Always an interesting visit. Varied topics but always interesting . I wouldn't go there during their employees on strike, but now since they settled the strike and paying a better wage. I'll be coming back. read more

A collection of nothing more than innocuous tripe. At $22.00 per person, the same price as the museum of modern art in NYC, it should be embarrassed! read more

This place is epic. The space itself is amazing and when you add all of the art, it's even better. So many twists and turns and various rooms and buildings. It's very easy to miss something so I went through the entire museum twice ... and I still probably missed something. Very cool place! It was the absolute perfect thing to do on a miserable rainy morning, too! read more

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Was disappointed with the various pieces of art. MOCA should set the bar higher. And I wish more of the art was uplifting and inspiring.

Extraordinary! I have spent a lot of time in art museums (you can click on my name and see my other reviews). When art museums present dead artists, it is easy to choose "safe" ones - artists who are generally accepted to be great - Picasso, Monet, etc. This museum presents CONTEMPORARY art. We have no idea if artist X will grow in reputation in coming years or be considered someone who had only "fifteen minutes of fame." At the risk of sounding like an art snob, I have seen too much bad contemporary art in museums in recent years. But not at MASS MOCA! I was extremely impressed by the quality of the exhibitions, especially Glenn Kaino. And what a museum! Some HUGE galleries, with infinite possibilities. For example, there was an excellent Sol LeWitt retrospective on all three floors of building 7 - 27,000 square feet! Where else could one see so much of LeWitt's wall drawings? And kudos to the team that reproduced these according to his specifications. In conclusion, if you have a passion for contemporary art go to MASS MOCA. And if you are interested in older art, The Clark and Williams College Museum of Art are only a few miles away. Spend a few days in the area! read more

Our favorite museum. I have visited at least a dozen times and the exhibits always delight me. The museum is located in an old mill complex and navigating it is half the fun. During the year they host several amazing festivals on the museum grounds, including Fresh Grass and Solid Sound. Lovely food on site (beer, BBQ, fine dining, coffee, and cafe). Mass MOCA is a destination and a wonderful experience. read more

WOW!!! I came to MassMoca for the Freshgrass festival and was amazed by this space all on it's own. Located on an old red brick industrial complex in North Adams MA, MassMoca unfolds with multiple performance spaces and art galleries, bridges and waterways, and fields with MORE performance stages. It is really a wonder. I wish I lived closer as they seem to have incredible arts programming ALL YEAR! If you have the opportunity to attend an event at MassMoca do not hesitate, GO! read more

Although modern art is not necessarily my passion, I enjoyed Mass Moca mor and ha anticipated. I was fascinated by the manual wooden roller coaster-images of my childhood. The exhibit by the hearing impaired artist was intriguing providing an the viewer with a keen vantage point of understanding. Staff were friendly, friendly, inviting and helpful. read more

I was looking at a Louise Bourgeois marble sculpture when a small group of seniors approached. One man asked the guard 'what emotion am I supposed to have when I look at this?'. The guard had no clue then dug his hole much deeper as he tried to explain the unexplainable. If you're seeking to have individual works fill in the blank on your emotional scale, you might want to rethink how you engage with art. MassMoCA is not your typical art venue. It's a behemoth of a place. One gallery alone in this complex is the size of a football field. It's a playground where you're likely to be overwhelmed by something. Leave your expectations in the parking lot then enter this funhouse to see things you could never have expected or imagined. I've been here before but it's been too long so I was glad to be back. Laurie Anderson's virtual reality experiences blew me away. I put on the goggles and was magically inside a plane that slowly disintegrated before me. It all felt very real but, surprisingly, not scary as I found myself suspended in midair. I looked above and below me for a few minutes as various objects began to orbit around me. As I placed my hands in front of me, I could see my hands within this VR experience. Wow! I grabbed a rock floating in front of me then tossed it away. I pulled in a typewriter and typed on a keyboard as the words flew off the page. I turned the pages of a book. In all of this, Laurie Anderson's sweet voice -- I've had a thing for her voice forever -- could be heard as I held these objects. I wanted more but my 15-minute allotted time ended far too soon. The second experience was even more incredible. I entered a dark room with purple day-glo paint images and words on the ceiling, floor and walls. I put on the VR goggles then entered a black world where a series of rooms had the same words and images from the actual room but so much more. In addition to the goggles, I had two wands with which I could spray words like a graffiti artist. I could also use the wands to take me to other rooms. I could fly up through ceilings or down through floors. I could also stand at the edge of this dark city and look out on a stunning horizon of endless clouds. I had an intense feeling of lightness and freedom. This, too, ended after 15 minutes. If I had the time, I would have stood in line to ride this virtual rollercoaster again and again. I could write so much more about the James Turrell exhibition, the exquisite Elizabeth King sculptures and Nick Cave's 'Until'. I'll just say this: if I had to choose a place to live in New England, I would base myself here in North Adams. You can keep Boston, Cape Cod and all the other wonderful places. Instead, I'd take the Berkshires and MassMoCA. P.S. I wish I could have pulled that elderly man into the dark room and put the VR goggles on him. I think his emotions would have given him all the answers he could have possibly wanted. read more

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The best thing about this museum was the building itself. It's a beautiful building with gorgeous views of the mountains. I didn't care for most of the exhibits. I drove 3+ hours to get there and paid $20 per person for admission. For that price, I was expecting more. Plus their parking lot is only for the "artists" so we had to find parking elsewhere. Luckily, there are a couple of 2-hour lots nearby. Security was a little much also. They go thru everything, so leave your bags and water bottles at home. read more

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Stunningly large space for modern art! Great collection. Granted modern art is not for everyone, but even the building itself is beautiful. I like that they acknowledge and incorporate the buildings history into the museum (there are plaques in front of some of the windows describing the scenery outside) rather than just ignoring the surroundings as most museums do. Wear comfortable shoes as it encompasses a large space and a few floors per building. Definitely get the timed tickets for the James Turrell. So cool! We were happily surprised by the very yummy tacos from the taco truck in the courtyard for lunch. Probably the best lunch option (COVID/November). read more

While I simply adore the rustic buildings, soaring ceilings and exposed brick, the actual contemporary art work is just not for me. I say this each and every time that I wander up to MASS MoCA. This visit was less painful because I was smart enough to swing by the local library and score a pass for 2 admissions. For those into this type of art, you will have enough space to explore and stretch your legs. On this visit we signed up for an "appointment" at James Turrell's Hind Sight (Dark Space)....hmmmm. A pitch black room with 2 chairs facing a circle that almost 8 minutes into the private experience, a slight amount of light begins to emerge. Into The Light, requires the attendee to don boot covers and approach a stark white room where you are told to watch out for the sensor that is just before a 5-6 foot drop off...Standing for the 9 minute, 2 episode strobe light experience is interesting. Initially, you appreciate the white and then gradually, the color begins to turn to almost a pale lavender...it was interesting, but not my cup of tea. More interesting was " A Cold Hole", a long room that the viewer can see from a huge glass window, that is merely a room of ice with a single square hole and ladder handles. A cold water plunge. Visitors can observe volunteer performers intermittently jump into the icy water below. Sadly, ( or maybe not), we were not privy to this ritual of cold water immersion. Assembled Audience leads you into a pitch black room with curtains and clapping..canned clapping. The events where the clapping was recorded is listed on the huge white wall outside the exhibit. There seemed to be something very therapeutic about being in a dark space and clapping.. If you are planning a trip to North Adams, I would suggest reading the highlights on the web site to have a preview of what to expect. Plan on a good 3 hours to cover all of the buildings. To me, the buildings are the highlight of a visit to MASS MoCA. read more

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Super clean museum (especially during COVID). The exhibits were stunning and the staff was kind and helpful. If you are worried about COVID a trip to mass moca was relatively low risk and was overall a great experience read more

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Great galleries especially Sol Dewitt and James Turell. Highlight of my trip out to Mass. Glad we made the drive. read more

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Berkshire residents are blessed to have this inspiring retreat, which never fails to spark the imagination. Staff interrogates you upon entering and the vibe is cool so you feel safe (fingers crossed). Signs in many languages remind you not to touch walls or stand close to strangers. Kids are desperate to run, which is acceptable. Favorite overheard remark: "Mom, can I go lie on the prison bed?" (Indeed, one installation feature.) read more

This place blew my mind. I've seen many amazing museums around the world, but this place really is that special. It is a sprawling jumble of industrial buildings mostly connected together, a former textile manufacturing site turned utlitiles company complex within a bucolic setting. The interior design honors the industrial past while making use of features such as skylights and huge windows to bring the natural light inside. The art is perfectly showcased within massive rooms, and the exhibitions themselves are just phenomenal. Sol Lewitt took up three floors of one wing, there was a gallery building specifically for Anselm Kieffer, and a selection of James Turrell and Louise Beourgois when I went for a recent visit. And that's just a sampling. After a recent addition, it is now roughly 250,000 square feet. It is well worth a day trip from NYC, and you can easily devote the entire day to looking at the art or wandering its lush grounds. There's even a local brewery with great beer in the complex. Something for everyone (or for those who aren't really into art)! read more

Definitely worth a trip... even more so when there's an event being held there. For me, it was Wilco's Solid Sound Festival. A great space housing some fantastic work . I'll make it a point to stop by there on my next trek through the area! read more

Mass Moca - Yo La Tengo @ Solid Sound 2013 - Performing Arts Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

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What can I add that has not been said in previous reviews? If you can see the two Laurie Andersson VR exhibits before they close in 2020, do it!! Amazing experiences and way more than I expected. I loved the layout of the museum into buildings that can be accessed by stairs or elevator. So nice to not be in a big box of a building. I do have some tips: 1) This is a modern art museum. Just modern art. If you love it, this is a local mecca. If not, you will not enjoy yourself. Many of the pieces have stories behind them that are either printed next to them or in the program. Not everything is completely abstract but expect a lot of it and this will stir your mind. 2) Yes, it is family-friendly and is there is a children's wing but 80% of the museum consists of galleries with art that has alarms if you get too close. A certain amount of decorum is also expected so you cannot let kids run loose. 3) There is free parking. We parked in the lot farther away from the front entrance. 4) There is a cafe and that is where you'll be expected to eat, even if you bring your own food. As someone with a food allergy, that's good to know. You cannot bring food or drink into the galleries as most museums also require. There are also restaurants walking distance from the museum if the cafe offerings are not to your taste. 5) There is art everywhere even in hallways on the way to more art. You will not be disappointed at quality or quantity. Art for your eyes and ears and touch as there are quite a few multimedia pieces and VR or immersive pieces, read more

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I went to MASS MoCA for the first time today with my family and it was great. I really liked the look and the setup. The building looks like it was two old brick buildings that were put together, so you can see the alley between the two buildings that is now inside. The exhibits are pretty cool as well. I really liked the music room for the kids. read more

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This review is less a reflection of the art within - which you will either like or you won't - but more a reflection of our experience with the Museum's customer interaction. We - my wife, and my 3-month old child - were perusing the labyrinthine museum when it became feeding time for our child. We sat down at the end of one of the floors in a reading nook overlooking the convergence of the river. After the feeding finished, our child had a "blowout" and needed immediate changing. My wife took our child to the nearest restroom, also labeled as a family restroom, and there was no changing table to be found. Consequently, we took the child to an empty chamber with a wooden bench and changed her here. We were completely sanitary, having pads to go under the baby and fully ensuring that nothing she produced touched anything other than a plastic bag and a garbage can. An attendant came up to us during the process and told us that we could finish but that under no circumstance were we to change the baby in the museum, and that we had to use the bathroom. We said we tried to use the bathroom, but there was no table. She said that she had no alternative. When pressed, she went and walkie talkied someone and came back several minutes later with a bathroom on a different floor far away from where we were. While she was polite and professional, a supposedly family friendly museum should A) have changing tables in ALL of their restrooms, B) train staff as to how to deal with these sorts of issues. While this was our major grievance, we were annoyed by a couple other things. First, there are tons of alarms on exhibits always going off. I set off two inadvertently. I was one of many setting off the alarms. The people control around exhibits could be better so that these alarms are not so easily tripped. The alarms take away from the peace of taking in the art. Second, you cannot wear a backpack. This is minor, but you have to carry a backpack - not wear it. Thought it worth mentioning in case anyone likes to bring around a well supplied but heavy backpack for their family. I'd advise leaving backpacks at home. read more

Visiting MASS MoCA is always a great time, and every time I'm here I enjoy discovering something new, whether it's a site-specific installation, a special show, or something I hadn't noticed before. The team here is fantastic, and they've done such a good job over the years with curating the art and putting on interesting programs. read more

Hi everyone. I live in California and I'm here in North Adams today. I drove across Massachusetts from Boston and got an AirBNB in North Adams JUST to go to MASS MoCA. I got there at 5. Welp, apparently their posted hours are wrong and they close at 5 and are only open until 6 "during the summer." Staff wouldn't let me walk through and today is Monday so they are closed tomorrow. So much for my Massachusetts road trip destination. Guess I should have called like the old days? Just wow. read more

Would have very much liked to visit - online it said they were open until 6 pm and we drove an hour and a half to come. But upon arriving they close at 5 pm. We are bummed we wasted a lot of our trip up north. Heard that it was supposed to be great. read more

LARGE SPACES and small spaces too We all had a good time lots to see and do probably could have spent all day there... next time......... read more

Mass Moca - Performing Arts Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

My favorite place in the world and I've never written a review for it until now! I've been to many museums, all over the place (all around the U.S. and Europe) and this is by far my favorite one. Creating contemporary art of my own might have something to do with it, but I was a fan even before I created my own site-specific art installations. Mass MoCA is a gem. Recycling an old warehouse and turning it into a contemporary art museum is one of the best ideas ever and if I'm not mistaken, it's the biggest one in the USA. They also host concerts and music festivals. They have an entire kids space, host local artists, and the staff is super friendly. Plus, BUILDING 6 IS SO AWESOME OMG. They take contemporary art to the max with virtual reality exhibitions, JAMES TURRELL IS HERE NOW, and just everything all over the place is wonderful. I come here to remember who I am and take a break from the "real world," wishing that this was the real world instead. Love it love it love it all over the place. If they could have a Gorillaz concert, my entire life would be complete, but CAKE was pretty close. Come here if you're bored, confused, need inspiration, or you really want to impress someone you think you might be in love with. Also worth going alone. read more

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It's a stunning modern art space, that will have your jaw dropping when you see some of the installations. A must see while your in the Berkshires. read more

I wish Yelp allowed negative stars of suck. The Mrs and I decided to check out MASS MoCA. Biggest mistake I made since ignoring the Amazon IPO! This is the biggest waste of $36.00 tossed into the maw of pseudo art. The guide map had no information about the artists. Our first stop was in a small set of rooms with bunches of apparently plagiarized stock photos stuck to the walls. We quickly escaped and went upstairs to another set of forgettable constructs that barely tickle my memory other than an impression of white plastic streamers dangling from whatever object littering the floor. Next, and last stop was a gloomy compartment containing a mess that looked like a huge puddle of black joke vomit hanging from the ceiling surrounded by bits of concrete, an ironing board placed across the gap between two concrete chunks and all around the floor were what looked like elephant turds. All through the exhibits there were speakers blaring out some of the most grotesque sounds. The poor old factory building holding this mass of sad and pitiful works of the demented is very extensive and we feared going any deeper into this attempt at a Dante's Inferno would lead us to a fellow sporting horns and a pitchfork. We figuratively collected our piece of cheese and scurried out of that rat maze. I have a BA from a prestigious art school, Columbia College, so am confidant of warning the sane to stay away. read more

I recently went to MASS MoCA for the first time with my brother and dad, and was blown away!!! So grateful they're open during Covid (of course, with limited attendance and masks required, but still!). I've been missing art and haven't been able to go to a museum for several months, being from San Francisco where they're in COMPLETE Covid lockdown. The art at MoCA was EXCEPTIONAL, thought-provoking, new, exciting, engaging, and diverse. We were there for 3.5 hours and could have stayed for another 2. The building itself is beautiful too, and the staff was all so friendly! We'll be back soon enough!!!!! Thank you for this wonderful museum! read more

Like, WOW. WOOOOOW. It's a wonder I hadn't been to Mass MoCA til this year -- it's such an incredible museum. It's massive, to start, and houses some of the coolest modern art around. Even Anish Kapoor (aka artist who created Chicago's famous bean sculpture) has an amazing piece here, and there's even a room full of household items-turned musical instruments. Try playing music on gigantic PVC pipes and huge drum sets made of barrels, and you'll wish you could turn back time and ask your parents to lease out their sound-proof garage for your teenage musical experiment. You can spend hours and hours exploring here and it feels like Alice in Wonderland, with something magical around every corner, but in an old worn factory-turned-museum. This place is pure and utter magic if you're an art lover, or if you just want an afternoon full of playful wandering. read more

A modern art museum in what had been a large factory. Large installations by some artists I recognized like Sol lewitt and some totally new to me. We were there several hours and didn't see the whole museum. read more

Fly diving onto giant sand bags in dark rooms - CHECK Reliving a scene out of Gulliver's Travels - CHECK Tripping over misplaced freeways in the middle of nowhere - CHECK Experiencing dungeoness prisonesque toilets with heavy metal - CHECK Learning clandestine techniques for ascertaining info - CHECK Turning a 3 story building into a movie screen - CHECK Hoola dancing with a digital tree to the music in your head - CHECK Generally running amok - CHECK All these experiences and more can be found at Mass MOCA. Wouldn't you like a little modern art in your life? read more

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Sort of a required stop if you're in the Berkshires for any length of time. For me, the Sol Lewitt installations are the highlight and be sure to check out all three of his career "periods" that are separated by floor in one of the Buildings here. Another must-see is the exhibit focused and on Guantanamo. Parking is free and the food options on site are pretty good. read more

Mass Moca - Performing Arts Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

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Should be renamed MASS MuBS. Mass Museum of Underwhelming BoringStuff. James Turrell's installation was utterly lame and the Laurie Anderson virtual reality thingy was like dopey Disney experience. Oooh, I'm flying!! Maybe I'll be back for the World Fingerpainting Exposition, The Everything is Art Biennial, or the "Mommy, Daddy Look At Me Festival." Until then..I'll be heading over to Hot Dog Ranch in North Adams for a truly enjoyable experience. read more

Best contemporary, mixed media art museum I have been to. The space is huge and fabulous. The art is as well-presented as I have ever seen, particularly the large pieces. The layout is somewhat confusing with ramps between buildings and floors accessible only from certain stairs. Be sure to look at the map and see everything they have on display. Also, there are a couple of large installations in separated buildings, such as the old boiler house, which is a trip in of itself. The cafe inside - the Lickedy Split - is a good option over the more expensive Gramercy located just outside (separate Yelp listing for the Lickedy Split). Restroom area is cool - like a dungeon. Free parking! read more

I think you'd have to be a real party pooper not to enjoy MASS MoCA. Everything about it this place is engaging, dynamic, playful and yet profound. The site of the museum is in the old Sprague Electric Company plant, which when it left the town in 1985 left the area economically devastated. The conversion has held on to just the right amount of history, leaving the peeling and faded interiors which automatically creates tension and contrast with all the modern artwork within. Even the bathrooms are visually stimulating, having maintained old signage from the plant: "This Plant Has Remained Accident Free for ___ Days" reads a sign over the old-fashioned sinks. And the artwork! Just so fun, or poignant, or controversial. We spent ages looking at a giant light projection that showed a 30 foot virtual tree, quietly twisting in an unseen wind and changing with unfelt seasons. There was an installation of western artists living in Asia, with their portrayals of Asia. My husband and I both lived in Asia for several years, and were there with a couple, one of whom is Indian and the other who had lived in India and Asia for several years as well. We all felt like the portrayal of Asia was too one-sided, documenting the conformist, overworked, chaotically polluted Asia that we all already see on TV. I was disappointed that westerners would come back with such static and stereotypical images...and yet! We were all moved to talk about it at length and with feeling, meaning that the art affected us even though we didn't necessarily "enjoy" it. I would definitely recommend going while the Jenny Holzer's "Projections" is going on. It will blow your mind! A series of words projected into a giant, dark room with enormous, amorphous bean bag chairs on the floor, distorting the words as the float over them. You can lie on the bean bags and interact with the installation, or just stand their and gape (my reaction, with periods of furious picture-taking). It's a weird and compelling experience that I'm so glad I took part in. I hope to go back again soon, and see what new and stimulating experience there will be. read more

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Beautiful! Had the chance to attend a wedding here and this museum is gorgeous. Guest got to mingle in art filled rooms. There wasn't a dull area in this place. This venue is perfect for a wedding and there's no need to over decorate. The art pieces are eye catching as is. read more

Mass Moca - Performing Arts Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

Mass MoCA is such a wonderful place. I am never let down with their exhibitions. They utilize the space (that most museums don't have) to the fullest extent. I only wish their student discount was more friendlier, but I get it, you need the funds to keep the operation going. Nick Cave is currently exhibiting "Until", his latest and greatest. My only comment is to have more information cards within this exhibit, I heard many visitors who did not know what his work is about. The info cards are only at one location within the entire exhibit. read more

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Super cool! Reasonably priced for a museum and worth every penny. I loved the Phoenix exhibit and the tiger rug made of cigarettes. The kid area was also pretty cool, I really liked the interactive exhibit with the bird made of red buttons. The only exhibit I didn't care for was the short films (just because the few I saw were dumb) but I'm sure there are some interesting ones and I like the concept. The building is also really cool, so make sure to look at the architecture and original foundation, pipes, and bricks. Also you MUST go see the bathrooms downstairs, totally different than what you are used to. Everyone there was nice but they had a big honk band playing outside and so they wouldn't let us outside to see the outdoor exhibits if we didn't have a ticket to see the band which I think was unfair since we were charged the whole price. Also I asked to go outside and they said no, but it was AFTER the musicians were done and there were no more concerts that day so why did it matter? If they wouldn't let us see the 4 outdoor exhibits it would have been nice to discount our tickets a little bit. The gift store is cute and in the open area, I bought a shark cozy because I love everything shark. The parking in the lot is free. You can do the museum in about two hours, possibly faster if you are in a rush, and more time if you want to watch the films. read more

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Looking for some culture? Mass MoCA is an enormous facility that provides vast spaces for interesting installations, including a lot of space devoted to film (many of which are interesting in that the film projection itself, and not the content, is the art). This is not a traditional contemporary art museum with galleries of paintings; most of the space is devoted to huge installations that are truly captivating and unique. Well worth the drive from Boston or NYC, especially if you combine the trip with a visit to the Clark Institute. read more

Mass Moca - Performing Arts Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

Best museum I've ever been to! So many beautiful modern art peices. Was blown away by the James Tyrell exhibit! His huge color wall blew my mind. Also got to try virtual reality for the first time and let me just say im hooked! It toom us a hood 5 hours to see the entire museum. The building itself is an old factory and very cool. Theres also sevaral restarants from cafe, to beer garden to BBQ. Just go!!! read more

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