ICA Watershed

• A ticket is not required to visit the Watershed—admission is always free! Last entry is at 4:40 PM.
• There is no public parking available at the Watershed or in the East Boston Shipyard and Marina, aside from two accessible parking spots. See “Additional transportation options” for more information.
• Food and drink are not permitted inside the building.
• Public restrooms are available.
• Rolling luggage, scooters, skateboards, rollerblades, and bicycles are not permitted inside the building.
• Self-serve visitor lockers are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Noncommercial photography and video recording is permitted; flash photography and professional photography equipment is not permitted.
• Bicycles are not permitted on the ICA Water Shuttle or inside the museum.

Please see our Visit page for more information on ticketing and Visitor Policies.

Hop on the ICA Water Shuttle—operated by Red Top Boats—for a breezy boat ride between the ICA and the Watershed! Tickets are required to use the ICA Water Shuttle service and include admission to all ICA exhibitions. Advance reservations are strongly encouraged and will be available May 14 for ICA members and May 21 for the general public. Onsite reservations are not guaranteed. 

The Water Shuttles run rain or shine, and boats are covered but not enclosed. We recommend planning ahead! 

If you’re starting from the ICA in the Seaport:

• Select an available boat departure time when you purchase your ticket.
• Check in with your ticket at the ICA Dock at least 10 minutes prior to the time you’ve selected. If you miss your reserved departure time, we cannot guarantee a spot on the boats.
• Spots on the boats returning to the ICA are first-come, first-served and included with your ticket. Please note: Wait times may vary.

If you’re starting from the ICA Watershed in East Boston:

• Select the East Boston option.
• Timed boat reservation is not required. Spots on the boats leaving from the Watershed are first-come, first-served.
• Spots on the boats returning to East Boston are first-come, first-served and included with your ticket. Please note: Wait times may vary.

Visiting with kids?

Youth 18 and under are always admitted free to the ICA – but be sure to reserve a Water Shuttle ticket for each passenger. Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult when using the Water Shuttle.

Note: Admission + Water Shuttle reservations are final sale and cannot be refunded or exchanged. 

Boats operate Tuesday to Sunday from 11 AM to 5 PM, departing every 15 minutes.

Please note: there are no departures at 12:45 PM and 3:45 PM due to scheduled rest periods.

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 metered street parking is available nearby.

Public Transportation
Visitors can reach the Watershed by public transportation – the building is 0.5 miles from Maverick Station on the Blue Line.

Seaport Ferry
This ferry runs between the Seaport to East Boston Monday through Friday and costs just $5. Learn more

Bicycles
Bike racks and a Blue Bike station are available on Marginal Street at nearby Piers Park.

• The Watershed is fully wheelchair and stroller accessible. Visitors who use wheelchairs may park or be dropped off directly in front of the building. Wheelchairs and portable gallery stools are available are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Various seating options are available throughout the building.
• Two accessible parking spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis directly in front of the building.
• Water Shuttle service is provided through Red Top Boats. A step on and three steps down are required to board; wheelchairs and strollers may be brought on board if they are collapsible and light enough for crew to handle. Note that the Water Shuttle docks are reached by ramps with rungs and can be steep, depending on the tide.
• Service animals are welcome.
• Large-format texts are available; please ask a staff member for assistance.

Anything we missed? Please contact the ICA at visitorservices@icaboston.org or 617-478-3100 with any additional accessibility-related inquiries.

In 2018, the ICA opened its new ICA Watershed to the public, expanding artistic and educational programming on both sides of Boston Harbor—the Seaport and East Boston. Located in the Boston Harbor Shipyard and Marina, the ICA Watershed transformed a 15,000-square-foot, formerly condemned space into a cultural asset to experience large-scale, immersive exhibitions every summer. During the pandemic, the Watershed was used as a food distribution site to address a direct need within the East Boston community. The cross-harbor connection to the Watershed was designed to deepen the vibrant intersection of contemporary art and civic life in Boston and is central to the ICA’s vision of art, civic life, and urban vitality.

Partners

The ICA wishes to extend its enormous gratitude 
to the organizations that have partnered with us to codevelop unique art experiences that respond to community needs and interests: the Boston Harbor Shipyard and Marina, Donald McKay K-8 School, East Boston Artists Group, East Boston High School, East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, East Boston Social Centers, Eastie Farm, the Massachusetts Port Authority, Maverick Landing Community Services, Piers Park Sailing Center Samuel Adams Elementary School, Veronica Robles Cultural Center, and ZUMIX.

There’s lots of art to see in East Boston! Check out these local organizations:

Atlantic Works Gallery
Catch new exhibitions monthly at this warehouse gallery space less than a mile from the Watershed, open Friday and Saturday afternoons or for Third Thursday receptions from 6 to 9 PM.

East Boston Artists Group
Artists working in a range of media; stop by their biannual open studios near Maverick Square.

Harbor Arts + the Shipyard Gallery
The art you see around the Shipyard is the doing of the community nonprofit HarborArts.

Zumix
Radio, youth programs, and free Sunday evening concerts in Piers Park.