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It’s beginning to feel like boat season in Boston! 🚤☀️

Starting May 21, your visit to the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston can include a scenic boat ride between the ICA Watershed in East Boston and the ICA in Seaport—free with museum admission.

Plan your Boston art experience with waterfront views, contemporary exhibitions, and a breezy ride across Boston Harbor.

🎟️Tickets available now, 🔗 link in bio!

Now open! See our magically immersive exhibition “Derrick Adams: View Master.” 📺🌈🦄

Explore new paintings created for this exhibition alongside never-before-seen works from Adams’s personal archive. Bringing together over 100 works from across his 20+ year career, this sweeping survey celebrates the vibrancy and boldness of contemporary Black life and culture.

Plan your visit, 🔗 link in bio!

Installation view, Derrick Adams: View Master, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 2026. Photo by Mel Taing (@m.ltaing)

Now open! See our magically immersive exhibition “Derrick Adams: View Master.” 📺🌈🦄

Explore new paintings created for this exhibition alongside never-before-seen works from Adams’s personal archive. Bringing together over 100 works from across his 20+ year career, this sweeping survey celebrates the vibrancy and boldness of contemporary Black life and culture.

Plan your visit, 🔗 link in bio!

Installation view, Derrick Adams: View Master, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 2026. Photo by Mel Taing (@m.ltaing)

Now open! See our magically immersive exhibition “Derrick Adams: View Master.” 📺🌈🦄

Explore new paintings created for this exhibition alongside never-before-seen works from Adams’s personal archive. Bringing together over 100 works from across his 20+ year career, this sweeping survey celebrates the vibrancy and boldness of contemporary Black life and culture.

Plan your visit, 🔗 link in bio!

Installation view, Derrick Adams: View Master, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 2026. Photo by Mel Taing (@m.ltaing)

Now open! See our magically immersive exhibition “Derrick Adams: View Master.” 📺🌈🦄

Explore new paintings created for this exhibition alongside never-before-seen works from Adams’s personal archive. Bringing together over 100 works from across his 20+ year career, this sweeping survey celebrates the vibrancy and boldness of contemporary Black life and culture.

Plan your visit, 🔗 link in bio!

Installation view, Derrick Adams: View Master, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 2026. Photo by Mel Taing (@m.ltaing)

🦄 The unicorns are here!

Derrick Adams’s "Funtime Unicorn" riders are now on view outside the ICA/Boston. Stop by to engage with art beyond the galleries!

The Funtime Unicorns join Adams’s monumental facade commission that reimagines television color bars, wrapping the exterior of the ICA building 🌈

What can we learn from the current generation of great women artists? 👩‍🎨

Join us this Sunday, May 24, to discover new works from the ICA’s permanent collection and gain a deeper understanding of "To My Best Friend" with exhibition curator Erika Umali. ✨

"To My Best Friend" celebrates art and artists, reflecting the ICA’s history of presenting leading contemporary voices and the past two decades of building a dynamic collection. The exhibition highlights gifts from longtime friends and supporters Fotene Demoulas and Tom Coté and takes its title from a piece by Lorna Simpson, winner of the 2026 Meraki Artist Award.

Free with admission, 🔗 link in bio!

Installation view, To My Best Friend, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 2026. Photo by Mel Taing.

What can we learn from the current generation of great women artists? 👩‍🎨

Join us this Sunday, May 24, to discover new works from the ICA’s permanent collection and gain a deeper understanding of "To My Best Friend" with exhibition curator Erika Umali. ✨

"To My Best Friend" celebrates art and artists, reflecting the ICA’s history of presenting leading contemporary voices and the past two decades of building a dynamic collection. The exhibition highlights gifts from longtime friends and supporters Fotene Demoulas and Tom Coté and takes its title from a piece by Lorna Simpson, winner of the 2026 Meraki Artist Award.

Free with admission, 🔗 link in bio!

Installation view, To My Best Friend, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 2026. Photo by Mel Taing.

What can we learn from the current generation of great women artists? 👩‍🎨

Join us this Sunday, May 24, to discover new works from the ICA’s permanent collection and gain a deeper understanding of "To My Best Friend" with exhibition curator Erika Umali. ✨

"To My Best Friend" celebrates art and artists, reflecting the ICA’s history of presenting leading contemporary voices and the past two decades of building a dynamic collection. The exhibition highlights gifts from longtime friends and supporters Fotene Demoulas and Tom Coté and takes its title from a piece by Lorna Simpson, winner of the 2026 Meraki Artist Award.

Free with admission, 🔗 link in bio!

Installation view, To My Best Friend, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 2026. Photo by Mel Taing.

🚨This Friday & Saturday, live at @icaboston | Experience the latest creation from choreographer Shamel Pitts, featuring a stunning collaboration with Tony Award-winning set designer Mimi Lien @mi2lien and an exceptional team of artists.

In this feature, Mimi discusses the evolution of the Marks of RED set design in partnership with @rosebrandinc

Our sincere thanks to Rose Brand for bringing this vision to life and producing such an insightful interview.

🎟️Tickets >> itsatribe.org

In one week, the ICA Watershed reopens with a major new exhibition, “Lucy Raven: Rounds.”

Artist Lucy Raven will transform the Watershed with a large-scale kinetic light sculpture and a captivating film that chronicles the largest dam removal and river restoration project in U.S. history. This immersive installation invites visitors to consider the social and political impact of transforming landscapes.

Learn more, 🔗 link in bio!

In one week, the ICA Watershed reopens with a major new exhibition, “Lucy Raven: Rounds.”

Artist Lucy Raven will transform the Watershed with a large-scale kinetic light sculpture and a captivating film that chronicles the largest dam removal and river restoration project in U.S. history. This immersive installation invites visitors to consider the social and political impact of transforming landscapes.

Learn more, 🔗 link in bio!

Looking for a fun date activity in Boston? @icaboston is the perfect spot!

Located in the Seaport District, ICA/Boston offers everything needed for an enjoyable couples’ experience:

🎨 Interactive and powerful contemporary art
🌊 Beautiful views of the Boston Harbor
🍷 A new waterfront wine & coffee bar serving light bites by the @thecateredaffair and wide selection of natural wines

Save this and make ICA/Boston your next date spot in Boston!

#icaboston #bostonseaport #bostonart #VisitBoston

ica boston, things to do in boston, museums in boston, boston date activities, boston seaport district, boston seaport things to do

Next weekend, MacArthur Fellow Shamel Pitts and his dance collective TRIBE return to the ICA with their new work, Marks of RED. 💃

A work of magical realism narrated by six women, Marks of RED continues Pitts’s research exploring Black embodiment, aliveness, and human connection.

🎟️ Get tickets, 🔗 link in bio!

Spend a joyful Mother's Day at the ICA! 🌈💐

Explore contemporary art, create a handmade memento together, go on an exhibition tour, and enjoy time surrounded by creativity 🎨

Plus, stop by the ICA Wine + Coffee Bar for special treats ✨ and find the perfect artful gift at the ICA Store 🛍️

See what we have planned, 🔗 link in bio!

📸: Lauren Miller (@lolamillz5)

We’re thrilled to see director Nora Burnett Abrams named to @bostonmagazine’s 150 Most Influential Bostonians of 2026 ✨

This recognition speaks to Nora's visionary leadership and the continued impact of the ICA within Boston’s cultural landscape. Today also marks her one-year anniversary at the ICA, making this honor all the more meaningful.

Read the article at the link in our bio! 🔗

Photo by Ally Schmaling

🖼️You’d NEVER guess this waterfront museum is so family-friendly.

If you’re looking for things to do in Boston with kids, family day trips near Boston, or fun indoor activities for kids in Massachusetts, put the ICA/Boston on your list.

The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston is one of the most unique family outings in the area - right on the waterfront in the Seaport with incredible views, striking architecture, open space to explore, a café, and kid-friendly programming that makes contemporary art feel approachable.

What surprised me most? This wasn’t a stressful museum visit with kids. It felt easy, welcoming, and genuinely fun.

✨ Why families should go:
• Beautiful Boston waterfront location
• Easy to navigate with kids + stroller-friendly spaces
• Café for snacks and breaks
• Room to move around
• Inspiring art + architecture
• Great first museum experience for kids

✨ Programs for Kids + Families:

Play Date: Free Family Art Day
Connect with artworks on view through art-making, workshops, and gallery fun. 🎨

✨Play Dates happen on the first Sunday of every month (there’s one this coming Sunday, May 3rd!). Museum admission is free with registration for up to 2 adults per family when accompanied by children ages 12 and under.

If you’ve been searching for:
Boston museums for kids
best family activities in Boston
Boston Seaport things to do
rainy day activities Boston kids
free family events Boston
weekend activities near Boston

…this is a great one to save.

Would your kids enjoy this kind of outing?

🖼️You’d NEVER guess this waterfront museum is so family-friendly.

If you’re looking for things to do in Boston with kids, family day trips near Boston, or fun indoor activities for kids in Massachusetts, put the ICA/Boston on your list.

The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston is one of the most unique family outings in the area - right on the waterfront in the Seaport with incredible views, striking architecture, open space to explore, a café, and kid-friendly programming that makes contemporary art feel approachable.

What surprised me most? This wasn’t a stressful museum visit with kids. It felt easy, welcoming, and genuinely fun.

✨ Why families should go:
• Beautiful Boston waterfront location
• Easy to navigate with kids + stroller-friendly spaces
• Café for snacks and breaks
• Room to move around
• Inspiring art + architecture
• Great first museum experience for kids

✨ Programs for Kids + Families:

Play Date: Free Family Art Day
Connect with artworks on view through art-making, workshops, and gallery fun. 🎨

✨Play Dates happen on the first Sunday of every month (there’s one this coming Sunday, May 3rd!). Museum admission is free with registration for up to 2 adults per family when accompanied by children ages 12 and under.

If you’ve been searching for:
Boston museums for kids
best family activities in Boston
Boston Seaport things to do
rainy day activities Boston kids
free family events Boston
weekend activities near Boston

…this is a great one to save.

Would your kids enjoy this kind of outing?

🖼️You’d NEVER guess this waterfront museum is so family-friendly.

If you’re looking for things to do in Boston with kids, family day trips near Boston, or fun indoor activities for kids in Massachusetts, put the ICA/Boston on your list.

The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston is one of the most unique family outings in the area - right on the waterfront in the Seaport with incredible views, striking architecture, open space to explore, a café, and kid-friendly programming that makes contemporary art feel approachable.

What surprised me most? This wasn’t a stressful museum visit with kids. It felt easy, welcoming, and genuinely fun.

✨ Why families should go:
• Beautiful Boston waterfront location
• Easy to navigate with kids + stroller-friendly spaces
• Café for snacks and breaks
• Room to move around
• Inspiring art + architecture
• Great first museum experience for kids

✨ Programs for Kids + Families:

Play Date: Free Family Art Day
Connect with artworks on view through art-making, workshops, and gallery fun. 🎨

✨Play Dates happen on the first Sunday of every month (there’s one this coming Sunday, May 3rd!). Museum admission is free with registration for up to 2 adults per family when accompanied by children ages 12 and under.

If you’ve been searching for:
Boston museums for kids
best family activities in Boston
Boston Seaport things to do
rainy day activities Boston kids
free family events Boston
weekend activities near Boston

…this is a great one to save.

Would your kids enjoy this kind of outing?

🖼️You’d NEVER guess this waterfront museum is so family-friendly.

If you’re looking for things to do in Boston with kids, family day trips near Boston, or fun indoor activities for kids in Massachusetts, put the ICA/Boston on your list.

The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston is one of the most unique family outings in the area - right on the waterfront in the Seaport with incredible views, striking architecture, open space to explore, a café, and kid-friendly programming that makes contemporary art feel approachable.

What surprised me most? This wasn’t a stressful museum visit with kids. It felt easy, welcoming, and genuinely fun.

✨ Why families should go:
• Beautiful Boston waterfront location
• Easy to navigate with kids + stroller-friendly spaces
• Café for snacks and breaks
• Room to move around
• Inspiring art + architecture
• Great first museum experience for kids

✨ Programs for Kids + Families:

Play Date: Free Family Art Day
Connect with artworks on view through art-making, workshops, and gallery fun. 🎨

✨Play Dates happen on the first Sunday of every month (there’s one this coming Sunday, May 3rd!). Museum admission is free with registration for up to 2 adults per family when accompanied by children ages 12 and under.

If you’ve been searching for:
Boston museums for kids
best family activities in Boston
Boston Seaport things to do
rainy day activities Boston kids
free family events Boston
weekend activities near Boston

…this is a great one to save.

Would your kids enjoy this kind of outing?

🖼️You’d NEVER guess this waterfront museum is so family-friendly.

If you’re looking for things to do in Boston with kids, family day trips near Boston, or fun indoor activities for kids in Massachusetts, put the ICA/Boston on your list.

The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston is one of the most unique family outings in the area - right on the waterfront in the Seaport with incredible views, striking architecture, open space to explore, a café, and kid-friendly programming that makes contemporary art feel approachable.

What surprised me most? This wasn’t a stressful museum visit with kids. It felt easy, welcoming, and genuinely fun.

✨ Why families should go:
• Beautiful Boston waterfront location
• Easy to navigate with kids + stroller-friendly spaces
• Café for snacks and breaks
• Room to move around
• Inspiring art + architecture
• Great first museum experience for kids

✨ Programs for Kids + Families:

Play Date: Free Family Art Day
Connect with artworks on view through art-making, workshops, and gallery fun. 🎨

✨Play Dates happen on the first Sunday of every month (there’s one this coming Sunday, May 3rd!). Museum admission is free with registration for up to 2 adults per family when accompanied by children ages 12 and under.

If you’ve been searching for:
Boston museums for kids
best family activities in Boston
Boston Seaport things to do
rainy day activities Boston kids
free family events Boston
weekend activities near Boston

…this is a great one to save.

Would your kids enjoy this kind of outing?

🖼️You’d NEVER guess this waterfront museum is so family-friendly.

If you’re looking for things to do in Boston with kids, family day trips near Boston, or fun indoor activities for kids in Massachusetts, put the ICA/Boston on your list.

The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston is one of the most unique family outings in the area - right on the waterfront in the Seaport with incredible views, striking architecture, open space to explore, a café, and kid-friendly programming that makes contemporary art feel approachable.

What surprised me most? This wasn’t a stressful museum visit with kids. It felt easy, welcoming, and genuinely fun.

✨ Why families should go:
• Beautiful Boston waterfront location
• Easy to navigate with kids + stroller-friendly spaces
• Café for snacks and breaks
• Room to move around
• Inspiring art + architecture
• Great first museum experience for kids

✨ Programs for Kids + Families:

Play Date: Free Family Art Day
Connect with artworks on view through art-making, workshops, and gallery fun. 🎨

✨Play Dates happen on the first Sunday of every month (there’s one this coming Sunday, May 3rd!). Museum admission is free with registration for up to 2 adults per family when accompanied by children ages 12 and under.

If you’ve been searching for:
Boston museums for kids
best family activities in Boston
Boston Seaport things to do
rainy day activities Boston kids
free family events Boston
weekend activities near Boston

…this is a great one to save.

Would your kids enjoy this kind of outing?

🖼️You’d NEVER guess this waterfront museum is so family-friendly.

If you’re looking for things to do in Boston with kids, family day trips near Boston, or fun indoor activities for kids in Massachusetts, put the ICA/Boston on your list.

The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston is one of the most unique family outings in the area - right on the waterfront in the Seaport with incredible views, striking architecture, open space to explore, a café, and kid-friendly programming that makes contemporary art feel approachable.

What surprised me most? This wasn’t a stressful museum visit with kids. It felt easy, welcoming, and genuinely fun.

✨ Why families should go:
• Beautiful Boston waterfront location
• Easy to navigate with kids + stroller-friendly spaces
• Café for snacks and breaks
• Room to move around
• Inspiring art + architecture
• Great first museum experience for kids

✨ Programs for Kids + Families:

Play Date: Free Family Art Day
Connect with artworks on view through art-making, workshops, and gallery fun. 🎨

✨Play Dates happen on the first Sunday of every month (there’s one this coming Sunday, May 3rd!). Museum admission is free with registration for up to 2 adults per family when accompanied by children ages 12 and under.

If you’ve been searching for:
Boston museums for kids
best family activities in Boston
Boston Seaport things to do
rainy day activities Boston kids
free family events Boston
weekend activities near Boston

…this is a great one to save.

Would your kids enjoy this kind of outing?

🖼️You’d NEVER guess this waterfront museum is so family-friendly.

If you’re looking for things to do in Boston with kids, family day trips near Boston, or fun indoor activities for kids in Massachusetts, put the ICA/Boston on your list.

The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston is one of the most unique family outings in the area - right on the waterfront in the Seaport with incredible views, striking architecture, open space to explore, a café, and kid-friendly programming that makes contemporary art feel approachable.

What surprised me most? This wasn’t a stressful museum visit with kids. It felt easy, welcoming, and genuinely fun.

✨ Why families should go:
• Beautiful Boston waterfront location
• Easy to navigate with kids + stroller-friendly spaces
• Café for snacks and breaks
• Room to move around
• Inspiring art + architecture
• Great first museum experience for kids

✨ Programs for Kids + Families:

Play Date: Free Family Art Day
Connect with artworks on view through art-making, workshops, and gallery fun. 🎨

✨Play Dates happen on the first Sunday of every month (there’s one this coming Sunday, May 3rd!). Museum admission is free with registration for up to 2 adults per family when accompanied by children ages 12 and under.

If you’ve been searching for:
Boston museums for kids
best family activities in Boston
Boston Seaport things to do
rainy day activities Boston kids
free family events Boston
weekend activities near Boston

…this is a great one to save.

Would your kids enjoy this kind of outing?

🖼️You’d NEVER guess this waterfront museum is so family-friendly.

If you’re looking for things to do in Boston with kids, family day trips near Boston, or fun indoor activities for kids in Massachusetts, put the ICA/Boston on your list.

The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston is one of the most unique family outings in the area - right on the waterfront in the Seaport with incredible views, striking architecture, open space to explore, a café, and kid-friendly programming that makes contemporary art feel approachable.

What surprised me most? This wasn’t a stressful museum visit with kids. It felt easy, welcoming, and genuinely fun.

✨ Why families should go:
• Beautiful Boston waterfront location
• Easy to navigate with kids + stroller-friendly spaces
• Café for snacks and breaks
• Room to move around
• Inspiring art + architecture
• Great first museum experience for kids

✨ Programs for Kids + Families:

Play Date: Free Family Art Day
Connect with artworks on view through art-making, workshops, and gallery fun. 🎨

✨Play Dates happen on the first Sunday of every month (there’s one this coming Sunday, May 3rd!). Museum admission is free with registration for up to 2 adults per family when accompanied by children ages 12 and under.

If you’ve been searching for:
Boston museums for kids
best family activities in Boston
Boston Seaport things to do
rainy day activities Boston kids
free family events Boston
weekend activities near Boston

…this is a great one to save.

Would your kids enjoy this kind of outing?

🖼️You’d NEVER guess this waterfront museum is so family-friendly.

If you’re looking for things to do in Boston with kids, family day trips near Boston, or fun indoor activities for kids in Massachusetts, put the ICA/Boston on your list.

The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston is one of the most unique family outings in the area - right on the waterfront in the Seaport with incredible views, striking architecture, open space to explore, a café, and kid-friendly programming that makes contemporary art feel approachable.

What surprised me most? This wasn’t a stressful museum visit with kids. It felt easy, welcoming, and genuinely fun.

✨ Why families should go:
• Beautiful Boston waterfront location
• Easy to navigate with kids + stroller-friendly spaces
• Café for snacks and breaks
• Room to move around
• Inspiring art + architecture
• Great first museum experience for kids

✨ Programs for Kids + Families:

Play Date: Free Family Art Day
Connect with artworks on view through art-making, workshops, and gallery fun. 🎨

✨Play Dates happen on the first Sunday of every month (there’s one this coming Sunday, May 3rd!). Museum admission is free with registration for up to 2 adults per family when accompanied by children ages 12 and under.

If you’ve been searching for:
Boston museums for kids
best family activities in Boston
Boston Seaport things to do
rainy day activities Boston kids
free family events Boston
weekend activities near Boston

…this is a great one to save.

Would your kids enjoy this kind of outing?

On Monday, we gathered to uplift the work and voices of women artists, leaders, philanthropists, and educators at our annual Women’s Luncheon. We were honored to have Lorna Simpson join us to receive the 2026 Meraki Artist Award, a $100,000 award generously funded by Fotene Demoulas that celebrates the artistic achievements of women artists and their impact on the field of contemporary visual art. Thank you to all who joined us to present this honor and amplify women in the arts.

Known for her pioneering approach to conceptual photography, Simpson has expanded the boundaries and possibilities of representation for more than 40 years. Her work “To My Best Friend” greets visitors entering our current collection exhibition of the same name.

Learn more about the Meraki Artist Award at the link in our bio 🔗

Photo by Ally Schmaling | Lorna Simpson, To My Best Friend, 2013. Installation view, To My Best Friend, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 2026. Photo by Alex Yudzon.

On Monday, we gathered to uplift the work and voices of women artists, leaders, philanthropists, and educators at our annual Women’s Luncheon. We were honored to have Lorna Simpson join us to receive the 2026 Meraki Artist Award, a $100,000 award generously funded by Fotene Demoulas that celebrates the artistic achievements of women artists and their impact on the field of contemporary visual art. Thank you to all who joined us to present this honor and amplify women in the arts.

Known for her pioneering approach to conceptual photography, Simpson has expanded the boundaries and possibilities of representation for more than 40 years. Her work “To My Best Friend” greets visitors entering our current collection exhibition of the same name.

Learn more about the Meraki Artist Award at the link in our bio 🔗

Photo by Ally Schmaling | Lorna Simpson, To My Best Friend, 2013. Installation view, To My Best Friend, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 2026. Photo by Alex Yudzon.

On Monday, we gathered to uplift the work and voices of women artists, leaders, philanthropists, and educators at our annual Women’s Luncheon. We were honored to have Lorna Simpson join us to receive the 2026 Meraki Artist Award, a $100,000 award generously funded by Fotene Demoulas that celebrates the artistic achievements of women artists and their impact on the field of contemporary visual art. Thank you to all who joined us to present this honor and amplify women in the arts.

Known for her pioneering approach to conceptual photography, Simpson has expanded the boundaries and possibilities of representation for more than 40 years. Her work “To My Best Friend” greets visitors entering our current collection exhibition of the same name.

Learn more about the Meraki Artist Award at the link in our bio 🔗

Photo by Ally Schmaling | Lorna Simpson, To My Best Friend, 2013. Installation view, To My Best Friend, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 2026. Photo by Alex Yudzon.