Join us at the ICA Watershed for a day of family fun featuring activities in connection with the themes of Hew Locke: The Procession. Create instruments from recycled materials that help bring your own procession to life through sound and movement. Learn more about music and instruments around the world with books and activities from the Boston Public Library. For the final Watershed Play Date of the year, we groove and grow together!

Reserve free admission tickets online in advance*. All activities are drop-in, first come first served, space is limited. Tickets will be available for members beginning on July 10 and for the general public on July 17.

*On Saturday, August 31st, museum admission is FREE for families when accompanied by kids ages 12 and under, with up to 2 adults per family. Timed tickets must be reserved online in advance for Watershed shuttle boats. Use the code PLAYDATE when reserving your ticket(s). Advance tickets are strongly recommended; day-of tickets are not guaranteed. For access to the ICA Watershed from Seaport, visitors should select the General Admission + Water Shuttle ticket. Admission to the Watershed is always free.

The Watershed is located within the Boston Harbor Shipyard and Marina in East Boston at 256 Marginal Street. Accessible parking is available at the Watershed. Limited street parking is available nearby. Visitors can also reach the Watershed by public transportation – the building is 0.5 miles from Maverick Station on the Blue Line.

Get Your Groove On! Musical Instrument Making | 11 AM–3 PM

Harbor Room, Watershed 

Create different percussive instruments using recycled materials, inspired by the instruments and styles found in The Procession. Experiment with the sounds that each material combination can make, add flourish and decoration, then proudly play your creation in your own procession!

Hew Locke Scavenger Hunt | 11 AM–3 PM

Explore the motifs and symbols of The Procession through a guided looking activity. Work together to find various repeated patterns and objects across the 140 different sculptures! Available in both English and Spanish. 

Books + Looks | 11:30 AM + 12:30 PM

4th Floor Galleries, Seaport 

For those visiting the ICA at the Seaport, enjoy staff-led readings of family-friendly books in the galleries! Afterwards, pick up a Summer Family Gallery Guide and explore the exhibitions on view. 

Free Admission for Youth

Youth 18 and under always receive FREE museum admission. The ICA is committed to providing access to the art and artists of our time—and we do this with the incredible support of our community. Explore the +1 Membership: a free ICA membership program for youth 0-18.

Questions? Reach out to us at familyprograms@icaboston.org.

+1 Membership is generously supported by Vertex.

Vertex logo

Hew Locke: The Procession was originally commissioned by Tate Britain for its 2022 Tate Britain Commission. The ICA Watershed presentation is organized by Ruth Erickson, Barbara Lee Chief Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs, and Anni A. Pullagura, Consulting Assistant Curator, in collaboration with Tate.

Support for Hew Locke: The Procession is provided by David Feinberg and Marina Kalb, and an anonymous donor.

ICA Watershed programs are supported by Eastern Bank.