The ICA is closed from Dec 30 through Jan 6.

Holiday Hours

The ICA will be closed Mon, Dec 30 – Mon, Jan 6 and will reopen on Tue, Jan 7 for regular operating hours.

SUPPORT THE ICA

The ICA relies on you. To support contemporary art in Boston, please consider membership, joining the Director’s Circle, shopping at the ICA Store, or donating before year’s end!

Boston Family Days offers all Boston school-age students (Pre-K–12) and their families the opportunity to visit nine major museums and institutions for free on the first and second Sundays of each month. For 24 months, eligible Boston students can receive FREE admission to the ICA on the first two Sundays of every month by showing their Boston Family Days pass provided by the City of Boston. Learn more and register for a pass

For questions about this program, please email bostonfamilydays@boston.gov.

Commonly Asked Questions

What are “Boston Family Days”?
Administered by the City of Boston, the Boston Family Days program is an expansion of the BPS Sundays Pilot to create new opportunities for Boston children and families to visit the cultural institutions that show them the world. For 24 months, Boston school-aged children will be able to visit nine institutions on the first and second Sunday of each month for free along with up to two family members or guests. 

Who is eligible?
This program is for all Boston students enrolled in grades Pre-K–12. Students must be Boston residents. Students who live in Boston but attend school outside of Boston are eligible to participate. Students who do not live in Boston but attend a Boston-based parochial or independent school are not eligible to participate.

How many family members can students bring?
Students can bring two family members with them on a Boston Family Days.

How do I sign up for a Boston Family Days pass?
You can register here for a Boston Family Days pass! Please note that if your child is enrolled in Boston Public Schools, you are automatically signed up for the program and will receive your pass directly through BPS.

How do I reserve museum admission tickets?
You can reserve tickets online using the code BOSFAMDAYS and show your Boston Family Days pass at check-in! Tickets may be available onsite day-of; however, we cannot guarantee capacity and recommend reserving in advance.

Find your muse with an evening of experimental portrait making. Learn techniques and experiment with new mediums and processes with a local teaching artist. Grab a drink from the ICA Wine + Coffee Bar* and get creative together! 

This program is inspired by the exhibition Sara Cwynar. 

Artmaking is free and meets in the State Street Corporation Lobby. While all experience levels are welcome, this workshop is designed for adult audiences. Participation is drop-in on a first-come, first-serve basis as space allows. *Refreshments available for purchase.   

As we near the spring equinox, join us for an evening of celestial-themed art-making. Learn techniques and experiment with new mediums and processes with a local teaching artist. Grab a special themed drink from the ICA Wine + Coffee Bar* and get creative together!   

This program is inspired by the exhibition Charles Atlas: About Time. 

Art-making is free and meets in the State Street Corporation Lobby. While all experience levels are welcome, this workshop is designed for adult audiences. Participation is drop-in on a first-come, first-serve basis as space allows. *Refreshments available for purchase 

“You do not go where your mother is not.”

Taking its title from the Saidiya Hartman text Lose your mother: A journey along the Atlantic Slave Route and inspired by a print by the graphic designer Nontsikelelo Mutiti entitled Kusina Mai/ Kusina Mai Futi, a Chivanhu saying warning against being in a foreign land without the necessary support of people that would protect and encourage you, BlackStar Projects presents an evening of short films exploring ancestral connections through time and space. These dynamic filmmakers ask, who are we if not amalgams of the people and the experiences that built us? Food, music, technology, and more work to define our culture, and our culture is what we leave behind. Featuring experimental films by Charlotte Brathwaite, Curtis Essel, Jenn Nkiru, Joseph Douglas Elmhirst, and Luis Arnías.

Post-screening discussion with filmmaker Luis Arnías and Maori Karmael Holmes, Chief Executive and Artistic Officer of BlackStar.

Accessibility

  • Accessible seating is available first-come first-served and may be selected upon theater entry. Please contact our Visitor Services team at visitorservices@icaboston.org or 617-478-3100 for more information.
  • Assistive listening devices are available for all theater programs at the theater entrance.
  • A link to live captioning will be shared by the day of the event and will be available in the theater.
  • ASL interpretation is available by advance request; please contact our Visitors Services team at 617-478-3100 or visitorservices@icaboston.org to make a request.

Are there other access accommodations that would be useful to help you fully participate in this program? Let us know at accessibility@icaboston.org or learn more about Accessibility at the ICA at icaboston.org/accessibility.

Sponsored by Wagner Foundation

Wagner Foundation logo
Text reading BLACKSTAR in bold, black capital letters on a transparent background, reminiscent of the powerful themes found in "Lose Your Mother," recently featured at ICA Boston.

The Teen Arts Council presents The Current, an event that will center creativity and raise awareness for caring for ourselves, our communities, and our climate. Details will be added as the date gets closer.

Enjoy free art-making and activities that tell stories through colors! What can the use of color tell you about a place, person, or feeling? Explore how artist Stanley Whitney employs colors and abstraction in Stanley Whitney: How High The Moon. Reserve free admission tickets online in advance*. All activities are drop-in, first come first served, space is limited.

*On Saturday, April 26, museum admission is FREE for families when accompanied by kids ages 12 and under, with up to 2 adults per family. Tickets must be reserved online in advance. Use the code PLAYDATE when reserving your ticket(s). Advance tickets are strongly recommended; day-of tickets are not guaranteed.

Stay tuned for the complete lineup of activities!

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.

Join us for a day of free family fun! Immerse yourself in the artwork of Sara Cwynar, featured in the galleries and on the Sandra and Gerald Fineberg Art Wall! Create artwork inspired by her photography and its layering of images, textures, and symbols from pop culture. Reserve admission tickets online in advance*. All activities are drop-in, first come first served, space is limited.  

*On Saturday, March 29, museum admission is FREE for families when accompanied by kids ages 12 and under, with up to 2 adults per family. Tickets must be reserved online in advance. Use the code PLAYDATE when reserving your ticket(s). Advance tickets are strongly recommended; day-of tickets are not guaranteed.  

Stay tuned for the complete lineup of activities!  

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.

Join us for a day of free family fun! Participate in art-making and activities inspired by artwork in the exhibition Portraits from the ICA Collection. Reserve free admission tickets online in advance*. All activities are drop-in, first come first served, space is limited.  

*On Saturday, February 22, museum admission is FREE for families when accompanied by kids ages 12 and under, with up to 2 adults per family. Tickets must be reserved online in advance. Use the code PLAYDATE when reserving your ticket(s). Advance tickets are strongly recommended; day-of tickets are not guaranteed.  

Stay tuned for the complete lineup of activities!  

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.

Enjoy free artmaking and activities that showcase performance art! Dive into the art of costuming and create your own fashion designs in Costuming for the Stage and Screen, developed in partnership with the Boston Ballet. Reserve free admission tickets online in advance*. All activities are drop-in, first come first served, space is limited.  

*On Saturday, January 25, museum admission is FREE for families when accompanied by kids ages 12 and under, with up to 2 adults per family. Tickets must be reserved online in advance. Use the code PLAYDATE when reserving your ticket(s). Advance tickets are strongly recommended; day-of tickets are not guaranteed.  
  

Stay tuned for the complete lineup of activities!  

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.

The East Boston Artists Group presents Harboring Creativity at the ICA Watershed. Featuring the work of 45 local emerging and established artists who live, work, or create in East Boston, this presentation is a wonderful reflection of the creativity and innovation of East Boston and its surrounding neighborhoods. 

Learn more