These guys are doing it right. Such a confidence inspiring entrance experience. Was able to thoroughly enjoy the museum and grounds without a single incidence of discomfort. Come out! Enjoy one of the most necessary artistic environments offered in our county. read more

5 full stars of love. Hours and hours of art and fun for all ages. There are great exhibits for kids as well as a play area where they can also get free little kits to make things based on the main exhibits. The buildings themselves are fascinating, the history, then you add art to that and what they have achieved will amaze you. Make sure you have your camera and check the website well as some exhibits you have to sign up for, oh and the drive, while long was so beautiful I would gladly do it again. read more

What a disappointment to have spent $20 and an hour at this place during our trip to the Berkshire area on a beautiful summer day. The weird and funky art exhibited just seems so out of place and it would have been more appropriate if they had used this historical renovated mill building to showcase the natural history of the Berkshires. read more

Many a fortnight ago I went to the leonard nimoy secret selves exhibit at the MOCA and I was wow'ed. First by the boston natives delectable eyebrows and secondly by how WEIRD and AWESOME some people are. Man were there some tapped out individuals in that exhibit, kinda makes me want to move to northhampton and sit on a bench and just ogle people all day long. I tip my cap to mr. nimoy and the MOCA for picking up this gem. That being said some of the stuff that they have there I woudln't necessarily qualify as "Art". I could take a dump in a bag and throw it at the wall and call it my interpretation of yesterday's breakfast, and some people would say "genius, he's a true renaissance man!" But some people also thought making the movie "Gigli" was a good idea too. Crinkling up a bunch of paper is not exactly art my 8 year old neighbor crinkles paper up all the time and I wouldn't exactly call him Monet. However, there was a sweet Jorg Immendorf exhibit that I would call art, I'd call it amazing. I was totes magoats crushing on Jorg, writing I heart Jorg and Jamie +Jorg 4eva on my PO5 trapper keeper for weeks. read more

Incredible experience. Highly recommend spending at least a full day if not longer at this world class modern art museum.

I visited this attraction to go see a show by a group called Trio da Kali. The first act wasn't really my cup of tea, but the second act was great. The music was very good, and the sound mix was well done. It was overall a great experience, read more

The art here is wonderful but the staff leave much to be desired. Despite talking to both the ticketing and guidebook attendants, neither mentioned that we should proceed upwards to level 3, and then back down in each building, before moving on. We realized our mistake in the second and largest gallery, so we had to schlep back across the building, before having to seek out someone and inquire on the most efficient path through the museum. Still I was having a wonderful time at the museum with my family, reunited from across the US and Europe. We were in awe of the size, dedication and expression of each gallery. After an excellent introduction to the marble sculptures of Louise Bourgeois by Jim, we settled down for wine and cookies, taking a break after almost two of hours of exploration. After a snack, the family split up. My father (slowed by a bad hip) and I went to get a head start. We went down to "Into the Light" and now almost three hours into our exploration, we were accosted and accused by a woman of not having tickets. You see my father, without his glasses put the wrong side of his ticket on his shirt. No one mentioned this when we walked in, not the guide person, nor the security guard, or the man standing in the first gallery who never even said "hi or welcome." Here we are in the dark, having happily moved through the museum for several hours and she accused us of splitting the ticket in two and putting each half on our shirt. If she wasn't so insulting it would have been laughable. I was pretty stunned and angry and mentioned so. She didn't care. The only thing that saved us was I realized I still had my other half, proving we had two tickets, but I really felt sick to my stomach after that encounter. Would she have kicked us out? What a joke that would have been. Here we are on an expensive multi-city vacation with family members we will see once or maybe twice a year, wearing nice clothing on our trip ( it was a warm day so - collared shirts, khaki shorts and nice shoes) and I have to deal with some petty person accusing my father and I of cheating the museum out of $20. I'm very angry that this is going to a memory I keep of the week, but I can't get it out of my head. This person wasn't just doing their job they were power-tripping. It was gross. Great customer relations. read more

The greatest of all, the things that exist, is a temple of passion, in brick beset. No chance of forgetting that great hands built this shrine, that men and women worked hard through the passage of time. Now amongst trees and hills made of stone, perched on a river sits the creative throne. A cavern of art unlocks a great deal...it offers the old world a new way to feel. A perspective beyond the one that's most clear, is sometimes the one that need to squelch fear. read more

MASS Moca is a shining star in North Adams. They keep expanding! They have awesome events and music- I wish there was a good place to sleep over in the area because I haven't found one. As a day trip though, seeing the museum is the best. The exhibits are always changing, except for a few pieces that are always on display like the Sol DeWitt rooms. I really enjoy the way that they focus on diverse artists. The interactive pieces are great for kids. They let you take photos of the work usually which is nice too. There's a special makers space for kids but check the hours before you go. read more

MASS Moca: fucking awesome The 3-hour-drive there: fucking blows This past Sunday, after waking up wicked early and being done with brunch by 11am, we decided it was time we adventured out to Mass Moca. We knew it was far, but not 3-hour-drive-far?! I mean, museums are supposed to be accessible, so that people can actually permeate themselves with the art. North Adams is SOOOOOOOOOO not accessible. It's not even close to a major highway. You have to drive either on Route 2 and cross through all the shitty towns or take I90, take exit 2 (which seems to be like 20 miles away from exit 3...it was driving me crazy) and drive off for an hour...AN HOUR on backroads. It's the biggest pain in the ass. I spent 2hrs at the museum and 6hrs DRIVING. The museum itself is fantastic. It's a collection of industrial buildings transformed into very airy, open spaces for art. Great for major installations! It's also the right size, not too overwhelming. They seem to always have big names; they were showing works by Spencer Finch, Anselm Kiefer, Joseph Beuys and a collection of art by Western artists in China called Eastern Standard. Apparently, they even had Cai Guo-Qiang in the past! Entry for adults is only $12.50 and they have tours you can take. It really is impressive and exciting. The question remains: WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY NORTH ADAMS?!! When we stepped out, we tried to take advantage of the town...THERE'S NOTHING. Let me tell you, from 4-5pm on a Sunday everything is closed! We walked around aimlessly for a while and ended up eating at this expensive coffee place. What a pity! I'll only be back if they manage to resurrect Jean-Basquiat and they have him do a special request show and talk about neo-expressionism and his influence on modern artists. Ps I did enjoy the rando yellow signs along the road with ONLY the word "CHILDREN" written across them. Now...that's art. PPs I'm not bitter read more

So this muesum is famous except I do not do drugs so therefore I did not understand a thing. I guess I am not a fan of contemporary art. It only took me 40 minutes to get through and I was very disappointed. read more

I think I'm in love. This place was amazing. It was a treat to get to, I stared out the window pretty much the whole time. The cafe that's inside made pretty decent food for a reasonable price. The admission was inexpensive. The exhibitions were amazing and well if you get tired just look out the window because there are amazing views. The special exhibition that was happening when I went was a "performance" piece by a group of artists from Birmingham, England. The group is called Stan's Cafe and the performance was "Of all the People, In all the World." Look them up at, www.stanscafe.co.uk, it was mind blowing. Basically, you were given a grain of rice when you go in and they have piles of rice representing different statistics, it puts a lot of things in perspective. Anyway, I recommend Mass Moca, the drive through the Berkshires, and North Adams. read more

The building itself is cool with interesting corridors, skylights, and bridges. But Modern Art is definitely subjective. And I, for one, am not a fan of the MOCA exhibits save perhaps the Annie Lenox one. We visited the museum on a beautiful seventy degree fall day with brilliant foliage and clear blue skies. The place is pricey so expectations were high. As we prepared to enter the exhibits I was stopped by a red shirted surly security guard who insisted I leave my water bottle outside on an unsecure shelf by the window. My water bottle was empty. I asked if I could put it in my purse. He refused. I had to return the bottle to my car parked at the far end of the crowded parking lot. Inside, the exhibits were bizarre at best. An exhibit room with dirt and mud on the floor ....representing a non-elite, non-white museum experience as per interpretive panels...which is replete with irony considering the ticket price is prohibitive for all but those who can afford it. Once people left this muddy room their dust stained shoes sullied and scratched the new wood floors. You could see the mud stain and scratches on the wood floors outside the glass doors....but my empty water bottle would be a problem;) After 30 minutes in the hot, glass enclosed rooms I was parched for water but there were no water fountains to be found. The Mound exhibit was like entering a creepy childish video game. This is where some Modern Art leaves me cold. It requires you to enter the twisted esoteric mind of the artist and see their dark thoughts and fantasies and the spinning wheels of their neurosis. Does banana have a soul? Can evil be a force for good if it volunteers in museums? A pile of rag dolls in a pile here. A dark room with a single chair in front of a screen with mud. A string hanging from a ceiling. A crack in the wall. What??? It's a bunch of derivative drivel displayed to "provoke' new perspectives I imagine. I neither get nor fancy that. A lot of the exhibits are just plain weird and rather dark and dismal in thought and query. Not worth the money or the time. The restrooms in the basement also left a lot to be desired. I may not understand modern art but I do understand the need for sanitary places. Clearly, the visitor money is not being spent on cleaning said facilities. There was unflushed 'waste' in every stall except for one. Not cool unless that too passes for 'modern art.' While in the exhibit space, we saw several people pull out water bottles from their bags and drink from them. I stopped and asked one visitor how they got their water bottle past security. They said they just had their bottles in their bags;) Nice!! I had my water bottle in my hand and was stopped yet they sailed right thru...so subterfuge is the name of the game for MASS MoCA. Hide your water bottles, swiss army knives, nail polish etc in your small bag before entering. As we left the museum, dazed and disappointed, the sun shone down on us as the reds yellows, and greens of the fall foliage shone resplendent in the hills surrounding North Adams. I felt I had escaped from prison and I thought to myself, the natural world is all the modern art I need and its FREE!!!! So skip the museum and go for a hike. I promise you, you won't regret it. In understand the value of Art in our lives and I support it 100% but this type of self-indulgent, esoteric "Art" is just not worth the money. If it was a free public installation, then that would be something but it's not. The money spent on these types of exhibits would be better used to uplift our public spaces in less advantaged neighborhoods. Blanksy is Art. Mass MOCA is an elite indulgence. read more

i'll be back. that's for dammy. sol lewitt, you had me at your crooked colored pencil lines. something about historic mill buildings makes me gleeful. n. adams (minus the town itself. why is it like a ghostville, usa? where all the people?) is where it's at. read more

If I had to sum this place up in a five words, I would say: HUGE, fun, inspiring, historical and WOW. This is probably one of the best museums that I have ever been to. I am not a museum snob - I don't like the serious stuff, I like pieces that make me think but I also really enjoy interaction. If you have any interest in art at all or just like feeling like you are in a surreal playground you will enjoy this place so much. There's something for everyone - even a part for the kids. Many times you are actually walking through the piece of art and other times though the art might look fun at a glance, if you study the pieces you will see some very deep meaning. You can go as shallow or as deep as you want at this museum and that is why it's fun for everyone - thought provoking on every level. . From the actual pieces, to the architecture, to the extremely knowledgeable staff, this place is amazing. The perfect place to eat is the Gramercy Bistro or the in-museum cafe. Even the outdoors and the actual building that the museum is in (including the interesting bathroom area) leave something to be discovered. There is even an octagon shaped "bunker" room to walk through and feel the character of the artist through the set up of the room! Whether you like actual art, interaction, history of old buildings, outdoor walking or just a beautiful sunday, this is the place for you. Also, don't miss the antique shop on the premises. I can't rave enough about this museum. Best part: the eclipse exhibit. Make sure you find the black chairs under the exhibit so you can lean back and watch (completely different than watching on the bridge towards the back of the exhibit). Wonderful place that I would visit again and again. (Porches, the hotel across the street is equally as amazing). I cannot rave enough about this place. They will be expanding within the next few months. Highly recommended. read more

it's a little out of the way if you aren't local, but i think it's worth the trip if you like contemporary art and amazing museum spaces. check the website to see if what shows are up interest you, friendly staff. ample parking. nice gift shop. better than your average museum. read more

I completely recommend this fine fine museum. Wonderful exhibits and artwork, as well as a sweet cafe and shop. Plus, totally unique upside-down maple trees! read more

A wonderful use of the building, the space within and the grounds without. Great exhibits! Nice venue for music and other events. It's in North Adams- great town for scenery, hiking, restaurants, etc. A worthwhile excursion! read more

Love the Sol Lewitt exhibit, but also really enjoyed Jim Shaw's Entertaining Doubts. Everything was really great.

My daughter and I were in Boston for a few days and decided to take a three hour side trip to North Adams to visit MASS MoCA. It was my second visit and her first. I was born and grew up in North Adams. My parents both worked at Sprague Electric which was the company that occupied these buildings before MASS MoCA. So this place has great nostalgia for me. But nostalgia aside, this is a great modern art museum. The buildings are big enough to display exhibits that could not be shown anywhere else. On this visit, there was a light and sound show in a building the length of a football field. It had to be seen to be believed. Although it was not yet fully constructed when we were there in mid October, we got a sneak peek at a ceramics exhibit that included some of the largest ceramic sculptures I have ever seen. So back to nostalgia. When I was working a summer job in college at Sprague, I washed every single window in these buildings. Don't miss the elevated Airstream trailer or the original Sprague Boiler Plant. read more

An essential day trip: it's an hour or so from Albany, via rt. 2, a real mountain road that feels like it could be in Wyoming. If you see the Jenny Holzer exhibit, remember to look at the bean bag when you get up. read more

This place is awesome, its fun, quirky, has great exhibits, a fantastic atmosphere (even the restrooms are visually interesting) and to top off a great day at the museum you can have fresh squeezed lemonade at their cafe which is totally out of this world. If you've never been there make it a point to visit, there is something for everyone to enjoy. read more

The Nick Cave exhibit was absolutely mind blowing. We are still talking about it 2 weeks later. Add Turrell and a couple of others and 5 hours went by in no time. Great gift shop with very nice folks added to the experience. read more

This was my first trip here, and I hate to admit that because I'm not young. I am growing in awareness of and appreciation for contemporary art, so many of these installations really took my breath away and left me wanting more knowledge of what was/is going on in these artists' heads. (And I mean that in a positive and curious way) But more than the art for me was the building itself and the way it was preserved so you'd never mistake it for anything other than the industrial structure that it was, and at the same time accented with colors that bring out some wonderful architectural lines. Next trip to the area might be just for a visit here. read more

I hadn't been to the museum for a couple of years so I had to stop in to see what was new. I was blown away!!! I bought a ticket that allowed a 2 day pass and I needed it. Do not miss; Into The Light, James Turrel, Still I Rise, We Already Have What We Need, Cauleen Smith and Now I Let You God, Annie Lennox. I would have had a few more favorites it I had another day to spend there. Until next time....... read more

wasn't a good place to see a concert. Went to see Blonde there... There was rain, which was fine but because they were so afraid of their insurance, because of that it was fine with them to not let us into the show and miss the opening act... They let a 1/4 Mile line form under the pretense they were saving us from lightning.... We were surounded by forty foot high buildings.. but all of a sudden lightening was going to hit us all... what a bunch of nonsense.. so many of us missed the first band, And The Kids.. because.. us not getting what we had paid for was fine with them... so long as .. ok you get the idea... i should have asked for a refund... read more

Saw the Xu Bing Phoenixes here Memorial Day, 2013. Quite amazing. Rest of the museum is very impressive as well.

This world class contemporary art museum is always filled with interesting, engaging work that is constantly refreshing with new installations and performances. It's a jewel and a delightful repeat destination. read more

I adore Mass MoCa. I've been coming here for many years and each time I visit there is something new and totally unique, thought provoking and amazing on display. The Sol Lewitt exhibit is not to be missed - but you don't have to rush, it will be there until 2033. His geometric wall drawings are given their full due in building all to themselves, connected to the rest of the museum by covered walkways. The space is a former factory and they make the most of it, with the freedom to do huge installations other museums couldn't dream of. In my most recent visit I loved the "Invisible Cities" exhibit, with a really diverse mix of pieces inspired by the human and physical architecture of cities. Mass MoCa goes out of their way to be kid and family friendly - you see a lot of families around - though of course some of the art deals with "mature" subject matter. But, why not start a conversation about the meaning of art, right? Mass MoCa is a cultural highlight of the Berkshires. Worth gong out of your way, wherever you are. read more

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What a fantastic place! I had a great time and who knew this place was so BIG! The virtual reality exhibit was really weird and engaging. I cannot wait to visit MASS MoCA again! read more

absolutely amazing museum. in this massive space, you could easily make a day of it. in fact...here's what you do...on a beautiful new england fall day...take a leisurely drive out to north adams, making sure to stop along the way to enjoy the foliage because it's brilliant out that way. spend the day that the MoCA enjoying art from HUGE instillation pieces to photography and everything in between. then hop back in your car making sure to stop by the "eyes" sculptors at williams college on your way back to boston. a perfect day. i do it every year. read more

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i flipping love Mass MoCA. i assume this has a lot to do with the fact that every time i've been i've seen incredible music (solid sound festival 2010 and 2011, jeff mangum 2013), but i'm generally not a big contemporary art fan and i still am a huge fan of this space. the exhibits turn over frequently so even if you make an annual trek out, the art will have changed in full almost every time. the old factory itself is an impressive, historic space, and even if the walls were barren it would be fun to explore. i've seen moving war tributes, crafty Sol LeWitt patterns, enormous unique instruments, and such imaginative art in the children's section that as a full-grown adult it's my favorite section, too. the theater and the courtyard make for fantastic venue spaces - the inside with outstanding acoustics, and the outside with intimate feel. if you haven't checked out the solid sound festival yet at Mass MoCA you've no idea what you're missing, but even if you're just headed in for the art, it's a pretty majestic way to spend the day. read more

Mass MoCA is a delight, and wonderful to return to, year after year. The selection of modern art is always excellent. Most every piece has the ability to evoke a mood, make you think, or transform the space you are in by its presence. This transformed mill complex is rather huge, and the highlight of the trip is always the installation in the huge multistory gallery which is the length of several football fields. This large-scale installation is currently Projections, and art is on display for approximately a year before installation of the next one begins. My 9-year-old son is well on his way to becoming an expert MassMocan. There is a KidsSpace for the little ones, the gift store has lots of really cool gadgets and toys, and the subterranean bathrooms are cool, literally and figuratively. (I think they are the second coolest one in Massachusetts; I hear the ones at the Smith College Art Museum are works of art.) Be sure to check out the event schedule; there are always music shows, film, stage productions, and events for the kids (like a gallery scavenger hunt) on the calendar. Enjoy yourself for a day trip or weekend at Mass MoCA! Always something to delight and surprise! read more

It's a wonderful place. They utilize the space to the best for the oeuvres. I like contemporary museums, and it's so far the best I have visited. Go with your kids, your teens, friends and family!! Nick Cave's "oeuvres" are the most "grandioses" read more

Go here, make the trip. It's worth it. Crazy art in a huge space. Good for kids. This place needs to be successful, it's really one of a kind. read more

I LOVE this museum! P.S.1 has been my favorite museum for some time but I think it just got replaced. Instantly, I was welcomed by the staff and joking with them. The layout of the museum isn't overwhelming and I got to see everything I wanted to in 2 hours. I often get museum burnout if the space is too big but this space felt just right. The Sol LeWitt exhibit is currently up and it was a treat! The drive up was beautiful and the town is super quaint. A nice day trip! read more

There are some very interesting installations at the museum. We really only liked a couple of the exhibits, but enjoyed the whole experience. The Petah Coyne exhibit was excellent, the others were just not our thing. But the space is really cool and this is definitely a good cultural center for the community. read more

Incredible! I'm not much of an arts person but this is a wonderful experience for anyone of all ages. The exhibits are mind blowing in scope and originality. You could spend 2 full days here easily and make a fun weekend of it. North Adams offers a really fun downtown core and is a great place to stay. Well worth the trip from Boston or NYC. Can't wait to come back! read more

Year after year of GREAT exhibits! Make the trip from Boston out to North Adams for only two things: Mass MOCA and Jack's Hot Dogs. Always satisfied! read more

A perfect place to escape a winter day too cold to be outdoors. The space is as engaging as the art itself. LicketySplit Cafe seems a little stale. read more