Institute of Contemporary Arts

Founded in 1946, the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) was established as a center for artists seeking exposure outside the more traditional tenets and ideas of the Royal Academy. In its early days, it showcased works by such visionary artists as Picasso and Jackson Pollack, while ushering in the artistry of the Pop Art movement in London. It sits squarely in the Nash House portion of the Carlton House Terrace, and is a thoroughly modern facility with multiple galleries, a full theater, and two film cinemas. If you book a hotel near The Mall in London, you will be close to the ICA, as well as many of the other must-see venues of London. The ICA has retained much of its reputation for displaying edgier pieces, and opening the eyes of the art world to new forms since its inception, merging technology with tradition in its displays. Today, the ICA has expanded to include film, along with the more traditional forms, and has a theater that hosts a portion of the London Film Festival, along with other prominent film events. If your art interests tend to the modern, this is a terrific stop on your vacation to London.

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