Public Art & Free Pop-ups
See art you can touch, climb and sometimes taste at NYC’s many site-specific art installations in parks, galleries, libraries and stores, all free.
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Tuesday, January 1
Caffe Storico
Feast on antipasti, artisanal pastas and paninis at Caffe Storico, a classy yet kid-friendly eatery within the engaging New-York Historical Society.Suggested Ages:
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10th Annual Welling Court Mural Project
Walk though multiple blocks of 100+ murals by artists from around the corner and around the world, providing new arrays of visual experiences that change how people interact with their environment. Mural map available online.Suggested Ages: All, Adult Friendly
FREE
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Eataly NYC Downtown
The downtown outpost of Italian marketplace Eataly is focused on bread, but you can also find delizioso pizza, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, pasta, rotisserie chicken, chocolate, gelato and weekend kids cooking classes.Suggested Ages: All
FREE
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Venchi Chocolate and Gelato
Find a vast selection of bon bons and bars from historic Italian chocolatier plus gelato in a a variety of chocolate and other delicious flavors. Make it even yummier with creamy base of Suprema chocolate spread or a cone dipped in seasonal sprinkles like granules of Piedmont Hazelnuts, Nougatine, Chocaviar or Raspberry. Some seating in the back surrounded by a chocolate waterfall wall or enjoy it in nearby Union Square.Suggested Ages:
FREE
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Stick With Me Sweets Bonbons
Gorgeous bonbons in an array of colors and artisanal flavors taste as good as they look in this small Nolita chocolate shop.
Suggested Ages: All
FREE
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Cones
Argentinean-style small-batch ice cream and sorbet comes in traditional and adventurous flavors including sweet potato with brie cheese, yerba mate and the popular sweet corn with cinnamon.Suggested Ages:
FREE
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Uptown GRANDSCALE Mural Project
Uptown artists transformed three blocks of fencing located adjacent to the 125th Street Metro-North station into a canvas for murals that support and uplift the community.Suggested Ages:
FREE
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Color Factory Circle Game
Interact with colorful dots by following painted prompts such as ‘leap up’ and ‘reach for the sun.’ Right outside the Children’s Museum of the Arts, which has a jelly bean dispenser (bring quarters) encouraging more color exploration. Both can be found on the Color Factory’s neighborhood exploration map, availble for free at 251 Spring Street.Suggested Ages: All
FREE
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Dubuffet Sculpture
An office tower plaza features a dynamic Jean Dubuffet sculpture and a peaceful Noguchi rock garden fountain.Suggested Ages: All
FREE
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Hive
Watch rainbow lights dance across hexagonal honeycomb shapes on the ceiling of the Bleecker Street Station in a light installation by Leo Villareal.Suggested Ages: All
FREE
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Mural Outside Fluevog
Colorful florals decorate the wall outside a shoe store with fun funky shoes. A poster with a shoe telling us to ‘Choose Love’ might lead to philosophical questions about the emotional ability of footwear.Suggested Ages: All, Adult Friendly
FREE
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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.Suggested Ages: All
FREE
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Vandal Gummy at 4WTC
Wonder at how a giant gummy bear ended up in a prison mugshot, gripping an identity placard in between his gelatin paws in this lobby installation by WhIsBe.Suggested Ages: All
FREE
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Eataly Chocolate & Gelato
Shop by weight from bins of colorful Venchi bon-bons or pick up some artisanal chocolate made in Italy with raw ingredients in a variety of shapes and textures according to traditional recipes, from smooth spread to crunchy bars to elegant cigars. Or sample some of the best gelato in the city in a range of flavors.Suggested Ages: All
FREE
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Pier 25 Playground
The longest pier in Hudson River Park hosts an awesome playground with eight different water features (including some very unpredictable fountains), rock climbing walls, swings, monkey bars, a big sandbox, geodesic-dome-shaped climbing net and more. Also explore a 18-hole miniature golf course, a snack bar, sand volleyball courts, berthing areas for historic ships and a large artificial turf lawn.Suggested Ages:
FREE
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Levain Bakery UES
Everything is baked on-site throughout the day at the UES outpost of legendary bakery, from an array of rustic breads to the world-famous six-ounce chocolate chip walnut cookie. We are constantly debating the merits of these versus the equally giant dark chocolate peanut butter chip cookies, and the whole wheat walnut raisin rolls are also yummy (and a little healthier).
Off-the-menu ice cream sandwich - two three-ounce cookies surrounding vanilla ice cream from Ample Hills - available on occasion, follow their instagram for updates.Suggested Ages: All, Adult Friendly
FREE
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Norma’s
Availble-all-day breakfast at this nautical-themed kid-friendly hotel lobby restaurant are over-the-top and pricey - there's even a $2000 ' Zillion Dollar Lobster Frittata' with caviar. Creative sweet and savory dishes in the $30+ range include Super Cheesy French Toast with caramelized onions and applewood smoked bacon, a 'Waz-Za' waffle with fruit inside and outside and crackly brûlée top, and Artychoked Eggs Benedict with truffle porcini sauce (and an artichoke heart instead of en english muffin).Suggested Ages:
FREE
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Noglu
Everything is 100% gluten-free and organic at this cozy French import featuring gourmet meals, pastries and coffee. The menu changes with the seasons but you can always find classic signature dishes such as burgers (classic or vegetarian) and quiches. First floor is take-away counter service, the second floor is casual sit-down table service.Suggested Ages:
FREE
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Heavenly Rest Stop
Enjoy excellent pastries, sandwiches, salads and breakfast dishes plus Melbourne-style coffee) nestled among the limestone arches of what was once a side chapel of a 1929 art-deco church, or pick up provisions for a Central Park picnic.Suggested Ages:
FREE
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Chelsea Waterside Park Play Area
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.Suggested Ages: All
FREE
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Heckscher Playground
Central Park's largest playground features a shaded area with swings and slides, a large, maze-like climber, lots of water features with tunnels, ramps and slides plus giant rocks to climb (and a bathroom). Face painters, musicians and giant bubble makers often congregate at the entrance. Closes at dusk.Suggested Ages:
FREE
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Chocolat Michel Cluizel
Indulge in world renowned gourmet chocolate in a French-style café. Enjoy baked-on-site French pastries, freshly brewed specialty coffees and an assortment of chocolate bonbons and bars with a fair-trade focus. Counter service with a small, stylish seating area.
Suggested Ages:
FREE
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By the Way Bakery
A small cute bakery with muffins, cakes, cookies, cupcakes and more tasty treats, all of which happen to be gluten free.Suggested Ages:
FREE
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Greek From Greece Bakery &Cafe
Feast on authentic Greek pastries both sweet (backlava, kataifi, walnut cake) and savory (spinach pies & a variety of cheese pies) plus soups, salads, sandwiches, house-made Greek yogurt and more at this friendly bakery/cafe.Suggested Ages:
FREE
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Alice’s Tea Cup
Enjoy scones in rotating flavors as magical as the decor, sandwiches, salads and treats with optional fairy wings and glitter at a whimsical tea house inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Choose from hundreds of teas served in charming mismatching pots and cups. Fairy wings and glitter avaialble. Gets crowded on weekends and reservations only available for groups 6+, call ahead or go early to beat the crowds (or take the scones to go for a Central Park picnic).Suggested Ages:
FREE
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Alice’s Tea Cup Chapter II
Enjoy scones as magical as the decor, sandwiches, salads and treats with optional fairy wings and glitter at a whimsical tea house inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Choose from hundreds of teas served in charming mismatching pots and cups. Gets crowded on weekends and reservations only available for groups 6+, call ahead or go early to beat the crowds (or take the scones to go for a Central Park picnic).Suggested Ages:
FREE
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Orwashers UWS
Choose from salads, sandwiches, amazing healthy artisanal bread and not-so-healthy pastries at the new UWS outpost of the 100+-year-old Orwashers Bakery with counter service and seating.Suggested Ages:
FREE
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Snowy Village
Choose from an array of premium Asai shaved ice desserts with snow flake toppings based on all 100% natural ingredients such as red beans, berries, and an assortment of fruitsSuggested Ages:
FREE
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Cafe Lalo
The extensive cheesecake-heavy dessert menu and charming Belle Époque decor lure locals to this cash-only tourist favorite. Dine on salads, sandwiches, pastries and all-day waffles, quiches and omelets or choose from exquisite desserts including 20+ cheesecake flavors, dozens of pies tarts and cakes (including 10 gluten-free options) and jumbo cookies a al a mode. So Parisian and pretty it was in a Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks romantic comedy.Suggested Ages:
FREE
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Ladurée Soho
Escape to Ladurée's pastel Parisian wonderland, where the only stress is choosing among the 25+ colorful flavors, from salted caramel to strawberry marshmallow - plus chocolate covered macarons, gelato and more sweet treats. Or sit down in the magical garden for casual yet sophisticated French fare including salads, sandwiches and croissants.Suggested Ages: All, Adult Friendly
FREE
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