Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
The Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (ICA LA), formerly known as the Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMoA), is a modern art museum. It operates independently and does not have a permanent collection; instead, it showcases the artworks of contemporary artists from the local, national, and international art scenes. Up until May 2015, the museum was situated at the Bergamot Station Arts Center in Santa Monica.
The Institute serves as a hub for artistic experimentation and the development of innovative ideas. Its renovated industrial building, spanning 12,700 square feet, was designed by the wHY Architecture team under the direction of Kulapat Yantrasast. This space provides ample room for exhibitions, public events, temporary retail shops, administrative offices, and special projects.
The mission of ICA LA is to support art that encourages a sense of discovery and challenges our perceptions and experiences of the world. The institution is dedicated to breaking down barriers related to race, class, gender, and culture, making contemporary art inclusive and accessible to all.
The museum is easy to spot, housed in a charming yellow building located in the somewhat less polished southern area of the Arts District. Unlike some newer museums, ICA LA offers a cozier and more laid-back atmosphere. When you enter, you'll find a welcoming desk on one side and an arts and crafts area on the other. The museum has one primary exhibition space and a smaller side exhibition area.
In addition to its outstanding contemporary art displays, the venue boasts a stylish interior, complete with eye-catching pink bathrooms. They also have an impressive bookstore stocked with a variety of interesting literature. Best of all, admission is free.
The Institute serves as a hub for artistic experimentation and the development of innovative ideas. Its renovated industrial building, spanning 12,700 square feet, was designed by the wHY Architecture team under the direction of Kulapat Yantrasast. This space provides ample room for exhibitions, public events, temporary retail shops, administrative offices, and special projects.
The mission of ICA LA is to support art that encourages a sense of discovery and challenges our perceptions and experiences of the world. The institution is dedicated to breaking down barriers related to race, class, gender, and culture, making contemporary art inclusive and accessible to all.
The museum is easy to spot, housed in a charming yellow building located in the somewhat less polished southern area of the Arts District. Unlike some newer museums, ICA LA offers a cozier and more laid-back atmosphere. When you enter, you'll find a welcoming desk on one side and an arts and crafts area on the other. The museum has one primary exhibition space and a smaller side exhibition area.
In addition to its outstanding contemporary art displays, the venue boasts a stylish interior, complete with eye-catching pink bathrooms. They also have an impressive bookstore stocked with a variety of interesting literature. Best of all, admission is free.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Los Angeles. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Institute of Contemporary Art on Map
Sight Name: Institute of Contemporary Art
Sight Location: Los Angeles, USA (See walking tours in Los Angeles)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Los Angeles, USA (See walking tours in Los Angeles)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Los Angeles, California
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Los Angeles Downtown Walking Tour
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
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Arts District Walking Tour
The Arts District is one of the hottest neighborhoods in downtown LA, located between Little Tokyo at Alameda to the west and the railroad yards and Los Angeles River to the east. Formerly an industrial area of warehouses and factories, it has been home to art studios and galleries since the 1970s. Having undergone another downturn in the 1990s, the area was officially renamed the “Arts... view more
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Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
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Movie Studios Tour
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
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Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
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Downtown Architecture Walking Tour
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Chinatown Walking Tour
Unlike other cities where Chinese immigrant neighborhoods were formed organically, the Los Angeles Chinatown is the only planned Chinatown in the US. A blend of Chinese and American architecture, it was developed in downtown LA, as a tourist attraction, in the 1930s.
Designed by Hollywood artists as a "Chinese" movie prop to create an exotic atmosphere, LA's Chinatown gives out... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
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