Public Art
Lots of free art to explore - some of it touchable & climbable – at NYC's site-specific art installations in parks, galleries and stores. Also see our kid-friendly museum guide, what else is open in NYC and ideas for making art at home.
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SEAPORT/FIDI
Ziggy
Lounge and climb on rainbow colored inventive seating options on vibrantly colored painted rebar and 27,000 feet of iridescent cord by Hou De Sousa.
WTC Street Murals
Street artists from around the world vibrantly transformed the streets surrounding 3 World Trade Center with fun, colorful murals, bringing love and joy to a place of mourning.
Peace, Love & Happiness
Cheerful sculptures by Scott Gerber, artist and founder of Tube Dude have been moved to the edge of the East River, framing dramatic views. Climb inside a giant Heart, Peace Sign and Smiley Face.
Melvin Edwards: Brighter Days
See six monumental sculptures created over the span of 50 years by Melvin Edwards, whose work reimagines monumental civic sculpture by uniting abstract forms with personal symbols to address issues of race, labor, and the African Diaspora.
DOWNTOWN
CHELSEA/MEATPACKING
The Musical Brain
Nine artists approach music through different lenses—historical, political, performative, and playful—in new installations and soundscapes installed throughout the High Line.
Sit next to human shaped sculptures made with colorful musical instruments, explore what stories discarded objects tell when played and hear what happens when a railway spike becomes a bell. Daily at dusk, see…
MIDTOWN
Rockefeller Center Art in Focus: Hilary Pecis
Look for Hilary Pecis vibrant still life paintings and three-dimensional mixed media installations throughout Rockefeller Center.
The Drama Book Shop
A mainstay of the New York theatre scene and a cultural institution for theatrical works is at a new location with new owners (and Hamilton creators) Thomas Kail and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Designed by “Hamilton” scenic designer David Korins and his team, the new store pays homage to twentieth century European cafes and reading rooms with…
Maya Lin: Ghost Forest
Walk through forty-nine haunting Atlantic white cedar trees evoking the outsized impact of a looming environmental calamity in Maya Lin's installation in Madison Square Park Listen to Lin's Ghost Forest Soundscape from your phone to hear native species of animals...
Three with a Pen: Lily Renée, Bil Spira, and Paul Peter Porges
See works by the three Jewish artists driven from their homes in Vienna after the German annexation of Austria in 1938 including comic books, New Yorker cartoons, Mad magazine spoofs, caricatures, portraiture, fashion design, advertising, and children’s books, among other formats. Biographical material and ephemera amplify the artists’ personal stories of survival and help contextualize…
OFF THE WALL at Hudson Yards
See and interact with site-specific large-scale art (including the Vessel) throughout the Hudson Yards mall and plaza. Activate pieces by 13 different artists that relate back to the site’s past, present or future.
Lots of great food options including Mercado Little Spain and a new Ladurée stand (near more sweets at Dylan’s…
UPTOWN
Uptown GRANDSCALE Mural Project
HarlemOver 100 artists update the 2019 project that transformed green construction fences fencing located adjacent to the 125th Street Metro-North station into a canvas for murals that support and uplift the community. A larger canvas this year includes the former Pathmark supermarket spanning most of the block on 125th between Third and Lexington avenues.
Broadway Blooms: Jon Isherwood on Broadway
HarlemEight marble sculptures in the form of flowers celebrates the return to life of the city after a long and difficult winter and spring. Find an array of colors and forms on eight locations on the green malls at the center of Broadway from 64th Street to 157th Street,
By Jon Isherwood, organized in partnership…
RE:GROWTH, A Celebration of Art, Riverside Park, and the New York Spirit
MorningsideExplore a park-wide art exhibition featuring unique works of art that use color and unexpected materials to explore the concept of re-growth – literal, metaphorical, poetic, and philosophical. 13 site-specific installations span several miles from 68th and 145th Streets in Riverside Park celebrate the resiliency and resolve of all New Yorkers.
Also look for panoramic…
BROOKLYN
Claudia Wieser: Rehearsal
DUMBO, Downtown & HeightsExplore five large-scale geometric sculptures, each different in size, shape, and pattern. Painted, photographic, and mirrored details combine to create vibrant compositions that highlight the dynamism of the city and its people.
Ranging between seven and 13 feet in height, the sculptures are clad in more than 1,500 clay tiles that were hand-painted by the…
Prospect Park, My Oasis in Brooklyn & Juneteenth Way
Prospect Park/Park SlopeOn the construction fencing at Lefferts Historic House, which is under restoration, see “Prospect Park, My Oasis in Brooklyn,” a site-specific installation of works by photographer Jamel Shabazz, who for the past 41 years has documented the people and places that truly make the park Brooklyn’s Backyard. Presented by Prospect Park Alliance in partnership with…
Green-Wood
Sunset ParkThis historic cemetery (founded in 1838) is a lovely place to wander, with 478 spectacular acres of hills, valleys, glacial ponds and paths, plus gorgeous views of the Manhattan skyline and extraordinary 19th- and 20th-century statuary and mausoleums.
* Honor famous permanent residents such as Leonard Bernstein, Boss Tweed, Charles Ebbets, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Louis Comfort…
Industry City
Sunset ParkThe public art & high design at this innovative hub has cool art and photo-ops throughout.
* Find tons of great international food options & with lots of outdoor seating including a fire pit by Sahadi’s and the lovely lantern covered courtyard of Japan Village. Try Korean comfort food, avocado everything, BBQ, pizza,…
We, Women by Photoville
DUMBO, Downtown & HeightsA preview of the traveling, nationwide exhibit coming in 2021, We, Women at Photoville presents the first cohort of women and gender nonconforming artists examining critical issues across the U.S. through photo-based community engagement projects that resist and interrogate social and political landscapes, while promoting empathy and unity. On view along the construction fencing at…
QUEENS
Queens Botanical Garden
Queens: Corona/FlushingExplore lovely gardens in a 39-acre oasis in one of New York City’s most bustling and diverse neighborhoods. Look for site-specific art throughout the garden including large scale prints on ‘Invasive Species’ by Sam Scoggins in the Visitor & Administration Building and a a beautiful mural ‘Wonder Garden’ outside the Education Building.
Planeta Abuelx
Queens: LICWalk around Guadalupe Maravilla’s fascinating sculptures nestled in a gorgeous waterfront park. Accumulations of totemic forms, recycled and found materials, botanicals, Mesoamerican symbolism, and functional sound components draw on ancestral, Indigenous, and ritual practices of healing.
Public programs for ‘Planeta Abuelx’ include sound baths, workshops, and performances.
Events Search and Views Navigation
List of Events
Friday, November 1
Joe’s Pizza
Get a classic NY slice to go at this Greenwich Village institution (established in 1975 ), still owned and operated by 75-year-old Neapolitan native Joe Pozzuoli.
Storyline Online
Watch videos of celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creative footage of the illustrations. Readers include Oprah Winfrey Viola Davis, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Costner, Annette Bening, James Earl Jones, Betty White and dozens more.
Wow in the World
Join hosts Guy Raz and the hilarious Mindy Thomas on a journey into the wonders of the world. Go inside brains, out into space and deep into the coolest new stories in science and technology - with lots of wacky fun along the way. One of our family's faves.
Circle Round
Hear sound- and music-rich radio plays based on folktales from around the world. Explore important issues like kindness, persistence and generosity with guest stage and screen stars. Each episode ends with an activity that inspires a deeper conversation between children and grown-ups. My daughter's favorite at bedtime.
Here Wee Read
Find great books recommendations for all ages in all sorts of diverse & inclusive categories, from Harlem Renaissance picture books to graphic novels talking about race. Includes themed collections like Halloween, Weddings,, Kids with Disabilities and RBG. Find links to buy at bookshop.org, an alternative to amazon that supports independent bookstores.
Billy Johnson Playground
This rustic playground hosts an amazing 45-foot granite slide nestled into a rocky hill, bucket and tire swings, and an amphitheater and miniature stone bridge made of natural materials like plants, stone, and wood at a child’s scale.
Gotham West Market
Sample some of the best eats in the city including Ample Hills Creamery ice cream, Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop noodles, Jianbing Company's Chinese seasoned pancake/omelet, Corner Slice’s square pizza, Choza’s vegetarian tacos and more in an indoor, weather-proof hall.
Bella Abzug Park
Climb on rope webs in a colorful structure surrounded by undulating soft surfaces. Communicate through underground pipes, relax on tables and chairs, splash int he fountain and admire the Hudson River view.
New York at Its Core
Follow the story of NYC’s rise from a striving Dutch village to today’s “Capital of the World,” and consider its future in a changing world through more than 400 objects as well as interactive digital experiences. Framed around the key themes of money, density, diversity, and creativity, New York City’s history comes alive through the…
DiMenna Children’s History Museum
Ride an orphan train, play a newsies video game and explore lots of other interactive exhibits on a entire floor devoted to kids. Pick up a printed scavenger hunt or just explore the many installations covering centuries of New York history. Lots to learn for older kids and lots to touch including a train table…
Time Out Market New York
Sample some of the best NYC food: fluffy pancakes from the venerable Clinton Street Baking Co., thin-crust pizza from Patsy Grimaldi’s Juliana’s, Middle Eastern bites from Miss Ada, fried chicken from Jacob’s Pickles, Japanese comfort food from Bessou, cookie dough scoops from DŌ and more amazing eateries—all cherry-picked by Time Out New York. 21,000 delicious…
Garden Court Café at Asia Society
Lunch on brunch on seasonal dishes that reflect elements of the diverse cultures of Asia in the modern, glass-enclosed space filled with light, flowering vines, trees, and art. Gorgeous bento boxes. Tuesday—Sunday, 11:30 am—3 pm
Kefi
Dine on reasonably priced tradtional Greek cuisine including tasty mezes, fried meatballs, slouvaki, house-made Greek yogurt and more among cheerful, rustic decor in chef Michael Psilakis' friendly cafe.
Sebastian Brecht’s Obsessive Chocolate Disorder
Try unique, small batch, handmade chocolates and pastries, made fresh every week in a small, quirky East Village shop with rotating art on the wall. The constantly evolving menu featuring unusual and delicious combinations of flavors and textures with fun names like bob’s dark passion, the pucker and looky cookie snookie was created by the…
Thursday, January 2
BRAINPOP
Watch short, well-written animated films on a variety of topics including antiracism & Black history, STEM, arts, math and much more starring a very funny robot. Take quizzes and play games to test what you learned. Two editions, for ages K-3 or 4th -12th Grade (which can thoughtfully address some weighty topics, so monitor…
Wednesday, April 1
Treehouse Shakers
This local family-friendly theater/dance company offers its charming shows online: Hatched (designed for babies through preschoolers) the story of a newborn chick who emerges from her shell to a strange, busy world told through movement, music, and puppets and Under the Tangle (ages 8+), the story of a young orphaned girl lost in a mysterious…
Art For Kids Hub
Follow along step by step as a professional artist and his kid draw animals, emojis, people, vehicles and more. Clear, simple steps turn anyone into an illustrator.
Children’s Museum of the Arts
Children's Museum of the Arts' blog features how-to videos and detailed instructions for art projects like Paper Chains of Kindness and Collaborative Drawing Games. Projects can be adapted for different ages and made with materials around the house.
Tuesday, April 28
EduHam at Home
Explore the world of the Broadway phenomenon Hamilton and America's founding era. Access free materials to create songs or scenes inspired by history. Follow in Lin-Manuel Miranda's footsteps, learning how he incorporated primary sources into the songs he wrote for the show. Includes video clips of the show; interviews with Miranda, Alexander Hamilton biographer Ron…
Friday, May 1
Cards For Seniors
Make cheerful cards for isolated seniors. Use big print (not cursive) so the card is easy to read. Provide stickers and stencils to help the younger kids. Adults can make cards too. A great use for all the artwork kids bring home. Join the NYC-based Caring By Card Nursing Home Project, donate through
Audible Kids
Find hundreds of free audio books handpicked by Audible editors. Choose from a mix of stories to entertain, engage, and inform young people, ages 0–18. Spanish, German, French, Japanese and Italian selections also available.
BUSY TODDLER
Find a trove of educational, easy-to-set up creative and sensory activities from a K-1 teacher turned SAHM. So many great ideas, quick & easy to messy messy, babies to tweens plus links to useful art supplies. Follow their great instagram account for daily inspiration.
DAYS WITH GREY
An educator and mom to 3 shares daily 'Breakfast Invitations,' easy-to-set-up sensory and art activities for preschoolers and toddlers.
NEW YORK CITY CHILDREN’S THEATER
Lovely local kids theater company provides entertaining and enriching activities for little ones inspired by past productions including art projects, theater games, storytimes, downloadable activity books and video sing-alongs.
VIRTUAL MUSEUM TOURS
Take virtual journeys to over 1,200 museums around the world via Google Arts & Culture. See collections and gallery views of Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, Florence’s Uffizi Gallery, Mexico City's Museum of Anthropology, Paris's Musée d'Orsay and more (plus NYC faves like the Whitney, Guggenheim and MoMA).
Mission US
Learn American history with a choose-your-adventure interactive, online game. Take the role of printer’s apprentice in 1770 Boston deciding whether to join the revolutionary movement, a Cheyenne teen in 1866, an enslaved 14-year-old girl escaping to freedom in Ohio, teenage farmers in the Great Depression and more young people. Explore rich, historical settings, make choices…
MoMA Families At Home
MoMA provides resources and ideas—from art-making activities to books and films—to spark creativity and fun at home. Explore artworks in MoMA’s collection through activities (available in English and Spanish), watch favorite kid-friendly short films with prompts to spark discussion, dig deeper into Dorothea Lange: Words & Pictures, find favorite Children’s Books about Art, listen…
Ailey All Access
The acclaimed Alvin Ailey dance company shares full length videos of past performances. Also see videos of company members dancing the landmark Revelations and other pieces together from home, join free online dance classes and check out the great Resource Guide for Educators. Find free live and on-demand classes for all ages in a variety of dance…
Carnegie Hall Music Explorers
Learn about musical culture and tradition around the world - African-American Freedom Songs, South African Zulu songs and many more - with lessons plans, music and video featuring global artists. The well-designed site features a world map to explore. Also Learn about symphony orchestras in an animated adventure in Carnegie Hall Listening Adventures.
Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz Academy
Watch curated educated videos on the from Jazz at Lincoln Center's educational programs and learn about it's roots in African-American traditions and communities. WeBop instructors demonstrate fun activities to get families swinging and singing, members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra share performance secrets, and Middle School Jazz Academy instructors break down jazz techniques.…
Black Art Picture Books
Learn about African American art history with curated lists from Culture Type, a website exploring art by and about people of African descent. Find gorgeous books about Jean-Michel Basquiat, fashion designer Ann Cole Lowe, Jacob Lawrence and other great black artists on posts Black Art History: 10 Children’s Books Illuminate the…
Starfall
Learn letters, reading and math with untimed, sometimes silly interactive games for preschool through second grade. Includes letter recognition, games, stories, and animations that showcase letter sounds, short reading selections that emphasize vocabulary, and online books that provide fluency and comprehension practice. A favorite of our kids from an early age.
FLOCABULARY
Learn about a range of subjects for grades K-12 though catchy, educational hip-hop songs. Watch videos about math, history, science and more, learn new words, take quizzes then (this is the coolest part) write short raps/songs using your new words and knowledge.
ArtsPower Theatre On Demand
Watch ArtsPower’s acclaimed, full-length literature-based musicals and dramas online. Includes fun activities that families can complete together. School Editions with a multiple-lesson, academic course also available. Currently showing Chicken Dance, Anne of Green Gables, The Monster Who Ate My Peas and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
KHAN ACADEMY
Watch short videos taught by excellent instructors with an electronic whiteboard in just about any subject for preschool through college. The free Khan Academy Kids app (for ages 2-7) teaches reading, language, writing, math, social-emotional development, and more through open-ended activities and games like drawing, storytelling, and coloring guided by adorable animal characters. Also…
SCHOLASTIC LEARN AT HOME
Find online courses for pre-K to sixth grade+ with four separate learning experiences, each built around a meaningful story or video. Subjects include social studies; English language arts; STEM; science; and social-emotional learning.
MYSTERY SCIENCE
Science mysteries like 'What is the most dangerous animal in the world?' and the topical 'How does hand sanitizer kill germs?' are explored with images, entertaining videos and opportunities for discussion. Ends with simple hands-on activities designed with easy-to-find supplies.
Black-Owned Chocolate
Treat yourself while supporting local black-owned business buy ordering delicious chocolate treats from Sol Cacao (Bronx artisan “bean to bar” chocolate manufacturer), Dalloway Chocolate (vegan, gluten-free, bars & truffles with no refined sugar made in Brooklyn), and Harlem Chocolate Factory (bars, bon-bons, bark, cookies & more inspired by Harlem). We suggest eating…
The Paper Bag Players At Home
Watch short sketches from The Paper Bag Players, an acclaimed NYC troupe that makes stories out of cardboard and paper, paired with questions and/or activities that will help children think more about what they’ve watched and provide opportunities for them to create and imagine on their own. Play games and make cars, crazy faces, and…
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS
Learn about animals, science, geography and more with videos, games, quizzes and great photos. We love the 'Weird but True' facts about everything from Star Wars to eyebrows. Bright and simple enough for toddlers but interesting enough for tweens & teens (and a parents).