CHELSEA
This hip cobblestoned neighborhood has lots to explore, from the unique High Line to cool gallery shows. Head north for more art & food adventures at Hudson Yards or east to Flatiron for stores & more.
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EVENTS
Yayoi Kusama: I Spend Each Day Embracing Flowers
May 30Find oversized flowers, pumpkins and a whole lot of polka dots by legendary artist Yayoi Kusama, plus go inside a new rainbow-colored Infinity Mirrored Room. Lots of repetitions for kids who like to count. Presented across the gallery’s 519, 525, and 533 West 19th Street locations – one of her largest gallery presentations to date.
Entrance to the Infinity Room is first come, first entry with very long outdoor lines expected (1-4 hours) . Bring entertainment and go on weekday mornings if possible. No bathrooms at the gallery; closest one is at the High Line Hotel on Tenth Avenue. Daily line updates will be shared on David Zwirner’s instagram.
If you’re short on time, you can usually view the paintings and sculptures by Kusama without waiting, it’s still totally worth visiting without the infinity room.
🛍 Kusama books and merchandise available in the gift shop.
🍽 Lots of great eating options at nearby Chelsea Market.
📚 Bring the Kusama-illustrated Alice in Wonderland and MoMA bio From Here to Infinity to read in line.
Find more Kusama at the Grand Central Madison Terminal, Louis Vuitton X Yayoi Kusama Pop-up Store and MoMA, plus work by other inspiring artists at a Chelsea Gallery Crawl.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show
Jun 1See faithful adaptations of author/illustrator Eric Carle’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear and The Very Hungry Caterpillar featuring fantastical larger-than-life puppets and audience participation.
VIP tickets ($110) include a swag bag, an Eric Carle plush, and a character meet and greet after the performance.
Lap seats are available at the door for children under one ($5).
The show is inclusive, designed to be autism friendly and open to children with sensory issues. A quiet area is available in the foyer during the show. Fidgets and social stories available, email [email protected].
🎟 Enter the digital lottery before 3 pm two days before the performance (winners are drawn day of the performance 10 am–3 pm). Winners may buy up to 4 tickets at $24 each.
Fri at 10 am
Sat–Sun 9:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm & 3:30 pm
Hudson River Dance Festival
Jun 8See four diverse dance companies against the backdrop of the Hudson River sunset. The outstanding line-up includes Ayodele Casel, The Missing Element, commissioned by Works & Process, Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Paul Taylor Dance Company.
Bring your own blanket.
New York City Pride March
Jun 25Celebrate the LBQT+ community with over 110 festive floats and hundreds of marching contingents representing a vast array of nonprofits, marching bands, community organizations, corporate partners, small businesses and activists. The first March was held in 1970 and has since become an annual colorful civil rights demonstration. Expect rainbows, creative costumes (some sexual in nature), fun dancing and massive, rowdy crowds.
The March begins at noon on June 26th from 25th Street and 5th Avenue, then proceeds south on 5th Avenue before heading west on 8th Street. After crossing over 6th Avenue, the March continue on Christopher Street passing the Stonewall National Monument. It will then turn north on 7th Avenue, passing the New York City AIDS Memorial, before dispersing in Chelsea at 16th Street and 7th Avenue.
OUTDOORS
Little Island
Explore nature and art on a unique floating green space on the Hudson River.
* Enjoy diverse horticulture, welcoming seating lawns, winding paths leading to spectacular views, and a variety of spaces for performing arts, relaxation and play. Make music on a variety of percussion installations and play with a spinning optical illusion.
* Restrooms…
High Line
Take a stroll on the unique public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side.
* Look for of nature and cool design incorporating elements of the original rail line. See our guide to the always-changing art installations.
* Look for interesting architecture and watch taxis…
Chelsea Waterside Playground
The newly designed play area features a giant, multi-colored, one-of-a-kind, Robinia wood pipefish plus water features incorporating limestone cattle head sculptures reclaimed from historic meatpacking district business New York Butchers’ Dressed Meat Company.
Near the new must-see Little Island and Pier 62 Carousel.
Pier 62 Carousel
Take a spin on 33 hand-carved, custom-designed Hudson River Valley animals – raccoons, seahorses, bears & more. The carousel structure has a green roof and opens to a sprawling lawn and tree-lined pathways.
Take a walk along the pier to the west of the carousel to find a nautical wooden deck offering views of the…
INDOORS
DVF x Ashley Longshore Gallery
See Ashley Longshore’s paintings of inspirational women including Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Jackie Kennedy, Marlene Dietrich, Cleopatra, Oprah, Gloria Steinem, Nina Simone, Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks and Jane Goodall in a photogenic gallery at the Diane von Furstenberg store.
Whitney Museum of American Art
See bold modern and contemporary American art in a very cool building.
HIGHLIGHTS:
🖼 Works by American icons Georgia O’Keeffe, Jacob Lawrence, Edward Hopper and the charming Calder’s Circus in The Whitney’s Collection: Selections from 1900 to 1965.
☀️ Outdoor terraces with stunning river views & cool sculptures
CURRENT EXHIBITS:
🖼 Look for…
Rubin Museum
This serene museum connects the arts and cultures of the Himalayas to contemporary life, exploring universal themes like happiness, consciousness and the cosmos. Lots of interesting details – and maybe your kid will pick up some zen vibes.
HIGHLIGHTS:
😈 Vivid paintings and statues of animals and demons
📿 Feel the zen vibes in…
Museum of Illusions
Walk on walls, put your head on a platter and play with size and perspective in over a dozen interactive illusions. A small museum that can be explored in less than an hour. Blows most young minds.
Special $62 family ticket covers 2 adults & 2 children. Free kids under 2.
High Line Nine: Kenny Nguyen: Home/land
Explore a collection of sky-lit galleries with a rotating cross-section of culture. Watch resident artists create (behind glass) and see finished work in a variety of mediums.
In Kenny Nguyen: Home/land, the galleries’ back wall is covered in a gradient of silk that is simultaneously colorful painting, textile, and sculpture.
Titanic. The Exhibition
Embark on a narrative experience describing the events aboard the famous ship on that fateful day in 1912. See a selection of personal artifacts never before seen in America that tell touching stories of the doomed ship’s passengers and crew. Unravel the true story of the ship through old photographs, personal belongings and other relics from…
Yayoi Kusama: I Spend Each Day Embracing Flowers
Find oversized flowers, pumpkins and a whole lot of polka dots by legendary artist Yayoi Kusama, plus go inside a new rainbow-colored Infinity Mirrored Room. Lots of repetitions for kids who like to count. Presented across the gallery’s 519, 525, and 533 West 19th Street locations – one of her largest gallery presentations to date.
…
EAT
The Standard Biergarten
A street-level beer garden serves traditional German fare including sausages, pretzels and beer. Swing by Happy Hour Wed-Fri from 4pm-6pm for 25 cent wings. A children’s menu is available every Sunday, and tots under 12 eat free.
Also play Ping-Pong in the open air courtyard plus fuseball, pool and other games in an indoor gameroom.
Food at Chelsea Market
Choose from doughnuts, tacos, hand-pulled noodles, lobster rolls, gelato and many more delicious options at this indoor market housed in a former factory. Covered outdoor tables available along 15th and 16th Streets.
Shopping options include books, chocolate and fun Chinese merchandise & snacks at Pearl River Mart. Find all sorts of sweet treats at a…
Market 57
Sample a variety of food – Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Caribbean, Vegan, Ice Cream and more – at more than dozen kiosks with a talented mix of minority- and women-owned businesses, outposts for beloved pop-up concepts, and seasoned operators’ bold creations.
Curated under the guidance and mentorship of The James Beard Foundation, the market is…