Boston’s first new art museum in almost a century opened in 2006 (the institution itself dates to 1936). Its horizon-broadening definition of art encompasses everything from painting and sculpture to film. The collection includes 68 major works of 20th- and 21st-century art by women, including Kara Walker, Cindy Sherman, Cornelia Parker, Tara Donovan, and Louise Bourgeois. The performance theater hosts an eclectic array of programs, from jazz piano and spoken prose to dance and world music concerts. There’s an excellent gift shop. The upper levels of the building jut out toward the harbor, providing breathtaking views. 
 
In 2018, the ICA opened a seasonal (July–Sept) exhibition space: the ICA Watershed, in East Boston. Located in a large, formerly condemned space in the Boston Harbor Shipyard and Marina, it is accessible by ferry from the main ICA, with the ferry ride included in the price of a general admission ticket (ferry spots are limited availability and are first-come first-served). One exciting feature about the ferry service is that the main building looks most spectacular from the water.