ICA membership supports furthering our mission to present leading contemporary art and artists and ensures our ability to continue creating resources for future artists and art lovers of all ages. Here are some commonly asked questions on how to make the most of your membership:

Becoming a member + renewing membership

How can I become a member? 
You are welcome to join online, at the Holly McGrath Visitor Center at the museum, or by mailing a check to Membership Office, The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston, MA 02210. 

How do I renew my membership? 
All current members have an online account set up for them. You can log in here using the email address you signed up with and then click Membership at the top to renew. You can also renew your membership at the museum, mail in a check, or call us at 617-478-3102. 

How long is my membership valid for? 
ICA memberships are valid for a year and expire on the last day of the month one year out from when you joined. Members are welcome to renew early, with the renewal adding one full year to your current expiration date so that you don’t lose any months of your membership. 

How can I upgrade my membership? 
If you would like to increase your support for the museum and receive even more access, we welcome membership upgrades. There are two options to upgrade your membership: 

  • Upgrade to the next level by renewing at the higher level in advance. This will activate the enhanced benefits at that upgraded level immediately and will add one full year to your current membership expiration date.  
  • If you would like to upgrade during your current membership cycle, you can pay the cost difference and receive access to enhanced benefits. Please note that your expiration will not change in choosing this method. To pay the difference to upgrade, please contact us at membership@icaboston.org, or you can mail a check to us in the amount of the cost difference between your current level and the upgraded level noting that you would like to upgrade. 

Membership cards

Do I get a membership card? 
All members receive a digital membership card. Only Associate level members and above receive two printed membership cards as a benefit of their membership. 

When will my membership card arrive? 
All members receive a digital membership card within 7-14 days of purchase; these will be sent by email to you from membership@cuseum.com. If you are an Associate level member and above, a printed ICA membership card will be mailed by post 3 to 4 weeks after the day you joined or renewed your membership. Memberships are activated immediately after online purchase, and we are always happy to look up memberships at our admissions desk. 

Can I visit the ICA without my card? 
Yes, we are always happy to look up memberships at our admissions desk. 

Can I visit reciprocal museums without my card? 
If you are a member at a level that provides reciprocal admission, you must present your printed or digital ICA membership card to the reciprocal museum to receive free entry.  

Associate level members receive reciprocal admission to the Whitney Museum, and Friend and above level members receive free entry at museums participating in the MARP and Mod/Co programs. These reciprocal museums will be looking for the MARP/ModCo logos on your Friend+ digital or printed card to verify. 

If I lose my membership card, may I request a new one? 
We are happy to reprint membership cards in the event that they are lost or misplaced. Please note that in an effort to reduce cost and plastic use, we cannot resend membership cards to members within two months of their expiration date. Digital cards can be resent at any time. Please email membership@icaboston.org to request a new card. 

Member benefits

Do I get a membership card? 
All members receive a digital membership card. Only Associate level members and above receive two printed membership cards as a benefit of their membership. 

How many people receive free admission with my membership? 
Individual membership provides free admission for one person, the named card holder, per visit. 

Dual and above level memberships provide free entry for two people per visit. This can be both card holders on the membership, or in the event that one of the cardholders is not joining you that day you are able to bring a guest instead in place of that second cardholder. 

Can I reassign my membership? 
Once enrolled, memberships are non-transferrable. If you would like to switch your second cardholder you must do so upon renewal the following year. 

What discounts do I receive as a member? 
ICA members receive 10% off at the ICA Store online and in-person* with double-discount days throughout your year of membership. ICA members also receive discounts on tickets to ICA-produced programs and at select area businesses.  

*Some exclusions apply 

How do I RSVP to a member event? 
Invitations to member events are sent to the email connected to your ICA membership. Please follow the instructions in the email invitation to RSVP or contact events@icaboston.org. 

Does ICA membership provide reciprocal admission? 
Our Associate level provides free entry for two people at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Members at the Friend and above levels receive free entry for two people at participating institutions in the MARP and Mod/Co programs. Click here to see the full list of reciprocal partners for members at the Friend and above levels. To receive reciprocal entry, please present your valid digital or printed ICA membership card at the participating institutions.  

I have a reciprocal membership to the Whitney with my membership and I need help reserving my tickets. 
ICA/Boston members at the Associate level and higher receive complimentary admission for two at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. You can book your Whitney tickets here. Use the drop down menu to select up to 2 complimentary admission for “Reciprocal Member” and click “Continue to Payment” to finish the transaction and reserve your ticket(s). To guarantee entry you will need to bring proof of ICA membership along with your ticket on the day of your visit.

My ICA Membership level comes with guest tickets, how do I use them?
Associate level members and above receive single-use guest tickets as a benefit of their membership. Guest tickets function as a credit on your account that you can access anytime online. Login to your account to use your guest tickets at checkout when planning your visit to the museum.  

What benefits do University Members receive? 
Students, faculty, and staff receive free admission to the museum. For more info please visit our University page. Please note that University Membership does not provide additional membership benefits. 

What benefits do Corporate Members receive? 
Please visit our Corporate Membership page to find out more about what benefits you receive. 

What are the benefits of Library Membership?  
For information about Library Membership please visit our website here, if you would like to renew or enroll please contact librarymembership@icaboston.org. 

Online accounts

How do I set up my online account? 
All ICA members have an online account set up under the email address connected to their membership. If you need to set up your password or reset your password please visit www.icaboston.org/account, enter your email address, and follow the steps emailed to you. 

I forgot my password, how do I reset it? 
Please visit this page, enter the email address connected to your membership and follow the steps emailed to you. 

How do I receive access to ticket presales? 
To receive advanced access to ticket releases during our member presales, please login to your membership account first. Once you are logged in, you will see all available tickets listed. 

How can I change my address? 
You can edit account information including your address by logging into your account. 

How can I find out when my membership expires? 
You can log into your account and see what your current membership level is and when it expires.  

How do I set up my ICA Store online account? 
The email you use when joining as a member is automatically assigned to be your login for icastore.org. Visit the store site to finish setting up your account, including setting your password.

Gift memberships

Can I give a membership as a gift? 
Yes! To give a membership to someone else, please select a gift membership level here. 

Fill out your recipient’s information, followed by your own. Gift memberships are processed manually by the ICA membership team, and take 3-5 business days to be processed and sent to recipients. You can also select a later date at check out. 

Please note: an email of the recipient is required to set up a gift membership. 

What do gift membership recipients receive and when?  
Gift memberships include all of the benefits of ICA membership plus a $25 digital gift certificate to the ICA store. See a full list of benefits by level. 

Gift membership materials will be emailed directly to the recipient within 5 business days of purchasing or on the date specified by you during checkout. The email will include all information on the membership they have been gifted, as well as who has purchased it for them. A separate email will also be sent including the digital gift certificate to the ICA store. Please note gift memberships are sent entirely digitally. 

Do I need the recipient’s name or contact information? 
Yes, a name and an email of the recipient are required to set up a gift membership. Mailing address and phone numbers can be added at a later time by the recipient, but we highly recommend submitting the membership with completed information.

Have a question you don’t see answered above? Please contact us at membership@icaboston.org to find out more.