Open Air | Gallery Central + Charles

Open Air Gallery Central + Charles | A public art walk and Open Air museum experience

Curated by AIGA Boston, and in collaboration with Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center

Recommended Museum Hours: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm | Full duration is roughly 2 hours

**Please note that the lighting installation, Illumination Project at the Robert W. Healy Public Safety Facility by Krzysztof Wodiczko is best seen at night.

Much like the neighborhoods it resides in, public art transforms us as it brings new life and perspective to the everyday. Activated by local and international artists, our fourth Open Air Gallery is a continued museum experience unlike any other. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, this public art walk is transformed by the nestled murals of Central Square and booming artwork residing in East Cambridge neighborhoods, along the Charles River, and all the way to MIT. The exhibited artworks create a dialogue that makes us question our environment as it is and encourages us to be catalysts for change as we move forward. As you explore, we challenge you to not only view and appreciate the artworks from your own perspective, but to immerse yourself in the lens of each piece.

To tour Gallery Center + Charles, download the Google Maps app and follow along with our curated map at bit.ly/3JjSjjW. For specific directions to each stop on the map, click your location of interest and select the directions icon (this symbol looks like a ‘Y’ with an arrow on the right arm). Audiences can also download our printable checklist as a guide to keep track of visited artworks. All viewpoints are accessible by public transportation, driving, and/or walking.

 

Artists & Organizations:

We want to see more of you! Take a picture with your public art work and tag @aigaboston, #CentralandCharles, and the location. Check out these artists below for a sneak peak of our open air exhibition.

Links & Resources:

For more information and resources on public art in this area, please visit the links below.


Parking

There are numerous metered street parking spots and parking garages located in Central Square as well as the areas along the Charles River. There are multiple starting points for this walk, but we recommend starting at “Never Green Tree,” by William Wainwright. For the closest parking to this location, or for parking directly in East Cambridge, we recommend First Street Parking Garage. For more information on parking in the area in general, please visit en.parkopedia.com

Public Transportation

Boston’s MBTA provides regular service to various locations in Cambridge along our walk. We recommend starting the walk with “Never Green Tree” by William Wainwright and accessing this location via the Lechmere train stop. For more information regarding specific routes, lines, and locations please visit www.mbta.com.

Additional Notes

Like the city it resides in, this artwork is alive and in a state of constant transition. AIGA Boston aims to provide a map for audiences to engage in the artworks as they exist within the city. The messages of the artworks in both their purest or altered states do not reflect the views of AIGA Boston or its affiliate organizations.

Please remember to maintain state and federal public health guidelines as you participate on this walk. For more information and updated health guidelines please visit https://www.mass.gov/

For more information, questions, concerns, or suggestions on how to improve the experience, please contact Brittany Latham at brittany [at] boston [dot] aiga [dot] org.

Event partners:

Logo for the Multicultural Arts Center (MAC)

When & Where
Sun, Jun 11, 2023 - Tue, Oct 31, 2023 7:00 PM - 11:30 PM EDT
Multicultural Arts Center
41 Second Street
Cambridge, MA 02141