Frequently Asked Questions

The ICA is fully wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair seating and assistive listening devices are available in the Barbara Lee Family Foundation Theater; please contact the box office at 617-478-3103 or visitorservices@icaboston.org in advance to make a request. If you need further assistance, including sign language interpretation, please contact the box office at least two weeks in advance of the program.

Visitors with wheelchairs may be dropped off directly in front of the museum. Additional information can be found here.

Yes, baby strollers are permitted at all times.

Because space is limited, we respectfully request that visitors travel light! The ICA requires visitors to check bulky items, including: backpacks of any size, shopping bags, umbrellas, skateboards, helmets, yoga mats, and other items 11 x 14 inches (28 x 35.5 cm) or larger. For safety, suitcases and large musical instruments are not permitted in the checkroom or galleries. Short-term luggage storage can be found at South Station or Rowes Wharf Water Taxi (if you are using their water taxi service). The museum reserves the right to refuse other items and is not responsible for items held by the checkroom. Additional items that are not permitted in the galleries include food, beverages, water bottles, poster tubes, flowers, and balloons. In the event that the checkroom fills up with bags and packages, some visitors may be asked to keep their coats.

For your convenience, changing stations are located in both the men’s and women’s restrooms on the first and fourth floors.

The ICA does not have a parking garage.

Learn about parking options in the area.

Noncommercial photography and video are permitted in the galleries for personal use; most works on view may be photographed; exceptions will be indicated with a no photography icon. Noncommercial photography and video are also permitted in the public spaces outside the ICA building. To protect the artwork and other visitors, flash photography, tripods, selfie sticks, boom stands, and other large equipment are not permitted. The use of small cameras with small detachable lenses is permitted. We ask that visitors refrain from photographing staff or other visitors. We appreciate your considering other museum visitors by taking photographs and video in an unobtrusive manner. 

Spaces within the ICA building may be rented for commercial photography and video shoots. Please note: Due to rights restrictions around works of art, commercial shoots are not allowed within the ICA galleries and exhibition spaces or inside the building during museum operating hours. If you are interested in renting the museum for a commercial photo or video shoot, please email info@icaboston.org and an ICA staff member will get back to you. Please allow two weeks for the review of your request. Photographs may not be reproduced, distributed, or sold without permission from the ICA.

Please note: There are select works of art and exhibitions for which photography of any kind is prohibited.

Please be considerate when using a cell phone; step into the nearest public area when making or answering a call. Please do not take a call in the galleries, Barbara Lee Family Foundation Theater, or the Poss Family Mediatheque.

Use of cell phones in the galleries is permitted for accessing free our Mobile Guide. Please respect the viewing experience of others by setting your phone to “silent” and refraining from cell phone conversations or use of speakerphone in the galleries.

The ICA offers both guided and self-guided tours for adults, college students, school, and community groups. Click here for more information about group visits.

The ICA aims to present the most significant contemporary art to Boston audiences, therefore opportunities for inclusion in our exhibitions are very limited and highly competitive. ICA curators consider works from local, national, and international sources including commercial galleries, museums, private collections, and art fairs.

Please fill out the rights and reproduction request form here.

The ICA’s exhibition archives are not currently accessible to the public. We are working towards cataloging our holdings so we can make them more widely available. In the meantime, we appreciate your understanding. For further questions, please contact curatorial@icaboston.org.

Please note that the ICA does not develop its exhibition program from unsolicited submissions. Thank you for your understanding.

Learn more about donating a work of art to the ICA Collection. Please note that the ICA is unable to accept donations of art outside the parameters of its collection policy