Entry No. 39 — the Philadelphia file — filed under: immersive installation
ICEBOX Project Space at Crane Arts
A nearly 5,000-square-foot industrial exhibition hall inside the old Crane Plumbing Supply Co. building, run as an experimental project space where large-scale installation, sound, and performance pieces get room to sprawl that a normal gallery can't offer — current 2026 programming includes an open-submission summer show and a 'Light and Sound' exhibition.
The story
Most galleries force art into sterile, ten-foot-tall white boxes. The Icebox Project Space does the opposite by handing artists nearly 5,000 square feet of raw, high-ceilinged industrial footprint inside the former Crane Plumbing Supply Co. building in Olde Kensington. It is built specifically for the kind of work that standard commercial galleries physically cannot accommodate—oversized structural installations, uncontained soundscapes, and sprawling live performances.
Because of its cavernous scale and concrete bones, the space operates as an experimental project space rather than a polished retail gallery. It has hosted everything from installation-style concerts by Beach House to multi-disciplinary performance pieces and open-submission community exhibitions. You are not just looking at work hung at eye level on a drywall partition; you are stepping directly into art designed to dominate a massive physical volume.
What it's like
You step off North American Street into the soaring interior of Crane Arts, where concrete floors and raw industrial details amplify every footstep. The vibe inside the Icebox depends entirely on what is mounted that week—it might be an immersive light and sound show that fills the room with resonance, or a half-finished, urgent installation sprawl. Admission is free, and after taking in the main project space, you can wander the surrounding studio corridors of the Crane building before heading out.
The move: Walk through whatever oversized, urgent, half-finished-feeling installation is up that week (free, evenings Tue/Wed/Fri/Sat), then wander the rest of the Crane Arts building's studios before heading a few blocks over to Fishtown for a drink.
- 📍 Olde Kensington
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1400 N American St, Philadelphia, PA 19122
Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Halcyon Floats — Contrast the cavernous echoes and light-and-sound installations of the Icebox with pitch-black sensory deprivation in an Epsom salt float tank just down N American Street.
- NextFab — Metal Forging I — Pair a walk through large-scale industrial art with a hands-on session hammering hot iron at a live propane forge in nearby Kensington.
- Formation Sauna + Wellness — Follow an evening exploring cold, concrete gallery spaces with a deep soak and heat session in a 195-degree Nordic sauna half a mile away.
Good to know
Is admission free?
Yes, entering the Icebox Project Space is free to the public.
What kind of work is exhibited here?
The venue specializes in large-scale experimental installations, sound art, open-submission community shows, and live performance art.
Where is it inside the building?
It occupies the main exhibition hall inside the Crane Arts building at 1400 N American St in Olde Kensington.
When can I visit?
Gallery hours typically run during select evenings on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, though scheduling depends on current exhibitions, so confirm hours before heading over.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site
last checked: 2026-07-19