ICA Watershed

Located in the Boston Harbor Shipyard and Marina in East Boston, the ICA Watershed transforms a 15,000-square-foot, formerly condemned space into a new civic and cultural asset. Award-winning firm Anmahian Winton Architects designed the renovation of the derelict former copper pipe facility, conserving its industrial feel while restoring the building for new use.

The Watershed presents one exhibition every summer. In Summer 2026, Lucy Raven: Rounds, a major new exhibition by Lucy Raven (b. 1977 in Tucson, Arizona) includes the United States premieres of Hardpan, a large-scale kinetic sculpture co-commissioned with Barbican Centre, London, and Murderers Bar (2025) a new moving image installation and the final installment of Raven’s series The Drumfire.

Past projects include Diana Thater, a light and moving-image installation, in 2018; John Akomfrah: Purple, an immersive, six-channel video installation, in 2019; a monumental sculpture by Firelei Báez in 2021; and Revival: Materials and Monumental Forms, an exhibition of large-scale installations by six international artists who reclaim and reuse industrial and everyday materials, in 2022; in 2023, Guadalupe Maravilla: Mariposa Relámpago, centered around a large-scale sculpture and healing vibrational instrument created from a repurposed school bus, the artist’s largest work to date, commissioned for the space; and in 2024, Hew Locke: The Procession, an installation from Tate Britain of 140 life-size sculptures. In summer 2025, Chiharu Shiota presented two signature, large-scale installations that consider the ways humans collect memories and form connections as they move and travel: a site-specific iteration of Accumulation – Searching for the Destination (2014/2025) and a newly commissioned installation, Home Less Home (2025).

During the pandemic, the Watershed was used as a food distribution site to address a direct need within the East Boston community. In partnership with community organizations in East Boston and the museum’s caterer, The Catered Affair, boxes of much-needed fresh produce and dairy were delivered to East Boston families weekly since spring of 2020.

The Watershed also houses an orientation gallery introducing visitors to the historic shipyard, a waterside gathering place with stunning harbor views, and a flexible space for exhibitions, programming, and workshops. Past offerings in this space include exhibitions of photography by ICA Teens such as A Community in Focus: East Boston, as well as participatory projects such as Aquí y Allá, a series of programs and activities on food, home, and community co-hosted by artist Evelyn Rydz and Eastie Farm’s Kannan Thiruvengadam in 2019, a project exploring the history of indigo by Stephen Hamilton in 2021, and a celebration of healing practices in East Boston in 2023.

The Watershed represents an exciting and creative mode of growth for the museum. With this project, the ICA has made a cross-harbor connection that is central to our vision of art, civic life, and urban vitality. It takes art beyond our walls, building upon a decade-long history of public art projects that bring together landscape, history, and contemporary art. The facility is a central component of the ICA’s strategic plan, A Radical Welcome, designed to deepen the vibrant intersection of contemporary art and civic life in Boston.

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.

• 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 Shuttles or inside the museum.

Accessibility

• 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.

The Water Shuttle connects ICA Boston in the Seaport with ICA Watershed in East Boston.

To ride the Water Shuttle, you must have a Water Shuttle + Gallery Admission ticket. This single ticket includes museum entry and round-trip shuttle access.

Please review the information below to ensure a safe and enjoyable visit.

Starting in the Seaport

Starting Point: 25 Harbor Shore Dr, Boston, MA 

Departures from the Seaport are timed. 

• Choose a Water Shuttle + Gallery Admission ticket for your desired visit date  

• Choose a departure time between 11 AM and 3:30 PM  

• Check in at the ICA Dock 10 minutes before your scheduled departure 

• Ride the Water Shuttle to East Boston and disembark at the Watershed Dock  

• Visit the Watershed, then return to the dock when you are ready to go back to the Seaport. 
• Return trips from East Boston are first-come, first-served, and wait times may vary. 

Starting in East Boston

Starting Point: 256 Marginal St, East Boston, MA  

Departures from East Boston are first-come, first-served. 

• Choose a Water Shuttle + Gallery Admission ticket for your desired visit date  

• Choose East Boston Departure  

• Check in at the Watershed Dock anytime between 11 AM and 3:20 PM. Please note that departures are first-come, first-served from the Watershed Dock. 

• Ride the Water Shuttle to the Seaport and disembark at the ICA Dock  

• Visit the ICA, then return to the ICA Dock when you are ready to go back  

Return trips from the Seaport: 

• Between 11 AM and 3:30 PM, priority is given to timed ticket holders starting in the Seaport 

• East Boston–originating visitors may return during this time if space is available  

• Departures between 4 PM and 5 PM are reserved for East Boston–originating visitors 

Wait times may vary.

Water Shuttle Schedule

Water Shuttles depart both docks at 15 minute increments, starting at 11 AM and ending at 5 PM. Shuttles do not cross at 12:45 PM and 3:45 PM.

For questions or assistance with reserving tickets, contact Visitor Services at 617-478-3100 or visitorservices@icaboston.org. 

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 on a first-come, first-served basis. Limited metered street parking is available nearby.

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

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

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

Do I need a ticket for the Water Shuttle? 
Yes, tickets are required and include both museum entry and round-trip shuttle access. Reserve tickets here.
All children under the age of 12 must have their own ticket and be accompanied by an adult. 

Do members need Water Shuttle tickets? 
Yes, members must also reserve a Water Shuttle + Gallery Admission ticket to ride the shuttle. ICA Members have priority access to tickets one week before they are released to the general public. 

Can I reserve tickets once I arrive?
We strongly recommend reserving tickets in advance. Availability is limited, and we cannot guarantee same-day tickets. 

Is there a waitlist? 
No, we do not offer a waitlist. Tickets remain with the original purchaser unless returned. The Water Shuttle has a strict passenger capacity, and every rider must have a ticket. 
Please check in 10 minutes before departure.

What if I miss my departure? 
If you miss your scheduled shuttle, we cannot guarantee space on a later departure. Please check in with the Visitor Services team to determinate availability on a later shuttle. If no later departures are available, our Visitor Services team is happy to provide directions for alternative transportation to the Watershed. 

Is the Water Shuttle accessible? 
Boarding requires: 

• Travelling down a ramp

• Travelling along a dock 

• Stepping onto the boat and down two steps 

 Disembarking requires: 

• Stepping up two steps and off the boat

• Travelling along the dock 

• Travelling up a ramp

Please note that ramps can be steep, depending on the tide. 

The Water Shuttle is not wheelchair or stroller accessible.
Collapsible wheelchairs and strollers are permitted but must be carried on and off (they cannot be rolled aboard).
Bicycles and luggage are not permitted.
Service animals are welcome. 

How far are the docks from the museum?  

• ICA Dock in the Seaport: Approximately 400 ft from the ICA entrance via a flat walk along the Harborwalk. 

• Watershed Dock in East Boston: Approximately 350 ft from the ICA Watershed entrance via a flat walk through a parking lot.

Both docks are clearly marked with an ICA flag and staffed during Water Shuttle operational hours. 

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.

Gabriel Sosa, Ñ Press
Boston Public Art Triennial presents a collaboration with artist Gabriel Sosa and Maverick Landing Community Services