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MIT List Visual Arts Center

ArtDesignClosed · Opens 12pmFreeKendall/MIT (MBTA Red Line)

The MIT List Visual Arts Center is the contemporary art museum of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, housed on the atrium level of the I. M. Pei-designed Wiesner Building (E15) at the eastern edge of campus in Kendall Square, Cambridge. It presents six to nine temporary exhibitions a year across roughly 6,000 square feet of galleries, showing new and established contemporary artists alongside commissioned projects. The List also stewards MIT's public art collection — more than 3,000 works, with sculpture by artists such as Alexander Calder and Henry Moore sited around the Institute — and runs the Student Lending Art Program and the Percent-for-Art commissioning programme. Founded as the Hayden Gallery in 1950, it moved into the Wiesner Building and took its present name in 1985. Admission is free.

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Permanent Collections

Plan Your Visit

Getting there

Wiesner Building, 20 Ames Street, Bldg. E15-109, Atrium level, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States

Nearest station: Kendall/MIT (MBTA Red Line)

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Hours

MonClosed
Tue12:00–18:00
Wed12:00–19:00
ThuToday12:00–19:00
Fri12:00–18:00
Sat12:00–18:00
Sun12:00–18:00

Admission

Free

Free and open to all. Most public programmes, tours and hands-on workshops are also free.

Nearby

MIT Museum

Science2 min walk

Gibson House Museum

Architecture16 min walk

Museum of Science, Boston

Science19 min walk

Massachusetts Historical Society

HistoryFree20 min walk

Visitor Information

Is MIT List Visual Arts Center free to visit?
Yes, general admission to MIT List Visual Arts Center is free. Free and open to all. Most public programmes, tours and hands-on workshops are also free.. Some special exhibitions may charge a separate ticket, so check the museum's website before visiting.
What are the opening hours of MIT List Visual Arts Center?
MIT List Visual Arts Center is open Tue 12:00–18:00; Wed–Thu 12:00–19:00; Fri–Sun 12:00–18:00. Closed Mondays. Admission is always free. The official site listed no dated holiday or installation closures when checked on 10 Sep 2026, so check listart.mit.edu/visit before travelling around MIT holidays.. Holiday hours can vary, so check the museum's website before you go.
Where is MIT List Visual Arts Center?
MIT List Visual Arts Center is located at Wiesner Building, 20 Ames Street, Bldg. E15-109, Atrium level, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States, in the Kendall Square, Cambridge area of Boston. The nearest station is Kendall/MIT (MBTA Red Line).
What can I see at MIT List Visual Arts Center?
MIT's free contemporary art museum in I. M. Pei's Wiesner Building, plus a public art collection scattered across campus. Current highlights include Uri Aran, Hao Jingban, List Projects 35: Pap Souleye Fall.
Do I need to book MIT List Visual Arts Center in advance?
MIT List Visual Arts Center is free to enter and most days you can walk in. Free and open to all. Most public programmes, tours and hands-on workshops are also free.. For special exhibitions, weekends, and school holidays, booking a timed slot can help you skip queues. Check the museum's website for current requirements.
When is the best time to visit MIT List Visual Arts Center?
Weekday mornings shortly after opening are typically the quietest, especially mid-week. Late afternoons can also be calmer. Weekends, school holidays, and the lunch rush are the busiest periods.

ajay_suresh / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

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