This museum was a bit smaller than expected because the second floor was closed for installation. I enjoyed the three exhibits that were there, very reflective of contemporary issues and experiences. The garden was beautiful! Would definitely recommend visiting, dont expect to stay for more than an hour.

I was incredibly excited to visit the Institute for Contemporary Art. I heard so much about it before visiting Richard for the first time, and the incredible installations they feature. It was to my great surprise my trip fell on a weekend of an opening. My night was topped off by meeting intriguing Artist, Lecturers and Public Figures. The installations and films were brilliant! The staff was as contemporary and artful as the institute itself. There are cocktails and snacks at the bar to make sure your night is complete. I’ll be back VCU! XOXO Lorenzo

I was there with my boyfriend yesterday. Emerson did an awesome job. Giving a little history of some of the art. And answered all the questions we had. He was fun, nice kind. Can make your day any time.

Richmonds least interesting museum. Although the museums architecture is interesting in the modern sense the artwork on display inside it was clearly done by Marxist amateurs. Skip this museum and go to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Beautiful architecture. I like seeing new museums in Richmond that showcase modern pieces of art from around the world. Considering it’s absolutely free, it’s worth a trip. My family and I scratched our heads a lot throughout the Hedges, Ledges, Edges exhibit... was this artwork too conceptual for us? It felt sparse but I get that that’s probably what they were after.

Great shape, would love to see more art in such a large building. The exhibits can be a bit too spread out. Would love to see more colors and styles on display

Great building architecturally. Exhibitions were on point as well. Gift shop had an amazing collection of publications that are hard to come by outside of nyc. (Shot-out to Precog mag)

Its really sad that all of the tens of millions of dollars spent on this building and its already showing signs of aging and rusting. Whatever material that is they used for the outside someone didnt think it through properly. Its like sections of a tuna fish can and the screws are bleeding rust down the walls. What a shame.

A spectacular building in the heart of Richmond. World class. The exhibits are always thought provoking. We will come back.

Very beautiful building. The exhibits are interesting to look at, but there is not a lot here. Id say your visit can definitely be about 30 minutes.

Great new addition to the VCU area. Awesome architectural design, interesting exhibits and added bonus of Ellwood Thompson Cafe inside!

State of the art exhibit space that opened in April 2018

Thought-provoking modern space. Contemporary with a bold C! Well worth a visit, be prepared to open your mind.

Definitely an interesting place to say the least, there are three floors of exhibits all of which were totally different than the last. A lot of the pieces are from artists from all around the work with different cultures and views. Some of the exhibits made me feel uncomfortable but that’s the whole point, these pieces are supposed to bring up different emotions inside you. I would definitely try and go to the museum first before you bring any children, they are allowed but there is a warning for some exhibits having violent, sexual, and historically racial conversation pieces. I did enjoy it overall and was able to talk to one of the women helping out with the 9/11 exhibit... give it a try if your at all interested in contemporary art!

This place has a misleading name. If youre looking for art, the Institute of Contemporary Art will not be what youre looking for. It only houses the works of children whore convinced that their dirty laundry is a new form of modern art. ICA masks untalented students with the pretensions of expression. If art is simply an expression, then everything is art. If everything is art, then the idea of art as a concept has been reduced to insignificance.Most places that have art written above their door contain displays of aesthetic objects which are demonstrations of human imagination and ability. Some of those works contain elements of beauty, while some provoke other emotions, but none could be produced by a toddler. This is not the case with the Institute of Contemporary Art. There are childrens museums for such works.It is reasonable to strive for art that transcends traditional conceptions: an elevation of thoughts to the divine, an outpouring of energy into beautiful works, the creation of aesthetics for the sole purpose of pleasing, etc. However, thinking of art in unconventional terms does not obligate one to degenerate standards of ability and profundity. This is the unfortunate path that the Institute of Contemporary Art has decided to entertain and the city of Richmond suffers the consequences. Indeed, not only does reducing the idea of art into insignificance negatively impact the community, it is destructive to the social fabric and nature of society itself.

Enjoyed walking through with some of my favorite peeps! Will go back for more.

Although small, its a very good use of space and the exhibits are amazing.

I cannot say enough just how awesome this place is. A wide variation of works, and a beautiful building too. Go check it out!!

Newly built, this museum shows contemporary art exhibitions by various creators from various backgrounds. Ranging from paintings to sculptures and everything in between the works offer a perspective on backgrounds, outlooks and perspective. Overall a good place to visit with friends, SOs, and family.

CreativeMornings with Enjoli Moon was incredibly inspiring.

Construction nearly complete. Exciting to see good modern architecture in RVA

I love looking at art from a totally different perspective. Michelle, our docent, was very knowledgeable & engaging.

I loved the staff who cheerfully greeted me and facilitated my experience of the exhibition. The current shows were really good.

Nice smaller gallery with lots of open space. Some thought-provoking exhibits and an exceptionally friendly staff.

Beautiful museum, interesting exhibits. Kind of short though

As a caterer, this a very nice event space. If you need a nice spot to hold a small gathering with class, give the ICA a ring.

I was surprised by my friend with a night of culture! Blitz the ambassador was preforming here for MLK weekend this concert was one Ill remember first the rest of my life!

Fantastic and thoughtfully curated contemporary fine art in a beautiful building with informed and welcoming staff.

Provocations: Guadalupe Maravilla is an amazing exhibit!

This museum displays beautiful pieces of art that make you think and reflect. Coming here with my family every so often is always a pleasure, and we enjoy every exhibit that they have.

The building is really cool looking. Its eye-catching, inside and out. Unfortunately, thats about the best thing here.Theres just not enough gallery space. Theres room for big installations (such as the large piece on the top floor), but so much interior space is lost to the open floorplan and vaulted ceilings that there isnt enough room for art. And thats a big problem for an art gallery.The theater is well-conceived, and a cafe/gift shop is conveniently just outside the theater doors. If youre coming here for a performance of some kind, its probably just right. But I came to look at some modern art and left underwhelmed.The building has its own parking lot, but it is a paid lot. However, admission is free, so it balances out a bit. Its just as well because I wouldnt want to pay more than a couple of dollars to visit. Theres just not much to see. The exhibits I saw were interesting, certainly, but too few.On a positive note the staff or docents are wonderful. Theyre friendly, available without hovering, and kind toward my small children. They were also thoughtful enough to let me know about one exhibit which had adult content before I took my kids up. Great people make even a boring place better.Also, the elevator is really cool.

Beautiful, modern new building! I was actually here attending a wedding reception (I believe the first wedding to happen at this building). Parking is easy to find too.

Awesome addition to The neighborhood. Architecture is cool and vibrant. The layout of the museum is nice, but I dont think they use it to their advantage. I was not impressed with the exhibits on display. We thought the lobby was more interesting!

Wowza. What a building! My family and I came here for the VCU Kinetic Imagining senior showing. The theater was impeccable, the place is beautiful all around, and the Ellwood Thompsons Cafe is a great addition to this new space! I will definitely be back in the fall to visit the cafe after classes and to enjoy the space!

Great thought provoking experience for my husband, children and me. We ate looking forward to following the museums event calendar.

A very interesting art museum and a great addition to Richmonds already flourishing art scene. The museum is absolutely free with some sort of musical performance upstairs (when I went). Its not as big as the vmfa but Id say its more interesting if you like the blobs on a piece of paper style of art or even multimedia art.

Wonderful place. I would recommend this place to anyone to visit in Richmond

Definitely an up and coming space, with a really great set of curated first exhibit artists. Best of all, the free admission means you can keep coming back and seeing things as they get updated. The actual grounds are really nice as well.

The art pieces are cool to look at. All 5 of them. Honestly this building looks like VCU built it for the sake of having an art museum to brag about. Its mostly empty space.

Beautiful new building with lovely, interesting architecture on the outside and provocative modern art on the inside. You will find three large art galleries, and large auditorium, an outside terrace, lockers and coat storage, plenty of seating inside and out, and Elwood Thompsons Cafe (they serve beer!). Plenty to see, hear, and touch. All for free! It really is a beautiful installation, and we look forward to seeing the collections as they are installed. Definitely worth checking out, and a wonderful addition to the already great museum scene in Richmond.

If you are totally steeped in the modern art world every day, this is your oasis. Others may glean what they can according to how invested in the experience they are. For me, one of the installations drew me in and I easily could have spent an hour studying it.

VCU added this amazing spot to their reputation.

Lovely experience. Will definitely return. Also, our cold brew and bagel were very tasty!

Very cool architecture and the show was very interesting. Parking is not free but very reasonable and the institute is free. Clean environment and bathrooms. Plenty of staff keep an eye on things and provide answers. Great activity for everyone.

Interesting new museum with the whole pace devoted to a series of special exhibitions, mostly installation art so far. The space itself is beautiful and the staff is very nice. And its free, so you can stop by for an hour or even less without feeling like you have to get your moneys worth.

Went for the Richmond International Film Festival event, which was wonderful. Peaked around at the exhibits. Will definitely go back!

Worth the wait! Hopefully the quality of the shows remains high and it attracts the sort of contemporary art that comes and goes too quickly for the VMFA but is too big for other nearby galleries. The facilities are beautiful and spacious and just great in every way. Itll be up to the people involved whether it makes a real and lasting impact on the arts culture: dont screw this up!!

Great place for lectures, unusual art exhibits, coffee with friends, screenings of short films, and documentaries. Very eclectic offerings. Amazing!

Great contemporary art museum with rotating exhibits.

Pretty neat art museum. Open later than other museums in town. Be careful, you dont have to pay for parking on the weekend.

The building is beautiful, but the exhibits were disappointing. When I went in July 2018, 90% of the space on the first floor had been filled with art of a political nature; all of it negative. When I visit a museum I like to leave feeling inspired; I didnt find that here. Fortunately the admission was free. If I ever return, I will carefully read the museums website to find out what the topics of their exhibits are.

Beautiful and thought provoking art with helpful staff.

Loved it. 3 Floors of mind expanding, beautiful, and FREE Art! Ill definitely revisit in the future!

Awesome offering of guest artists exhibits

Wonderful gift back to the city from our leading University VCU. Thought provoking exhibits, amazing community dialogue and their film series is not to be missed! So excited to have them step up in such a big way to support the city. Make sure to check their schedule for upcoming events!

The displays are very pretty, it is so conveniently located, and plus no cost of entrance. I love what theyre doing

AMAZING AND VERY WELL ORGANIZED

Thought provoking art and cool cafe

The building is beautiful and unique - open and well lit. The staff is welcoming and knowledgeable and the artwork is thoughtful, thought provoking, smart, powerful, impactful and I cant wait to keep going back to get deeper with what I have seen as well as to see new work as it changes. Great addition to the community.

I called and asked where to park.They said lot QQ was for them. There was a sign in front of lot saying event parking only and I told the them. He said that was ok and I didnt have to pay for parking when the sign was up. When I left the museum the sign was down and I had a parking ticket. I would have paid to park if he hadnt said that on the phone prior to parking. Plus..he didnt bother to tell me that the museum was under construction so they only had one exhibit. Not happy

Great exhibits, friendly staff, beautiful new building! So excited about this awesome new addition to Richmonds art community.

Really nice, felt like I was in a movie set

Very interesting exhibits, and very calm and quiet atmosphere. Love it!

Fantastic opening exhibition Declaration. Building is beautiful inside. What a fantastic space to activate in downtown Richmond. Contemporary art, free memberships and Ellwoods Cafe for snacking.

You go here to get inspired and let you your creative juices flow free.

Displaying work by artists we dont usually get to see in Richmond Virginia. Well worth the time.

It is a very interesting space and I enjoyed the exhibits.

Its a beautiful building inside and out and the Declaration exhibit was impactful, thought provoking and visually stunning. With free admission, you cant go wrong.

Very enticing space! The shows were very much about process and high-level concepts.

There needs to be more and better exhibits.

This is such a great addition to the Richmond arts and culture scene. The exhibits are all so thought-provoking. I will definitely need to go back several times to take it all in before they swap out for the next round of exhibits. There are so many timely and important topics that the current exhibits touch on, from racism to police brutality to the refuge crisis and beyond...this place will certainly get your attention and open up space for interesting dialogue as you reflect on what youve seen, heard and experienced. I love that the museum has many interactive exhibits so that you interact with the art more than just visually. This is a must-visit destination for locals and tourists alike. Please note that admission is free and membership is free! Im thankful VCU has made this accessible for everyone.

LOVE ICA! Had the opportunity to perform as apart of the Provocations exhibition in February. Yesterday, I stopped by to check out Cauleen Smiths Give it or Leave It and Irena Haiduk/Martine Syme Dialogues exhibit. They are up until May. Will definitely check it out again.

Brought my family from out of state to see this, paid $4 to park only to find out they only had ONE exhibit to see. Very disappointed.

Interesting and thought-provoking exhibits within some lovely architecture.

Awesome Steven Holl architecture, stunning! The building inside and out is a living sculpture! World class, with an amazing auditorium and theatre, Ellwood Thompsons Cafe, institute shoppe, and the most amazing exhibitions and galleries. An ongoing experience thats not to be missed!

Free to enter the wonderful art exhibits. Great coffee on the first floor and wonderful staff!

Wonderful place!

The art on display changes from exhibit to exhibit and while I cannot vouch for the pieces being shown, I heartily applaud that there is this bold space to show contemporary art.

Thought provoking, conversation starting, and beautiful architecture. I really enjoy the art pieces they display.

Hard to believe all of their exhibits were turning over at the same time; they need to learn to rotate them in and out. Nice facility, however.

A great building in general and the exhibitions are great as well. Free entrance and a free audio guide from their website so bring your headphones! The cafe has vegan options.

Most excellent location for our meeting.

Full disclosure: I work here and have drank the Kool aid.One of the most unique structures in Richmond filled with really interesting work. I recommend a visit.

The CMA is Really trying hard to expand in every way. They are succeeding.

If you like contemporary art this is the place to go. Amazing space in an amazing building.

Interesting art again but great being with friends and ICA staff.

Gorgeous building & art space. Fabulous art pieces on display. A must visit.

Great space, free entry, no permanent collection. Very enjoyable place.

Fun space. Very interesting exhibits in just the right amount so as not to overwhelm.

Best new museum in the RVA...check it out! Great wines also...

Friendly staff, thought evoking exhibits. Great for visitors and locals!

Today was a bad day. One exhibit only open because of transition. This should have been closed until the transition was over. The coffee shop was open but Ill never try it again. Both cappuccino and expresso were cold and not tasty.

Wonderful spaces. Very interesting architecture. Like a breath of fresh air.

Beautiful building full of unique ideas and perspectives of the world. A must see for anyone visiting Richmond

Definitely contemporary! Some things I wouldnt consider art and others were vet interesting.

Beautiful place! Lots of light. The interactive installations are fun.

Wonderful space. Excellent staff. Well worth seeing.

Important and meaningful. A worthwhile visit and a gorgeous facility.

A wonderful place to spend your day

The building is cool, but the collection has no standout pieces.