The Institute of Contemporary Art sits on Boston's Seaport waterfront in a sharp modern building that opened in 2006. Its permanent collection is compact, but the draw is the changing program of contemporary art shows, installations, and performance.
The harbor-facing galleries and cantilevered glass spaces are part of the experience, giving the museum a very different feel from Boston's older cultural institutions. It works well as a focused museum visit before a walk along the waterfront.