A contemporary art museum on Boston Harbor, with a limited number of sensory kits (fidget toys, a weighted scarf and noise cancellation headphones) in the galleries, nonverbal communication cards, quieter-time advice, and free admission for visitors 18 and under.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm; Thursday and Friday, 10 am to 9 pm, except the first Friday of every month, when it closes at 5 pm for First Fridays, a ticketed 21+ event. Closed Mondays, but open with free admission for all on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Labor Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day. Closed on Patriot's Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston, MA 02210 (curb cut and drop-off in front of the public entrance, which has power-assist doors)
“A limited number of sensory kits containing fidget toys, a weighted scarf, and noise cancellation headphones are available in the galleries. Nonverbal communication cards are also available.”
“For visitors interested in exploring the ICA during quieter times, we recommend visiting on a weekday mornings or late afternoons.”
“Please note that some exhibitions include works with sound that can be heard throughout the galleries.”
“Visitors with sensitivities to dark or enclosed spaces or multisensory environments may not feel comfortable in the work.”
LOVE IS CALLING: a timed ticket is required (no extra charge, and it includes the rest of the galleries that day). Check in at the Holly McGrath Visitor Center, then join the line on the fourth floor within your time slot; late entry is not guaranteed, and no refunds are given for a missed time slot. It is about one minute with a small group. Only a cross-body item up to 12 by 6 by 3 inches can go in; other things go in cubbies outside. Standard strollers are allowed (the museum suggests going without), double strollers are not. For questions, email accessibility@icaboston.org.
Benches are spread through the galleries, and portable stools are available at stations around the fourth floor.
Restrooms are on the 1st and 4th floors, with wheelchair-accessible stalls and baby-changing stations in both the men's and women's rooms. Their doors have no power assist.
Bags: the museum's pages differ. The FAQ says no bulky items in the galleries, including backpacks of any size, shopping bags and umbrellas, or anything 11 x 14 inches or larger. The visitor policies say bags must be 11 x 14 or smaller to be carried in the galleries, with exceptions for required accessibility-related equipment, and there is self-service coat and bag check; lockers are on the 1st floor. Suitcases and large musical instruments are not allowed in the building.
Food: you can eat and drink on the covered Grandstand behind the museum and in the Common Room and State Street Corporation Lobby. Bottle-feeding and breastfeeding are allowed in all spaces.
Photos: the website allows noncommercial photos and video in the galleries (no flash, tripods or selfie sticks; some works are marked no photography), while the printed Visitor Guide says no video or audio recording.
For a full-size copy your child can use, open this page at squaredsteps.com, tap Make it yours, then print.
More about ICA Boston
Louder, in the museum's words
Works with sound in some exhibitions (the museum says the sound can be heard throughout the galleries)not stated
LOVE IS CALLING, Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirror Room (on view through March 7, 2027) (a dark, mirrored room with forms that light up in changing colors and a voice recording that plays constantly; the doors close after guests enter, and you may ask for the door to stay open)not stated
Admission: adults $20, students $15, seniors $17 (the visit page says 65+, the discounts page says 60+), 18 and under and BPS students free, ICA members free. Advance reservations are recommended; timed tickets are no longer required for general admission.
Free: recipients of federal disability assistance (SSDI, SSI, VA benefits, etc), plus one personal care attendant per visitor, with code FEDDA. Massachusetts EBT, WIC, ConnectorCare and Wonderfund Access Card: free for the cardholder plus 1 guest (codes MAEBT, MAWIC, MACONNECTOR, WONDERACCESS). AAM, ICOM, MARP, ModCo and Whitney Dual+ members: cardholder plus 1 guest. Blue Star Museums: free from Armed Forces Day to Labor Day (BLUESTARICA). Discounts are for general admission only, and some passes or cards may need to be shown at check-in.
More free and reduced routes: Free Thursday Nights, 5 to 9 pm, advance tickets required. Play Dates: up to 2 adults per family free when with kids 12 and under (code PLAYDATE; dates on the ICA Kids calendar). Bank of America Museums on Us: one free ticket the first full weekend of every month, subject to availability, card shown at check-in. MTA/AFT members $12. Library passes: $10 each, up to two people per coupon, at select libraries.
Getting there: Red Line to South Station, then the Silver Line Waterfront to World Trade Center or Courthouse, a short walk. The museum strongly recommends public transportation; it has no parking garage, and parking is limited, especially on weekdays.
Parking: the closest garage, with accessible spots, is 100 Northern Avenue; ICA visitors get $2 off on weekends and weekdays after 5 with validation at the Holly McGrath Visitor Center. The closest accessible street parking is along Northern Avenue.
A limited number of manual wheelchairs and walkers are free, first-come, first-served, in the State Street Corporation Lobby.
Hearing (not sensory) services: FM assistive-listening devices and ASL interpretation by advance request to Visitor Services, 617-478-3100 or visitorservices@icaboston.org.
Only service animals are allowed. Accessibility questions: accessibility@icaboston.org or 617-478-3100.
