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MIT's contemporary-art collection & temporary exhibits in an I.M. Pei-designed building.
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Reviews — 8
There are no permanent exhibits and those currently on display (Jan 2024) didn't appeal.
It's good that I live on the MIT Campus and visited just on a whim. Would hVe otherwise regretted it.
It's good that I live on the MIT Campus and visited just on a whim. Would hVe otherwise regretted it.
Entrance free of charge. Architecturally sublime. Kind and gentle staff, feel free to ask them about the works exhibited. (If you have the luck to meet Selby Nimrod please honor the presence). Concise yet very nurturing. Indoor exhibitions are mainly composed of 2 selections and a small library/reading lobby. Outdoor exhibition is largely composed by many traditional forms of art that are scattered around the blocks (use the map provided inside to explore these, bet it's more enjoyable during summer) . Compared with the main MIT museum I found this experience closer to the current topics of interests that the artistic researches are facing on the new media lab (this is just a personal guess and opinion).
The three exhibits on display were quite underwhelming… I highly recommend spending more time looking around the MIT buildings and public works of art on display that are scattered throughout the campus.
I attended a Nucleate event and it was catered by some of the finest Mediterranean food I've ever had. One of the servers even took my colleague's empty Starbucks cup to trash, demonstrating that true MIT above and beyond spirit.
It’s really a beautiful space (and the entry is free), but the experience is soured by curatorial elitism and pouty staff. Desk lady/docent here told me recently that I didn’t understand the work (and couldn’t) because I wasn’t a refugee or seeking asylum - I kid you not. Most installations here are accompanied by puffed up socio-political (read: grant fulfilling) essays - apparently art can’t speak for itself anymore. If you are into a dose of feel-bad self-righteous institutional art, the List is your place.
MIT campus is a wonder! Amazing outdoor spaces, architecture, public art. Staff in the Visual Arts Center was helpful and friendly. Unfortunately, we were there during exhibition changeover but loved the video installation by Allison Nguyen. ❤️ MIT!
It's a fun and quick exhibit—they change the exhibit every couple of months, and the whole thing will take you about 10 to 30 minutes to get through. Good for a side stop on your day out, but as the main event.
