BOSTON-At first glance, the Institute of Contemporary Art descends from the sky; at second, it emerges from the water. But on Dec. 10, the most prominent entity on Boston's evolving waterfront was not the museum's elegant and ethereal glass facade. It was the line outside its door.The much-anticipated, free opening of the redesigned and relocated ICA attracted thousands of curious viewers, who waited as long as 90 minutes-it would have been longer had many attendees not given up-simply to enter a tent erected outside the museum, where they were greeted by entertainment, free food and another hour's wait.

But from both inside and out, the new museum was a treat.

Outside the building, swarms of visitors admired the beautiful structure. Situated in the Seaport District, the ICA is the first of many buildings planned for the area. In 1999, Boston granted the new location to the museum, which had grown too large for its old Back Bay location, in hopes of attracting tourists and residents to the developing pier with exhibits and programming.

The ICA itself is a work of art; its architectural design was created by Diller, Scofidio and Renfro, a prominent New York firm. The building overlooks Boston's harbor and provides a magnificent view from both the exterior and through its windows, which were purposefully built in order to gaze into the water. The overall effect-both industrial and atmospheric-is uniquely open for a building its size. The ICA was deliberately designed as an extension of its environment.

Visitors can find one of its many breathtaking views on the fourth floor, which houses the Media Center. Abetted by glass walls, the small room's look at the South Boston waterfront entirely affects its light and mood, so that using its computers to watch videos of artists or learn more about works in the museum accrues different meaning with each visit.

The upstairs' galleries have the most space, with high ceilings and generous space for each piece. The whole museum is three times the size of its old location (17,000 square feet compared to 5,000 at the Back Bay location), and works from a "top down" principle, with rooms like the theater and education center extending over multiple floors. The fourth floor currently houses three temporary exhibits and some of the permanent collection, which features painting, photographs, sculpture and digital works by 16 artists.

"Super Vision," which runs through April 27, includes video installations that challenge the way the viewer ordinarily sees a certain object or image. The artists also used painting, sculpture and photography to examine the topic of vision.

Also upstairs are the works of the four burgeoning artists of the James and Audrey Foster Prize. The competition seeks to "recognize Boston artists whose work demonstrates adventurousness, conceptual strength and skillful execution," according to the ICA's Web site. Browsing the gallery, it's clear the artists fulfilled those characteristics, with sculptures like thousands of colorful twisty ties or self-watering flowers.

The finalists were chosen from among over 40 of their peers, and the winner will receive the $25,000 biennial award. The work of Sheila Gallagher, Jane D. Marsching, Kelly Sherman and Rachel Perry Welty will be on display until March 11. Visitors can vote for one of the four artists in the Media Center, although it will not weigh on the final decision.

The third exhibit upstairs, also running until March 11, is "Momentum 6: Tropicalounge," by Sergio Vega. This Argentinian artist created a colorful instillation full of '60s-esque furniture and cabana music. During the opening, one little girl swiveled around in a white womb chair similar to the one from Sleepless in Seattle, while her parents looked at other exhibits. Vega mixes Brazilian daily life with fantasy, resulting in a unique full-room exhibit, sharply contrasting the more bare layouts found in the rest of the floor's galleries.

After leaving the fourth floor, a visitor can watch a film or performance in the museum's 325-seat theater, which viewers enter on the third floor to view a stage built on the second. A magnificent vision of the waterfront forms the theater's backdrop, but is carefully constructed so all light can be covered by screens.

In the ICA's old building, the theater was at basement level and had no windows. Here, it is practically another work of art, extending far beyond mere functionality. With a full schedule of lectures, films and performances, the ICA melds contemporary performance art with contemporary static art.

The open light and sightings of the water are a central concept throughout the museum; 140 square feet of glass allow a constant view of the waterfront for elevator riders. As the elevator descends or ascends and depending on the time of day, the harbor appears to change, to the general delight of visitors.

The Institute of Contemporary Art is open daily, except Mondays. Admission is $10 for students. The museum is free after 5 p.m. on Thursdays and open until 9 p.m.