Institute of Contemporary Art

The Philadelphia Institute of Contemporary Art is definitely one of my newest favorite museums in the city. This place was really refreshing, not just in terms of the open space and naturally available light, but also the exhibits. I was forging enough to be able to see an exhibit by David Antonio Cruz a Puerto Rican born in Philadelphia and lived in New York. The exhibit was great and it is possible to find Puerto Rican artist and exhibited in places like the Institute of Contemporary Art. If you have an opportunity I would suggest checking this show Out. It offers a look into the artists thinking of what constitutes family and extended family. Another exhibit was called Movables and it was super funky I thoroughly enjoyed the sculptures and creative use of both materials and space. You can see many of the pieces in my photos. The staff at this place are super chill! You can ask them questions and they gladly help you. Especially, the guard which you see in my photo. She actually gave my wife her own private tour and explained the sculptures to her. She is funny and very relatable. Kudos for a very cool staff. if you are in the area are close by you should definitely check out these exhibits. The museum was thoroughly accessible. There is no place that a wheelchair cannot get to at this museum. The bathrooms were fully accessible as you can tell from the photos. As many of you know I do like a Museum gift shop. This one has a very small one which is fine as they are not a huge museum. It was street parking that was accessible which we were fortunate enough to find. I would recommend going to this place early as more parking tends to be available. Always remember if you're parsing Philadelphia and have a disability placard you must park between the two disability parking signs. That is the way they do it otherwise you will get a ticket. Believe me I know.

Nice place for temporary expos and it's free!

Super cool place, a little far away from Philly downtown but it’s well connected with the metro. There’s no entrance fee and the staff is really kind and helping, only thing missing a cafeteria 🙂

This place in incredible, it has always been something that is under appreciated. As a free museum not enough people know about. With prolific exhibitions I couldn’t recommend this enough to someone visiting Philadelphia.

I love visiting the ICA whenever I'm in Philly. The exhibits are consistently interesting and thought-provoking. The fact that admission is free is a huge bonus; art should be accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford a $20-40 admission fee.

Was there for paint the dance floor!! Omg the place is beautiful. I live in Philly and did not know about this place. The food, the treats, the drinks and the services was A1. Oh and I can't for get about the dj and the exhibits! And the bathrooms was clean! If they have another event I'm there......love love love!

Simply incredible well kept friendly staff free entrance and anything from 1970 Jazz pioneers to cultural exhibit come and see it for your self you will love it

Well the term contemporary art definitely has a different meaning than what I'm used to enjoying. Yes, it was free but this was probably the worst one I've ever seen. The building was nice. My favorite part and piece was the chandelier at the visitors desk.

The Institute of Contemporary Art Philadelphia - ICA is a launchpad for contemporary art and ideas. ICA is on site at the Univeristy of Pennsylvania. We stopped by on our visit to the University of Pennsylvania to specifically see the Joanna Piotrowska: unseeing eyes, restless bodies We didn't think we would spend as much time as we did here, and I loved both of the exhibits. There are two gallery spaces, the first one held "Where I Learned to Look: Art from the Yard", with the curator and several artist being from Texas. I'm not sure I loved it because there was a Texas connection and also Baltimore screen art, but I really enjoyed art from a yard perspective. Fun contemporary art and a Koons piece. The second story held the second exhibit: Joanna Piotrowska: unseeing eyes, restless bodies. She's a Ukrainian artist, and I really thought it was going to be something different but it was a really cool exhibit. I have never seen carpet and space used this way before and her art evoked both fear and whimsy and awe. I love this museum and the fact that it's really quaint - obviously the experience you're going to have here depends on what exhibits are showing, but I had a great time here overall. It's completely free so if you're ever by the University of Pennsylvania, I highly recommend you stop by.

My friend and I visited the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania when we were in Philadelphia for a short trip last weekend and enjoyed our visit. The ICA is a beautiful, but small building - two floors with two exhibition rooms. So, whether you'll enjoy your visit is entirely dependent on the exhibitions at the ICA at the time (they have no permanent collection)! We were lucky that they had two exhibits we were interested in: "Joanna Piotrowska: unseeing eyes, restless bodies" and "Where I Learned to Look: Art from the Yard." We were there for the Joanna Piotrowska exhibit, but both exhibits were interesting and inspiring. Definitely on the smaller side but worth a visit if you're interested in contemporary art or if they have an exhibit you're interested in!

The Institute of Contemporary Art on the Penn Campus is on the smaller side, with a very simple layout housed on two floors. It seemed very sterile and sort of empty to me. I walked through the entire museum in about 30 minutes. Most of the exhibits were odd and I just didn't get it. Perhaps, Contemporary Art is not my thing. This museum is free, which is the primary reason I ventured in here. The exhibits do change, so perhaps the next time I'm in the area I will stop in again.

Four stars ONLY because it's free and therefore probably worth a stop if you're in the area and have 20 minutes or so to kill. If there were an admission charge I couldn't justifiably recommend it to anyone. Maybe I just don't "get" contemporary art, but some of the exhibits were very odd. A pair of shoes in an otherwise empty room? What appears to be two little leather balls in a glass case? I wasn't thinking of the fragility of man or life marred by tragedy or whatever the art was supposed to be evoking; I was mainly thinking "huh, I could do this." With that said, the girl at the front desk was very nice even though she caught me trying to sneak my coffee in, and there is a cool little seating area with lots of natural light that students could presumably use for studying. Maybe would go back to see a different exhibit when I'm back in Philly.

Free admission, always!!!! At least guaranteed for the next 15 years or so. I came here to view Ulysses Jenkins' exhibit, Without Your Interpretation. I suppose my review is more about the artist's work rather than the exhibit itself... but what is one without the other? Jenkins is a phenomenal video and performance artist operating with a level of creativity/genius I cannot even fathom. His exhibit is a statement about mass media as it relates to race and gender. It's a must see! I'm excited to return and view other exhibits at ICA in the future.

Nice place for some contemporary art by artists you probably won't read about them in your art history text- which doesn't detract from the art itself in any way! Loved this sound exhibit made by moving household objects, this purple amphitheater, and the hipster-contemporary art in this cute joint west of the banks. Best of all it's free!

Love this gallery. It's different, from its architecture, to its zen space and the content within. There's truly thought-provoking art here, in all kinds of media. (Don't get me started on the trippy videos I saw.) Part of its appeal lies in that the art being exhibited never is the same. Change is constant, I suppose? Recommended; admission is free. Find them on University of Pennsylvania's campus.

FREE MUSEUM with very.. ODD but Interesting exhibits.. it was a little difficult for me to grasp the purpose of certain exhibits but i did enjoy some of them! the building is 2 stories and they had a video playing in a separate room downstairs BUT noises really do echo throughout this museum (it's not big) we got to type on an old school typewriter while we were here which was fun NOTE: it smelled kind of weird inside the day we came but i'm going to attribute that to the bologna wall that was a part of one of the exhibits

I'm a little biased, I once did a bit of work here, so I do like it more than the three stars indicates. However, I'll just go over the museum side of things. They're a friendly, simple layout for a very concrete, sterile environment that can be packed or nearly devoid of contemporary art, depending on the displays and exhibits out there. A small cafeteria/lounge area for kids or adults that want to hold events there exists on the ground floor, and it's a nice place to hold a business function with drinks or something else. No longer an admission price is nice.

ICA has been my home away from home since moving from London to Philadelphia four years ago. It's a cultural hub of Philadelphia--I've made several friends at ICA events and programs, and always feel enriched, nourished, and challenged by the exhibitions. You really can't see shows like these--Nicole Eisenman, Moyra Davey, Jason Rhoades--outside of New York, except at ICA. They also have online art commissions that you can check out without leaving your house! Best of all, the museum is always FREE, so you can dip in and out without feeling obliged to stay for three hours!

When exploring a new city, I have two things I have to find - a cupcakery and a contemporary art museum. UPenn's ICA is the only museum in Philly dedicated to contemporary art. Much to my surprise, there is no longer an admission fee. The wonderful space is everything you expect of a contemporary art museum - spacious, super high ceilings, sterile. It appears to be exhibitions-only with no permanent exhibits. This makes it hit or miss and the 3 artists on view today were a miss for me. I'm not into underground comic strips with cult followings nor am I into avant-garde, performance on video pieces. It's worth checking out if you're in the neighborhood since it's free.

I love the ICA. It's either a smallish museum or a gargantuan gallery, I can't tell. It's run by U-Penn and there are other ICAs throughout the country. As the name indicates, they show contemporary art so you won't find any dusty Renoirs or warbly Matisses. Much of what they show is what many uninitiated art-surveyors don't think of as 'Art.' The show they have on right now is a perfect example. It features a bunch of artist-run collectives who have built a treehouse and a greenhouse and are hosting talks in order to supply research for a larger project. The ICA regularly features installations, performance, video, architectural structures and the like. Is this art? Of course. And it's play too.

I love that this place is so close to me in UCity. I came here with my mom a few weeks back. The first floor houses the current exhibitions and one piece in particular stuck out to us. A man wearing nothing but shoes and a fur hat dancing around in the snow. NOTHING but these items. My mom probably gives this one star. I give it 4 mostly for the chandelier.

This museum is a gem - first off it is free and it is close to a septa trolley. Came here for the Sagmeister Happy show and I will look forward to the upcoming ones if i ever visit this town again.

How can a free art gallery not get five stars when it is this good? The ICA also has regular programming where the artists and graduate students talk about the themes behind the art and related topics that are above me. It's also easily accessible via SEPTA's trolley system (not free though). But most important, Linda the Security Guard works there. She's a hoot! Make sure to say hi to her and she will give you all of the low down about the current exhibit and tell you things about the artist or the exhibit that you may have missed.

If you ask me, the best part about the ICA is that it's super cheap, and even cheaper for students (with ID). It's a great opportunity to see contemporary art without the pretentious or enclosed feel of a private gallery. Plus, it often features local artists.

When I first went in here years ago, I thought I was just at a party where the DJ spins nothing but Bjork. In actuality, this museum is great. It's a great conversation museum with art installations that typically contrast the photography, etc. It's got a clean, hip, uncensored way about it. Just writing this review reminds me that I need to go back... it's cheap too.

ICA has a great space and interesting exhibits. I was lucky enough to end up there when they had an exhibit of Maira Kalman, who has put together some great books and fun illustrations. The space it's self has great lighting and set up with two different floors. Entry is free, and they do not sell much merchandise. They have agreements putting together other shows and publishing books about the exhibitions. Great for art neophytes to aficionados.

I can't resist something that is FREE, the current exhibit is a bit strange and hard to understand its meaning. The building has a cool design and I'd be interested in returning for a different exhibit.

I love the ICA, it's one of my favorite places on Penn's campus. It's a pretty tiny museum-only two floors and usually only 2-3 exhibits, but is in a great location if you're visiting Penn (right behind the bookstore) or by a SEPTA station (hey-lo Market Frankford). I'm also going to shoutout for the public programs here-most have been fantastic, in-depth conversations about art. Most of the people attending are artists/art students, and sometimes I haven't understood more than 50% of what was being said, I usually come away with a new perspective. They also usually have coffee or soda for events at night. I have to say though, the events with DJs attract the worst, most posturing people I've ever met, and the discussions that are promised at times like 8 pm might actually start more than an hour afterwards. Luckily, these events are few and far between, so definitely check out their event schedule!

The Institute of Contemporary Art right off of the Penn campus in University City is always worth stopping into. It reminds me of the MUSA Museum in Vienna. Both facilities showcase cutting-edge artists and movements that might not be on everyone's lips but deserve to have their creative voices heard and seen. This modern art museum encompasses two floors and a small mezzanine gallery so surely there will always be something to provoke new ways to look at or think about something. And did I mention that admission is free!?!

Finally made a trip back in June after nagging my dude to go. He's the type to make plans than just wanna stay local or "do it tomorrow". Nope! Definitely very eccentric and eclectic, but, worth seeing if you can keep an open mind that the art within these walls can be constructed from mediums not much thought about. It was definitely my kind of place. Andy Warhol had his first solo exhibit here, FYI. And best of all it's free and convenient from just about every point in the city being in West Philly. Go soon...and even if it's not your forte, you only lost some time.

This is a great museum with lots of abstract art and interesting displays. I especially love the one of the two girls doing ballerina that is symmetrical although the look different -- I am sure there is a big artsy word for that, but my limited vocabulary obviously hinders me sometimes. Anyway, this is a great FREE little museum and it definitely has lots of cool things in it. It is dedicated to style and fashion, so it is interesting to see the different outfits. I recommend taking a smartphone with you so you can do a little background research on the outfits, although the staff is pretty welcoming and open to explaining the artwork more. No photography. Also, it's close to the (36?) trolley, which connects to City Hall Station for free (if you're coming from another train) and it is only two blocks away from the 34th St Market Frankford stop.

I've been here several times for gallery openings and lots of First Wednesdays. It's small and intimate, free to Penn Card holders, and First Wednesdays always have interesting stuff going on (like button-making! tote bag printing! excelano project!) and yummy desserts. Definitely take advantage of this since it's so close to campus!

I was in the neighborhood, having just walked Stephen Powers' murals up market. So I stopped in to find only one exhibition underway; Maira Kalman. The first floor was transitioning. BUT, I dig that some fatcat's endowment allows for free admission. As a result, I bought one of the Kalman-related tshirts they sell at the counter. Hopefully next time i'm in Philly the timing is better.

Great space (if small), interesting exhibits. Some interesting events from time to time. In the past they have not rotated their exhibits fast enough, so we were not able to come often. They are supposed to go on a 2.5 month rotation this Fall 2014, which sounds better.

I used to go to ICA a lot more but haven't had the time in recent months. This place used to be cheap but now it's totally free! YES PLEASE! It's not super large (it's a university museum after all) but I have enjoyed the handful of visits I have made over the past few years. I REALLY enjoyed the sound exhibit in the fall of 2007 and went to that twice. Check it out: http://www.icaphila.org/exhibitions/ensemble.php

This hidden gem of a gallery/museum is far more impressive than you might expect... The exhibitions of the last 30ish years have been really fun to check out and REALLY progressive considering their financial and art-world positions. What makes this place even more impressive is that they are offering free admission, due to a whopping gift from a very, very generous donor. A current show, Tim Rollins and K.O.S. (Kids of Survival) is a touching and beautiful retrospective of the artist who wrangled some young Brooklyn kids into making expansive and surprisingly well-versed works. I highly recommend ICA if you are interested in contemporary art, for sure, but also, if you have some time to see some very "now" pieces that will knock your socks off. Notes about the space: huge. Some of the rooms seem to dwarf your entire world. Definitely try to check out one of the lectures - the curators at ICA are top-notch and brilliant speakers.

Art has always garnered the infamous reputation of being unaccessible, and rightfully so as many art museums cost money to enter. However, the ICA's free and interesting exhibit challenges your expectation and understanding of what "curated" museum artworks are. They always have exhibits of very unique themes, and they have pieces that you may love or hate, but it makes you feel something. The current exhibit on Queer Play has some really provocative and also disturbing pieces, and it has engaged reactions in its audience that artworks that feel safe have never done. The staff there is also overwhelmingly friendly. The student workers are helpful and the enthusiastic, and the security guard Linda, who is also a huge art fan, makes the experience memorable as she gave us her own interpretation and tour of all the pieces. I encourage you to go check it out yourself and make your own judgment of how you feel!

Two very different exhibits during our exhibit. Great use of the space. Definitely enjoyed the upstairs exhibit more. You will be warned of the difference in material of both exhibits. Heed their warnings.

Interesting and vastly different exhibits on the two floors. It's free! Not crowded in the summer.

This place is free, even if it had just one piece of artwork in it, it would be a steal. Its also in a great location, right off of walnut, which has tons of shopping and dining options. Plus the design of this building is full of win, make sure you check out the bathrooms. It was very spacious and very bright, perfect environment to get lost in paintings on display for an hour or two.

I wasn't really thrilled about the exhibits when I visited this museum. The only one that I really liked was on Warhol - and it was super tiny. With that said, the museum is free and worth a visit if you're in the area.

this is a cool ass place!! so far i went to the exhibit thats currently on, and a workshop with Cece McDonald!!!! the architecture is soooo great, and its literally steps away from a trolley stop. so yeah go here

I would love to return for a different exhibit, but the current exhibit made no sense to me. The building is really nice and its FREE, so really cant complain too much.

it's a strange space and doesn't make for a very user-friendly experience. still, you're never quite sure what you'll find here, and it's free free free. plus, it gives you an excuse to spend some time on upenn's lovely campus.