Create and connect through an interactive Bank of America Art Lab installation by Boston-based artist Yenny Hernandez. Experience her stunning mural depicting gratitude in bloom, showing how appreciation can grow within each of us. Reflect on the gratitude in your life through hands-on art-making and more!  

Make a vessel 
Let gratitude bloom! Use colorful paper, decorative tape, sculptural elements, paint pens, and more to create a 3D vessel as a portrait of gratitude.  

Gratitude exchange 
Carry your appreciation forward! Choose a colorful prompt card to write or draw your own response and add to our community display. 

Token of thanks 
Receive a sticker designed by the artist as a token of appreciation for your participation. As supplies last, one per visitor. 

About the Artist

Yenny Hernandez (she/her) is a muralist and graphic designer who uses vibrant color and storytelling to transform public spaces. Her work spans bold lettering, narrative imagery, and abstract compositions, with the goal of creating immersive environments that spark joy and connection. By blending design expertise with community voices, she reimagines blank walls as dynamic spaces that invite people to feel inspired and included. 

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.

Lights, camera… fun! Catch a lineup of kid-friendly short films from the 2025 Boston International Kids Film Festival. Come for one session or double the fun and see both!

11 AM | Shorts for 10 years old and under (50 min runtime)

Afternoon Snack, Jillian “JP” Powell, 5 min
On what seems to be a beautiful, sunny afternoon, Haco’s journey to find the most delectably delicious snack is quickly thwarted by a conniving caterpillar and unending obstacles.

Birds of a Feather, Katie Cobos, 5 min
A talkative parrot attempts to befriend a boy with Tourette’s syndrome.

Dog & Pony Travel the World, Mike Annear, 1 min
Tag along on the playful journey of Dog & Pony, two energetic farm animals who are super curious about the world around them. Eager to explore life beyond their farm, Dog & Pony pack their things, hop on a plane, and travel the globe. Their first destination? London! However the precocious travelers get themselves into all sorts of trouble as the farmer (who misses them very much!) pursues them across the globe. Dog & Pony Travel the World is a non-dialogue, physical humor driven animated short that fosters exploration, world geography, and adventurous spirits. Next stop, everywhere!

Illumination, Charlotte Anthony, 3 min
In the animated short film, Illumination, a burned out worker rediscovers his creativity.

Kid President, Yadid Hirschtritt Licht, 5 min
No more lettuce, no more artichokes… no more broccoli! This is the future that Kid President envisions as he rolls out his most daring policy yet: a ban on all vegetables. In this 2D animated mockumentary, viewers get an inside look as Kid President attempts to strongarm his policy past his rag-tag administration and an alarmed White House press corps. Can Kid President make his vegetable-free dream a reality?

Meevil the Weevil: Breakfast of Champions, Kyle Arneson, 4 min
Meevil the Weevil is a little bug with big dreams of being a stuntman. “Breakfast of Champions” mixes stop motion animation with live action footage where we follow Meevil’s thrilling ride across a 1970s breakfast table on rocket roller skates.

My Turn, Isabelle Tumboimbela, 5 min
My Turn! is a short film about the importance of sisterhood through a wacky, slapstick-filled morning race to the bathroom.

One sunny morning in Jakarta, Indonesia, Beth and her younger sister Liz become fierce rivals in their race to the bathroom. Beth regrets unintentionally hurting her little sister during the scuffle, and they both realize how much they care about each other.

This short film embraces the charm of 2D animation, paying homage to the classic styles of Saturday morning cartoons. At its core, My Turn! is about the childhood experiences of director Isabelle Tumboimbela growing up with her younger sister. This film hopes to provide Southeast Asian representation to the animation medium.

Red Wolf in Time Out, Dave Russo, 4 min
Someone tattled on the Red Wolf for something it didn’t do and now it’s in time out.

Snowbugs, Jenny Schuermann, 3 min
During a snow day, three girls find themselves in a tricky situation after one of them accidentally goes too far during their snowball fight.

The Apricot, Alex Z. Avila, 9 min
The Apricot” tells the story of a 10-year-old boy and his first summer working on the family’s apricot farm. This project is based on real childhood memories that the director holds dear to his heart.

2 PM | Shorts for ages 11–15 (74 min runtime)

Active Imagination, Jordan Fouts and Amanda Garabedian, 6 min
Grab your magnifying glasses and follow Amelia, a young detective want-to-be, as she puts her sleuthing skills to the test after overseeing some suspicious activity while on vacation.

Coole Jungs, Tajo Hurrle, 15 min
In the hottest summer he can remember, eleven-year-old Caspar sweats profusely in his school uniform trousers. The strict headmistress, Mrs. Gardé, stands at the school entrance, meticulously enforcing the dress code. When she announces, “Trousers or skirts! Otherwise, there will be anarchy!” Caspar decides to take her at her word and shows up in a skirt the next morning. A decision that causes quite a stir. Will Caspar be able to withstand the pressure?

Forget-Me-Not, Shayla C. Durbois, 10 min
A group of literary characters refuse to be forgotten and take matters into their own hands.

GET ON WITH IT!, Grace Rodgers, 11 min
Please note, this short film explores themes of death which may be sensitive for some viewers.
‘Get On With It’ follows Frankie, an eight year old girl with a very active imagination.

In this film, we follow Frankie, as she discovers for the first time in a game of ‘Death Stuck In The Mud’ that everyone dies in real life. As humans, we’re constantly working through that certainty, and in this film, we get to cut straight to the heart of it, through a child’s perspective. We stay with Frankie after she finds out, at her Grandad’s 73rd birthday party, and become witness to her fear, fuelled by erratic imaginings on all the ways people can possibly die…

Introducing Mimi, Emai Lai, 14 min
A young Chinese American woman meets her tutor at the library to relearn a language she once knew as a child. A playful and awkward lesson ensues, as they use a messy mix of Mandarin and English to translate book titles and invent stories about other library patrons. Introducing Mimi explores the humor and frustration of losing your voice and finding it again.

Untouchable, Kendra Anna Sherill, 17 min
Inspired by writer/actress Aimee Paxton’s childhood, untouchable tells a story of navigating limitations, bullying, and trying to be a “good” person. From her picture-perfect 2000s childhood room, Aimee recalls stories from elementary, middle, and high school. Being small had perks when she was young but as she ages through adolescence, her body starts to deteriorate -along with her social status. She takes us through crushes and being crushed, peer (and teacher!) bullies, youth group confusion and guilt, and trying to be a cheerleader. Throw in some rheumatoid arthritis, a mysterious hip diagnosis, and a crutch and you have the perfect recipe for an awkward childhood!

Logo for the 13th Annual Boston International Kids Film Festival, featuring a movie clapperboard and bold yellow and black text.

Get inspired by Caroline Monnet’s Man-made Land! View the Art Wall installation and feel a sample of the materials Monnet uses at our art cart. Use colorful metallic paper, ribbon, decorative tape, and colored pencils to draw and collage a mobile that represents the connections in your life! Plus, warm up with a hot beverage at a pop-up hot chocolate bar with all the fixings!* 

Art-making is free and meets at the Sandra and Gerald Fineberg Art Wall in the State Street Corporation Lobby. Participation is drop-in on a first-come, first-served basis as space allows. *Available for purchase.

Step into the world of Big Baby by artist Robert Peters —a reimagination of the Wampanoag legend of Maushop, a giant who is said to have shaped the areas now known as Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard. In Peters’ art and story, Maushop is born as a giant baby raised by the community he grows to protect.  

Make art in the Bank of America Art Lab inspired by the way Maushop shapes and protects the land. Use clay and other sculptural materials to be a landshaper, and create a personally meaningful place or bring something from your imagination to life. How would you protect and care for this place? How does it provide for you, and how will you give back to it? 

About the Artist

Robert Peters is a Mashpee Wampanoag artist, poet, and author. His expansive work — from children’s literature and poetic essays to paintings and community murals — promotes understanding and healing among Indigenous people.

His first published book, Da Goodie Monsta (2009), was inspired by a dream his son had as a young child and tells the story of a monster who chases away nightmares. Peters released Thirteen Moons Calendar: A Meditation on Indigenous Life (2015 and 2020) featuring poetry, essays, and thoughts written over 20 years. His most recent self-published work, Big Baby (2024), tells a reimagined story of Wampanoag legendary giant Maushop as a baby.

Peters’ public art can be found in community spaces on Sachem Street in Revere, MA; in dormitories at the University of Massachusetts Boston; and in a mobile collaboration with three other Native artists honoring Native Boston Marathon runners. Peters continues to write, paint, and work with youth. He is a fire keeper and a keeper of oral tradition.

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.

Meets on 4th floor

Adventure awaits! Join an ICA educator for a special Mother’s Day family-friendly tour of Portraits from the ICA Collection. Through games, drawing, and other playful activities, we’ll explore pictures of mothers and mother-like figures. 

This program is designed for children 12 and under and their accompanying adults. First come, first served for up to 20 participants. 

Are there access accommodations that would be useful to help you fully participate in a tour (e.g., assistive listening devices (ALDs), portable gallery stools)? Let us know at accessibility@icaboston.org.  

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.

Portraits from the ICA Collection is organized by Erika Umali, Curator of Collections.

This exhibition is funded, in part, with support from Leadership in Arts Museums, an initiative to create more racial equity in art museum leadership, supported by the Ford Foundation, Mellon Foundation, Pilot House Philanthropy, and Alice L. Walton Foundation.

Additional support is generously provided by The Sandra and Gerald Fineberg Exhibition Fund.

Enjoy a special program with Boston Music Project! Visit the “Instrument Petting Zoo” for an interactive experience where kids can explore and play a variety of instruments with guidance from one of their talented Teaching Artists. Experience music by a live jazz pianist during the program. Participation is drop-in on a first-come, first-served basis. Last entry 15 minutes before closing.

About Boston Music Project

For over a decade, the Boston Music Project has provided music-based Creative Youth Development programming to thousands of Boston youth. Our team of diverse teaching artists provides weekly music education to thousands of PreK-12th grade students at 22+ Boston schools each year. BMP before, after, and in-school programs provide students with the resources and support to unleash their musical creativity through strings, brass, woodwinds, piano, and digital music instruction while fostering their social-emotional skills to find success in music, school, and life.

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, thanks to the incredible support of our community. Explore the +1 Membership: a free ICA membership program for youth 0–18.

Your support helps keep programs like this free and accessible! If you are able, please consider becoming a member or making a one-time gift to support the ICA. 

The image showcases the Boston Music Project logo, with Boston and Project in blue and Music in bold font. Colorful bars radiate from the letter C, forming a dynamic, circular pattern reminiscent of vibrant musical instruments found at the ICA Boston.

Join us on the first Sunday of the month for a day of free family fun! Enjoy art-making, gallery activities, performances, and workshops designed to deepen kids and families’ connections with contemporary art. All activities are drop-in, first come first served. Space is limited. Explore our Kids + Families page to help plan your visit!

Reserve free admission tickets online in advance. When accompanied by kids 12 and under, up to 2 adults per family receive free museum admission. Use the code PLAYDATE when reserving your ticket(s). Tickets will become available mid-month the month before each Play Date. Advance tickets are strongly recommended; day-of tickets are not guaranteed.

March Play Date | March 1

Celebrate the start of spring with art making and activities focused on gratitude and joy! 

Art Lab: Perpetual Gratitude | 10 AM – 3 PM 
Bank of America Art Lab, First Floor
Meet Yenny Hernandez, the artist behind the newest Bank of America Art Lab installation, Perpetual Gratitude! Use illustrations, shape punches, and collage to create paper vessels inspired by gratitude in your life. Art–making is drop-in on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. Last entry 2:45 PM. 

Art-making: Spring Blooms | 10 AM – 3 PM 
State Street Corporation Lobby, First Floor
Make art inspired by the new beginnings of spring! Create a colorful paper flower or plant that you can put in your vessel or give as a gift to someone you appreciate! Art–making is drop-in on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. Last entry 2:45 PM. 

The Great Big Cheer Up! with The Gottabees | 11 AM and 1PM
Barbara Lee Family Foundation Theater, Second Floor 
Join The Gottabees for their signature mix of live music, physical theater, and joyously absurd silliness for The Great Big Cheer Up! The Great Big Cheer Up! is designed as an interactive experience for intergenerational communities. Participants are invited to simply follow verbal directions given by cheer up leader Bonnie, taking care of their physical selves and each other. Participation is on a first-come, first-serve basis; space is limited. 
About The Gottabees 

Books and Looks | 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM
Galleries, Fourth Floor 
Connect with art through the creative worlds of picture books! Join our staff for a guided reading of family-friendly storybooks in the galleries. Each Books and Looks reading lasts approximately 30 minutes. 

April Play Date | April 5

Ring in spring with inspiration and creativity!

Artmaking: Spring Sculptures | 10 AM – 3 PM
State Street Corporation Lobby, First Floor 
Use modelling clay, markers, and wooden bases, to create a miniature spring-inspired sculpture with cute characters, bright blooms, and sunny scenes! Art–making is drop-in on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. Last entry 2:45 PM. 

Art Lab: Friendship Frames | 10 AM – 3 PM  
Bank of America Art Lab, First Floor 
Decorate a frame with collage, stickers, and doodles! Add a drawing of your friends and family, bring it home to frame your art, or hold it up for a photo with your family! Art–making is drop-in on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. Last entry 2:45 PM. 

Spring Bingo: Art Edition | 10AM – 3 PM 
Galleries, Fourth Floor 
Walk around the galleries to find spring-themed elements in different artworks! Once you get a “bingo”, visit the Art Lab for a fun prize. Prizes available on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. 

Books and Looks | 11AM and 1PM  
Galleries, Fourth Floor 
Connect with art through the creative worlds of picture books! Join our staff for a guided reading of family-friendly storybooks in the galleries. Each Books and Looks reading lasts approximately 30 minutes. 

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.

Discover our featured exhibition Stanley Whitney: How High the Moon in this interactive tour led by an ICA expert educator. Through games, drawing, and other playful activities, +1 youth members 12 years old and under and their +1 guest are invited to explore shapes, colors, and jazz influences in Stanley Whitney’s paintings. +1 youth members can always bring one adult guest for free to the museum!

Tours at 1:30 pm are targeted toward youth members 6 years old and under.

Tours at 2:30 pm are targeted toward youth members 7–12 years old.

For questions, please email plus1@icaboston.org.

Stanley Whitney: How High the Moon is organized by the Buffalo AKG Art Museum.

The exhibition is curated by Cathleen Chaffee, Charles Balbach Chief Curator, Buffalo AKG Art Museum. The ICA/Boston’s presentation is organized by Ruth Erickson, Barbara Lee Chief Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs, with Tessa Bachi Haas, Assistant Curator.

With warmest thanks, we gratefully acknowledge the generosity of Gagosian and the ICA’s Avant Guardian Society in making the ICA’s presentation of this exhibition possible.

Gagosian logo

You are invited to the inaugural Spring Art Celebration for +1 youth members and their guests! Enjoy an evening of music, fun, and engaging art experiences for all in celebration of the opening of two new exhibitions: Stanley Whitney: How High the Moon and Christian Marclay: Doors.

Dance to music by A Trike Called Funk, make a pencil pouch inspired by Stanley Whitney’s colorful paintings, and get your own  +1 logo cap with art by a graffiti artist—customized just for you! All activities are designed and presented by artists and educators in this fun evening celebrating art and your own creativity.  

This is a special opportunity for +1 members (youth 18 and under) and their families to enjoy a unique art experience. Each +1 member may invite one adult guest for free! Don’t miss out – RSVP today!

For questions, please email plus1@icaboston.org.

Music and Dancing

Groove with A Trike Called Funk, a pop party on three wheels! This participatory dance and music event is led by emcee and dance educator Stan “eSKapade” Karachev.

Get Creative

Express your signature style! Event participants receive a +1 logo baseball cap* that you can have customized just for you by a Boston graffiti artist Joel “Aware” Zayas from the famous “Graf Nuts”/GN crew! .
*While supplies last

Plus, make your own artwork inspired by the Stanley Whitney exhibition in the Bank of America Art Lab. Create a colorful keepsake pencil pouch using bold colors, abstraction, and musical inspiration found in Whitney’s artwork. Participation is drop-in on a first-come, first-served basis. Last entry 15 minutes before closing.

Gallery Talks + Activities | 4:30, 5:30, 6:00 + 6:30 PM

4:30 + 6:00 PM
Learn more about Stanley Whitney’s art via a guided sketching activity and pop-up talk in the galleries.

5:30 + 6:30 PM
Explore different styles of portraiture in our collection, and be inspired to create your own portrait during this interactive gallery activity.

Each session is 30 minutes long and is led by a youth educator.

Food and Refreshments

The ICA Wine + Coffee Bar will be open until 8:30 PM with a selection of soft drinks and light bites.

Plus, get a neighborhood discount at Greco! Show your ICA entry sticker at Greco on April 25 to save 10% off your purchase.

Stanley Whitney: How High the Moon is organized by the Buffalo AKG Art Museum.

The exhibition is curated by Cathleen Chaffee, Charles Balbach Chief Curator, Buffalo AKG Art Museum. The ICA/Boston’s presentation is organized by Ruth Erickson, Barbara Lee Chief Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs, with Tessa Bachi Haas, Assistant Curator.

With warmest thanks, we gratefully acknowledge the generosity of Gagosian and the ICA’s Avant Guardian Society in making the ICA’s presentation of this exhibition possible.

Gagosian logo

Christian Marclay: Doors is organized by Tessa Bachi Haas, Assistant Curator.

Visit the ICA during school vacation week for hands-on artmaking in the Bank of America Art Lab! Inspired by the exhibition Stanley Whitney: How High the Moon, create a colorful painted keepsake using bold colors, abstraction, and musical inspiration found in Whitney’s artwork. Participation is drop-in on a first-come, first-served basis. Last entry 30 minutes before closing. 

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.

Your support helps keep programs like this free and accessible! If you are able, please consider becoming a member or making a one-time gift to support the ICA.