection of paintings and art. Excellent souvenir store. Love music. Breath taking view of the ocean. Exhibits change and therefore a great place to visit often. Free on Wednesdays

true

Good! My favorite is the tree art which has real birds

Marco “Captain” Hofschneider

A great location for this very interesting and very contemporary museum of art. Right on the harbor, on a clear day you could see all the way across to the airport. At night, the blinking lights are very pretty. A series of rotating exhibits here when we visited, some of which followed a theme of "identity." Much of the art is the usual "completely over my head" but a lot of it was quite compelling and interesting. We lucked out when we arrived as a tour was about to begin. We checked our coats and joined the tour. The docent was very interesting and included a lot of participation with the audience. I really enjoyed it and it helped me tremendously to understand the art just a bit more. The Henry Taylor self-portrait with his two sons was really interesting. With the artist in the forground and his two grown children behind, there is much going on. The specs of paint on his forehead that match the background, the positioning how none are really facing the same way, the different looks and the pressed lips. There's a story here. Another gallery was completely taken up by the pictures of The Brown Sisters, a series of portraits of the artist's wife and his three sisters-in-law with one picture every year for forty years. With no captions, there's also a lot going on with hair styles, looks, clothing and style, really interesting. The aviary was possibly the most interesting. It's a massive bird cage with 18 live birds inside. And the patrons are encouraged to go inside. Titled "Cage aux Folios" it's just something you'll need to go and experience for yourself. I thoroughly enjoyed The Institute of Contemporary Art and look forward to returning in a couple of months when the exhibits have rotated. The museum is open late on Thursdays and it's free after 5:00 PM!

L Zsolnay

Great modern museum, the perfect size and fun cool activities to engage kids.

rachael marie demeo

If you haven't been to the ICA you are missing out. It has something for everyone and it is always changing. I reccomend becoming a member the perks are SO worth it. The first fridays are awesome and it's also a great museum to bring children. It's not too big where is is overwhelming it's the perfect day trip to spend a couple hours at. In the summer the water shuttle to the watershed is amazing too. Probably one of my favorite places ever. You can even get a pass from your local library to visit for cheaper. Just visit! You won't be disappointed.

Kristin Mb

Smaller than I expected, but the art exhibits were well curated, thought-provoking, and visually interesting. We attended during the William Forsythe exhibit and enjoyed the fun, interactive nature of it. We are also fans of the ballets he has choreographed through the Boston Ballet, so it was fun to see how his mind works and to enjoy another aspect of his creativity.

Tars Cunha

Went to see the Love Is Calling infinity room exhibit, and while pretty cool, it was way too short (in the room for less than a minute!).

Bobby Guliani

What a great spot for lifestyle photoshoots around Boston Harbor. Thank you ICA

Seth Brown

One of the first places to have the foresight to move to the Seaport. This museum is a beautiful building right on the water! The have an always revolving exhibit has yet to disappoint. Their first fridays events are a must. Their annual White Hot party this year was incredible!

borja1000

Awesome space. Contemporary art the is not for everybody, but the Steve McQueen video piece touched home.

Erika Frost

The architecture of the building is cool. Best part inside is the view of Boston, though. I'm not a huge fan of modern art, so I personally did not really like the exhibits. It was a slightly difficult to find due to all of the construction going on. It is a good price if you want something to do and not too huge of an exhibit to get through.

Eric Goddard

Good collections, modern space. Feels small however, wish there was more of a continuous showing of owned pieces that you could count on seeing each time. To have all the art on one floor of such a big building seems under utilized.

Thomas Dahbura

A bit disappointed by the exhibits Was expecting more than just one floor

J Francis

Very cool, hip place but not necessarily a ton of exhibits. Luckily there's lots to do in the area as well as some happy hour type of events here. Nice that they can grab something very modern like the Yayoi Kusama event!!

Matt Slaughter-Katz (ledfox)

Go on Thursday - hard to beat free admission! Cool gallery with very esoteric pieces on display. Not the most impressive museum in terms of size in Boston but great for an afternoon trip!

Alex Amidon

You can't beat the setting, it's right on the river. Small feeling museum, good exhibits but sometimes a bit uneven in what they show. Lovely cafe for lunch, elegant & comfortable with unfussy but tasty food. Definitely worth a visit.

Sara Neil

Thought provoking and very well curated displays. You have to take the ferry or water taxi over to the new watershed if it's open. Not a big display but a fun trip and beautiful experience. Plus hard cider place across the way.

Aspect Six

A great museum to visit in Boston! It starts with the architecture of the building located right at the waterfront. It invites you to come by without even going inside, but the exhibitions are always worth a visit as well. A great selection of Contemporary Art!

Jay Fraizer

Really like the fact that they do a free night. Wsnt to check out the Infiniti room by Yayoi kusama unfortunately there was no more free tickets left. Was a little disappointed that w over 40 minutes of time left they wouldn't let 4 of us who didnt get tickets see it. I dont go museums often but i ve been to a number of large well known museums world wide. Never have I seen so much security (art students volunteering im guessing) harassing everyone quietly and respectfully observing the art work. The rest of the displays were lackluster. It had the feel of a small community college art show.

Justin Bilodeau

Great place but unfortunately they were in between exhibits when we went so there were very few exhibits open. Make sure to check the exhibits on the website before you go.

alexander valaris

Great exhibits and a good view of the harbor from one of their seating rooms.

Nicole Wood

This is an amazing museum! I usually don't love museums because they are super stale, but the ICA has a fun interactive vibe that's suitable for adults and children. I'm never bored there and they also have amazing views of the harbour.

Colin A R Adams

ICA is an inspiration space. The work of Huma Bhabha reminded me of the sociological saying "Things are not always what they seem.."

Linus Chen

Beautiful building, only one floor of exhibits but I consider it time well spent. Currently there is one of Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Room, I was unfortunately unable to experience it as tickets must be reserved months in advance.

Chris B

The waterfront location of the museum is fantastic. In terms of selection, it's not bad, but it won't have you writing home about it either. It's a tad pricey, and the "café" is really just a couple of vending machines with some chairs on the side.

Jennifer Henderson

The love is calling exhibit is beautiful, so glad I got to see it

Elizabeth Christie

A lot of very meaningful and impactful art. Definitely worth the student price for entry. It’s great to visit sites near the water. I really enjoyed the gift shop. Lots of fun creative gifts.

Maggie Diaz

They are reasonably priced and currently have a cool installation about the age of the internet and a virtual reality experience

Svet Mc

Not a good choices for contemporary art it was boring, most of what was covered on display we could see it on our own our through social media , reading or watching films , nothing new was discovered bit disappointed. although museum itself a state-of-the-art architecture , wonderful staff .

Jason Marshall

It was a great experience. Relaxing, knowledgeable, and inspiring

Dina F.

Had a great time! Great exhibition!

Jacob Rosenfeld

Great art museum. Pretty small, so there are only a few exhibits at a time, but they are always thought provoking and worth your time. Free on Thursday nights.

Jennifer Phan

I very much enjoyed my trip to this institute. It's a great experience walking by and appreciating the works of art. Riding on the water taxi only added to my enjoyable experience. There's also plenty of places to eat nearby the ICA. It's a short walk from the Silver line bus stop Courthouse Station.

Christina Valliere

The free admission on Thursday nights defnintely draws crowd, but it was worth the wait. The interactivity of some of the exhibits is fun, and the uniqueness of some of the works of art was interesting. I will definitely return in the future.

Betsy L

Honestly, even if you're not a fan of contemporary art, it's worth coming here on a Thursday evening (free) to look at their incredible view of the harbor, and it's very likely you'll end up liking SOMETHING in the museum. (I was skeptical, but I loved Mark Dion's work when I was there). (Sorry, contemporary art fans/museum staff, but I figure someone will find this information useful.)

Majid Javed

Really nice building, but during the pandemic you might only spend 30min here max. If it's your first time going, I'd suggest you wait until you can experience it all.

Michael Johnson

Great space for outdoor concerts, live music, mixers, meet and greets. Beautiful building that compliments the Boston skyline. Wonderfully interesting rotating exhibits and collections keep everyone entertained. Fun and somewhat random exhibitions like the Red Bull Flutag and Cliff Diving are tons of fun to watch.

Jim Toney

Nice museum but fairly small. Excellent Yayoi Kusama, LOVE IS CALLING, special exhibit.

Faruk Sabanovic

Beautiful concerts series here.

Fernando Castillo

Some fascinating pieces on display. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Definitely worth checking out!

Leopoldo Weaver

I have been to this museum when it first opened but did not check out the museum gift shop until yesterday. It is a must stop after visiting the museum or if in the neighborhood just to go there only. It is one of the best gift shops that I have ever seen. All kinds of items plus great books and jewelry.

Jeff D

The building is exciting and although I've only had time to see a small portion of the exhibits, I'm very eager to see more next time. Don't miss the Mediateque from which you can enjoy an incredible theater-style review of the harbor.

Neil Ellis

A wonderful exhibit of art. Highly recommend a visit.

Rob Fisher

Good museum with an interesting collection of pieces. Sadly it was completely overrun with children. I understand family outings etc. but, without trying to be a grumpy old grouch, I really wish people wouldn’t bring children who are too young to get any value from the exhibits to contemporary art museums. Young children running about screaming really does ruin the experience for people who want to actually enjoy and immerse themselves in the art.

dave dutcher

We had it for a private event and the staff was superb. We had multiple venues within the ICA which tasked the staff in different ways and they were up to the challenge and rose above. Our evening was flawless and we'll done and an excellent time was had by all. Please consider them for your very special event. Erica and Marissa we're our coordinators.

Christine Nogueira

Magic time at the ICA last night-- art, gorgeous ocean views, music & dance, lots of happy people, cool gift shop. Followed by A+++ walk around on a Summer evening. Free on Thursday nights for us. There's no free parking, flat fee $15 to park. Could do without it, but the Museum was free and parking downtown is $35+. Highly recommend.

Ulysse van Duinen

Although the museum as a whole is quite small (only one floor in the whole building), the choice of exhibitions in very nice. It was about time they brought change in the permanent exposition. The gift shop always has wonderful designer objects that make for great gifts. Overall, the ICA is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon in Boston.

Rosie Di Troia

Friendly staff, interesting exibitions and lovely views- this Boston musuem has long been a favorite of my family! It is good for young children, has a free coat check, and is right on the waterfront. There's a great bookshop and a (occasionally staffed) coffee bar inside. Be sure to check what exibits are currently up before heading over, the museum has only two galleries and it stinks when one is closed.

serena

i loved the free art tour, the extensive galleries, the audios you can listen to as you walk through the museum. the prices are great! the little activity in the lobby was so fun!!

Anders Carlson

Very nice museum space, and pretty much always changing. However, this does mean sometimes they do not have many exhibits. Still a very nice place to hang out in.

Aaron Miller

What makes this venue special is it's intimacy of the building. It doesn't feel overwhelming. One can see the exhibits anywhere from 1-1.5 hours. The building is located on Boston Harbor. The entire back of the building is enclosed by glass with beautiful views. Exhibits usually rotate every few months. During the months of July and August, the ICA offers free concerts outside at 6p. Every Thursday after 5p admission is free! You can't beat that.

Zack Carballo

Truly one of my highlights when visiting Boston. The exhibits there are so wonderful and moving. If you need to take a break there is an area just overlooking the water which is equally as pleasant to enjoy.

Cody

Parts of the museum were closed off, and the galleries weren't great. There were some good pieces, but not really worth planning a trip around. If you're already in the area, it might be worth it to stop in.

eladio marquez

Small museum with always interesting exhibits to get lost in. Doesn't fail to provoke unexpected questions and pov shifts. And the staff are always willing to engage to get a bit deeper into the meaning and context of the works. Building and location are also great.

Ryan Weberling

We go there all the time. Every visit is great! Try a picnic on the waterfront patio or on the nearby green.

Ann

Exhibits were incredible. The spaces seemed bigger than I remember. Got herded out of the gift store. Wish they'd keep it open 30 minutes after the museum so people could shop and support the museum even more.

Chase Chenevert

Free Wednesdays are definitely worth taking advantage of. The gift shop is incredible and alone worth a visit. The restaurant is decent, if a little pricey. The permanent collection is interesting, but once you've "seen it", you've seen it.

frank rinaldi

This was a very cool art museum. We both really enjoyed the exhibits maybe they could have used a few more because we where in there really less then an hour.

Genevieve Armstrong

Collections rotate fairly regularly, always super contemporary. Beautiful space with a designated room for the ocean view. This gallery itself feels like a work of art aside from the shows you see inside of it.

Linette Davis

My favorite museum! The art is interesting, and the employees are really knowledgeable

Megan Wilcox

Beautiful museum to stop by. The architecture and interior design are great, and the art is interesting. I mainly went for the architecture, but the views are also nice. It's a decent hike from the main area of Boston, but well worth it.

Abigail M.

Free on Thursdays- tickets typically open up at 10am the day of! I recommend looking up what exhibits are on that day though.

Dominic Hackley

The ICA Boston is one of the most serene museum experiences that I’ve had. Located on the water there’s an incredible viewing deck that looks out onto the water on the fourth floor. The exhibitions are relevant and very contemporary, usually featuring a diverse roster of artists and themes.

Brenna Mizuno

Love it here, the artists that they procure are amazing. They are always finding someone who designs and creates that makes one think and reflect not only about themselves but what is going on in the world. I go almost monthly because the vibe there is thrilling.

Luke Dulgar

Beautiful small but mighty art institute! Great, efficient and polite staff. Very accessible. Coat check. Displayed work is well curated and relevant. Beautiful space. Dont miss the media room in the center. Amazing location!

Ben Park

Cool art, but, when we visited, there were only exhibits on the fourth floor.

Jennifer Gibbons

More than you think at first, the exhibits wander through hallways. Immersive experiences and interactive opportunities await. Beautiful views of the harbor which the architecture highlights. Great restaurants nearby and a fun giftshop. Combine with a water taxi trip to the ICA Watershed in East Boston for a great day. Highly recommend.

brufleth

Great little contemporary art museum. Note that it isn't very large. Your best bet is to check for shows that interest you and going then.

Patrick Starremans

If you're into contemporary art, this is nice, I wish they didn't close the other floors when we were there, but they were adding a new exhibit.

Nathaniel Jones

The main reason to come here is for the building itself. The architects, Diller & Scofidio, did a great job, and the views to the harbor are beautiful. The collection itself is rather limited, though. It didn't take long to see, although I did enjoy listening to one of the concerts that was taking place. I came to hear a talk which was much too crowded and should have been held in their much larger auditorium.

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