Photo by Lauren Miller
Discover the art and artists of our time during a group visit to the ICA. Groups and classes planning to visit the ICA with 10 or more members are asked to complete a request form below to expedite your check-in process and receive the group admissions discount. We require at least one week’s notice for self-guided group visits and at least three weeks’ notice for guided visit requests.
Questions about visiting the ICA with a group? Email tours@icaboston.org.
Check our Events Calendar for upcoming public tours.
The BPS Bus Fund provides a limited number of FREE buses for Boston Public Schools visiting the ICA. We’ll even schedule the bus for you!
To qualify:
Funding is limited, and requests will be approved on a rolling basis throughout the school year. Applications must be received at least three weeks prior to your requested visit date.
Questions? Email tours@icaboston.org
During guided visits, K-12 groups explore how contemporary artists question and make sense of the world. Through thoughtfully crafted gallery lessons that offer opportunities for reflection, close looking, and critical thinking, K-12 guided visits nurture student agency, honor student curiosity, and embrace the diversity of thought and experience that students bring to the ICA. Gallery teachers for K-12 Groups develop and teach thematic, multimodal gallery lessons based on ICA exhibitions that incorporate guided discussion and activities.
Guided visits for K-12 groups are available on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings. A maximum of 40 students per hour can be accommodated. A guided visit lasts approximately one hour and fifteen minutes including arrival and check-in. Your visit request must be received at least three weeks in advance.
Guided Visit Themes:
Sense of Self
How do artists represent ideas related to identity with their work? How do our own identities impact how we see and understand an artist’s work? During this Guided Visit, students will look closely at select artworks currently on view at the ICA. Students will reflect on the role of identity in contemporary art through group discussion, writing, and drawing prompts.
Methods/Materials/Meaning
How do artists today create? What messages do their creative choices convey? During this Guided Visit, students will investigate the materials, tools, and other choices contemporary artists make as part of their creative process. Through observation, group discussion, and activities, students will consider how these choices communicate meaning.
Guided Visit Group Rates (K–12 Youth Groups)
Youth 18 and under are admitted FREE to the ICA. Rates cover guided visit fees.
10 students: $30
11-20 students: $60
21-30 students: $90
31-40 students: $120
Boston Public Schools and School-wide Title I schools: FREE
See Group Visit FAQ for payment information.
K-12 groups may add a hands-on, art-making workshop to their Guided Visit. Through this combined experience, students will spend half of their museum visit with a Gallery Teacher in the galleries and half of their time engaging in art-making in our studio art space – The Bank of America Art Lab. Students will participate in thematic, multimodal lessons while looking at works on view and have the opportunity to experiment with different art-making techniques inspired by the current Art Lab installation.
Guided visits with Art Lab workshops for K-12 groups are available on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. A maximum of 40 students can be accommodated per visit. A Guided Visit with an Art Lab workshop lasts approximately two hours and fifteen minutes, including arrival and check-in. Your visit request must be received at least three weeks in advance.
Art Lab Workshops July–December 2024
Courage to Care (opening July 13)
Boston artist Sabrina Dorsainvil’s Bank of America Art Lab installation, Courage to Care, brings to life a mural of characters and stories that reflect on different ways to give and receive care in the world. Students are invited to create artwork guided by the questions “What does care look like for yourself?” and “How do you care for your community?” Using sculpture, writing, and drawing, students will design hand-held containers that hold memories and manifestations of personal and collective care.
Guided Visit + Art Lab Group Rates (K–12 Youth Groups)
Youth 18 and under are admitted FREE to the ICA. Rates cover guided visit and materials fees.
10 students: $80
11-20 students: $160
21-30 students: $240
31-40 students: $320
41-50 students: $400
Guided Visit + Art Lab Group Rates (Boston Public Schools and School-wide Title I Schools)
Youth 18 and under are admitted FREE to the ICA. Rates cover materials fees.
10 students: $20
11-20 students: $40
21-30 students: $60
31-40 students: $80
41-50 students: $100
See Group Visit FAQ for payment information.
Self-guided visits are self-paced and unfacilitated. A maximum of 40 students per hour can be accommodated. Your visit request must be received at least one week in advance.
Self-Guided Visit Group Rates (K–12 Youth Groups)
Students: FREE youth 18 and under are always admitted FREE to the ICA
Chaperones: FREE see below for required ratios of chaperones to students
Additional Adult Chaperones: $16 each
Required Ratios, Chaperones to Students
Groups with K-7 grade students: 1 chaperone for every 5 students (1:5)
Groups with 8-12 grade students: 1 chaperone for every 10 students (1:10)
Guided Visits
Through guided close looking, discussion, and the sharing of contextual background information, Graduate Student Lecturers help students deepen their understanding of exhibition themes and artists. A limited number of guided visits are available throughout the year, dependent on Graduate Student Lecturer availability. A maximum of 20 students per hour timeslot can be accommodated. A guided visit lasts approximately one hour and fifteen minutes including arrival and check-in. Your visit request must be received at least three weeks in advance.
Guided Visit Group Rates (College + University Groups)
College Students: $12 per student valid student ID required
Participating University Member Students: FREE with valid participating university ID
Learn more about University Membership
See Group Visit FAQ for payment information.
Self-Guided Visits
Self-guided visits are self-paced and unfacilitated. A maximum of 40 students per hour can be accommodated. Your visit request must be received at least one week in advance.
Self-Guided Visit Group Rates (College + University Groups)
College Students: $12 per student valid student ID required
Participating University Member Students: FREE with valid participating university ID
Learn more about University Membership
See Group Visit FAQ for payment information.
Guided Visits
Through guided close looking, discussion, and the sharing of contextual background information, Graduate Student Lecturers help groups of visitors deepen their understanding of exhibition themes and artists. A limited number of guided visits are available throughout the year, dependent on Graduate Student Lecturer availability. A maximum of 20 group members per hour timeslot can be accommodated. A guided visit lasts approximately one hour and fifteen minutes including arrival and check-in. Your visit request must be received at least three weeks in advance.
Guided Visit Group Rates (Adult + Senior Groups)
Nonmember Adults: $16 per person plus $100 guided visit fee
Nonmember Seniors (ages 65+): $14 per person plus $100 guided visit fee
ICA Members: FREE admission plus $100 guided visit fee
Learn more about ICA membership
Self-Guided Visits
Self-guided visits are self-paced and unfacilitated. A maximum of 40 group members per hour can be accommodated. Your visit request must be received at least one week in advance.
Self-Guided Visit Group Rates (Adult + Senior Groups)
Nonmember Adults: $16 per person
Nonmember Seniors (ages 65+): $14 per person
ICA Members: FREE
Learn more about ICA membership
See Group Visit FAQ for payment information.
What is the ICA’s payment policy?
Payment is due in full upon arrival. To qualify for group rates, groups must schedule in advance using the Group Visit Request Form and arrive and pay at the ICA together as a group. Cash, credit cards and checks made payable to the Institute of Contemporary Art are all acceptable forms of payment.
Does the ICA accept payment in advance?
The ICA does not accept payment in advance. Payment is due in full upon arrival.
Does the ICA offer a discounted group rate?
Yes, groups who schedule in advance using the Group Visit Request Form receive a discounted admission rate. Guided visits may incur an additional fee.
My group is larger than 40. Can the ICA accommodate us for a group visit?
For some larger groups we are able to accommodate all group members by staggering arrival times. Our maximum capacity is 40 group members per hour.
Can my group schedule a visit the ICA Watershed in East Boston?
The ICA Watershed is a seasonal space open to visitors during the summer months. Groups may schedule visits to the Watershed during its open season.
Is there a cancellation fee?
A $50 cancellation fee will be assessed for guided visits that cancel less than 24 hours prior to their scheduled arrival time.
What will be on view when my group visits?
All of the ICA’s current exhibitions are listed here. We cannot guarantee access to all of our galleries as some are periodically closed pending new installations.
Can I preview the exhibition before I bring my group?
We strongly recommend that teachers of registered groups preview the exhibitions before their scheduled visit. The ICA offers free admission for teacher pre-visits. Contact the Education Department at 617-478-3148 or tours@icaboston.org for more information or to schedule a pre-visit. Please note, teacher pre-visits must be scheduled in advance in order to receive free admission.
What resources are available to prepare students for their visit to the ICA?
The ICA’s Pre-Visit Guide for K-12 Group Visits is a social narrative that reviews what to expect on the day of your class visit to the ICA. Teacher resources provide K-12 educators with information on select exhibitions and artists, including discussion questions, curricular connections, and resources for further exploration.
What accommodations are available for my group?
Our galleries are all accessible for visitors using mobility devices. A limited number of manual wheelchairs are available in the State Street Corporation Lobby on a first-come, first-served basis. Please make note of any required accommodations in your Group Visit Request Form. Learn more about our accessibility initiatives.
Does the ICA have parking?
The ICA does not have on-site parking and please be aware that parking availability in the area is limited, especially on weekdays. We encourage visitors to use public transportation whenever possible. For more information on parking and directions, click here.
I am coming with a bus. Where is the drop-off location?
Groups arriving via bus may drop-off directly in front of the ICA. Please direct bus drivers to access Harbor Shore Drive via Pier 4 Blvd to avoid students crossing the street after exiting the bus. See bus map
Where can my group eat lunch?
Groups may opt to bring their lunches and eat them outdoors on the ICA’s Jill Medvedow Grandstand overlooking the harbor. There are many restaurants, coffee shops, and more close by in the Seaport. Explore the options to learn what else the neighborhood has to offer.
Are students allowed to sketch in the galleries or complete a written assignment?
Small sketchbooks and notepads are welcome in the galleries, but please avoid propping papers on gallery walls or display cases. For artwork safety, only #2 pencils are permitted. Pens, markers, colored pencils, and other art supplies are not permitted. We recommend that students bring a hard surface to write on, such as a clipboard or notebook. The Education Department has a small number of clipboards available if requested in advance.
I am a college/university professor. Can I lecture to my students in the galleries?
Professors may lecture or lead tours for their students in small groups of 15 or less. If planning to lecture or lead a tour for your students, indicate your intention when filling out your Group Visit Request Form. During your visit, please be mindful of where your group is gathering and avoid blocking visitor flow through the galleries.
Need more info? Contact us.