Join us for a day of family fun on both sides of the Harbor! Explore exhibitions in the galleries and engage in activities designed for families with kids to work on together. Reserve free admission tickets online in advance*. All activities are drop-in, first come first served, space is limited. Families interested in visiting the ICA Watershed for Playdate can select the General Admission & Water Shuttle ticket.

*On Saturday, May 27, 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. 

IN SEAPORT

I hold the power to create!, 10 AM–3 PM

1st Floor, Art Lab
Drop-in for a hands-on art-making experience for the whole family with artist Shannon Downey of Badass Cross Stitch! Through the art of embroidery, reflect on the things you have the power to create.

Books + Looks, 11:30 AM + 1:30 PM

4th Floor, Mediatheque
Join for a staff led reading of family-friendly storybooks and make connections to artworks on view. Drop-in, first come, first serve, space is limited.

In the Galleries, 10 AM–5 PM

4th Floor, Galleries

Our Visitor Assistants (VA) are always eager to talk about the artworks and answer your questions. Pick up a gallery game card to explore the museum as a “Thinker, Maker, Explorer, or Performer”. Great for a variety of ages and for intergenerational audiences to play together. Cards are available on the 1st and 4th floor near the elevators. Questions? Ask a VA on the 4th floor. Only #2 pencils allowed in the galleries.

Handmade Music with Colescott Rubin, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Outside, Grandstand
Rain location: 1st Floor, Lobby

Kick off Play Date festivities with Colescott Rubin of the Rubin Brothers for music, games, and fun!

AT THE WATERSHED

Experience our newly opened exhibition Guadalupe Maravilla: Mariposa Relámpago at the ICA Watershed!

Make a Memory Mobile, 11 AM–4 PM

Harbor Room

Sharing our memories is a way of connecting with others, a reminder that we are all connected in this joyful journey of life. Construct a memory mobile to share your memories of a place, experience, or loved one.

This activity was developed with Dr. Krina Patel, an artist, educator, and the Director of Joy at the East Boston Social Centers. Dr. Patel is deeply interested in sharing stories to foster connection and belonging.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

About Shannon Downey

Artist holding colorful yarn

Shannon Downey is an artist, activist, craftivist, community builder, and general instigator.

Shannon leverages craft-based art forms to bring people together and offers them opportunities to transition from makers to change makers. Her work is about telling the truth and confronting harsh realities while simultaneously inspiring radical hope and a vision for what is possible.

About the Rubin Brothers

A man with a trumpet squats on a barrel while another man in a matching outfit stands with his bass

A.J. and Colescott Rubin are instrumentalists, vocalists, old school entertainers, & jazz clowns from Portland, Oregon who aim to lift spirits and make smiles wherever they go, performing jazz, blues, & popular songs of yesteryear with a lighthearted energy and danceable beat. Current and graduated students of Berklee College of Music, respectively, they have performed across the country and in many countries, including festivals and clubs in New Orleans, San Diego, Moscow, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, and other places.

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 us at familyprograms@icaboston.org.

Your support helps keeps programs like this – both virtual and in-person – free and accessible in this time of uncertainty. If you are able, please consider becoming a member or making a one-time gift to support the ICA.

ICA Kids and Family programs are supported, in part, by First Republic Bank and the Willow Tree Fund.