09/17/12 - 0 Comments
Culture Fix: New York’s Free Museum Days
New York has some of the coolest museums in the world, hands down. On top of being packed to the brim with cultural goodness, they also make a really great spot to wind down after a hard day’s work, even if it’s just for a quick 15-minute art fix. Now, popping into one of NYC’s finest museums has just gotten a whole lot easier (particularly on your wallet) with free museum days. Expect the same art, the same culture, the same relaxation—all without paying a cent. Personally, we’re loving it!
Tuesdays are free at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, making it the ideal time to stop in and appreciate some of the fall foliage. Seriously, fall is upon us and winter is fast approaching—the flowers won’t be on display for much longer, so hurry in, and bring a friend. Or maybe a date?
Thursdays are free at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. And, while, yes, this is not technically a museum, we would seriously be remiss to exclude it from our list because, honestly, who wouldn’t want to see a free performance at Lincoln Center? If you’re expecting some rinky-dink musical evening, think again. For their free Thursdays, the Lincoln Center isn’t pulling its punches. Acclaimed artists from the global, national and NYC community will be participating, including The Juilliard School, Jazz at Lincoln Center and The Chamber Music Society.
Whether you’re a fan of pop, Latin, rock, soul, country or jazz music, the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center is definitely the new place to be Thursday nights. Some performances will even include a little dancing. For a full list of performances, check out Lincoln Center’s website.
First Saturdays (i.e., the first Saturday of every month) are free at the Brooklyn Museum, and this has us totally excited. Why? Because the Brooklyn Museum has some pretty amazing events planned, and they’re staying open late. See, usually the Brooklyn Museum closes up shop at 6pm. On the first Saturday of each month, however, they’re staying open until late in the evening, with special events planned from 5pm to 10pm.
On October 6 (the next first Saturday) expect music, talks with artists, film screenings and more. Personally, we’re dying to see the 1970s Fashion Show at 8pm, where guests are invited to wear their own seventies attire down the catwalk to the music of Raye 6. Marcus Simms, hairstylist extraordinaire, and Gizmovintage Honeys Beeline will also be hosting.
For a full list of events, check out the Brooklyn Museum’s webpage, and keep in mind that it’s important to plan ahead! While all of the first Saturday events are free, some are so popular that they require a ticket.
Sundays are free at the Studio Museum in Harlem. Take a gallery tour of Illuminations: Expanding the Walls 2012 on September 30 or tour The Bearden Project on October 7. If you know or have any kids, bring them along, since there are a ton of really cool activities (like The Laundromat Project and story time with children’s author Kwame Alexander).
So, what are we really looking forward to? The gallery tour of Caribbean: Crossroads of the World, of course. The exhibit caught our eye back in June when it opened, and it quickly became one of the city’s most talked about art installations. Really, if you haven’t seen it yet, or even if you’d just like to see it again (the show is that good), Sunday is the perfect time to pop in, particularly since the exhibit is only open until October 21.
Clearly, New York has a bunch of really excellent opportunities to experience some free days of culture that go way beyond the you-pick admission at the American Museum of Natural History and The Met (although those are really great programs, too). This week, instead of doing coffee with a friend—really, you can do that any time—why not arrange a museum date? Even better, make it a regular thing and rack up those culture points.
Photo credit: Wedding Films NYC: Tim Alen Smith, Examiner
