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After a brief winter hiatus, one of Brooklyn’s most reliably electric nights out is officially back. Brooklyn Museum has announced the return of its beloved First Saturdays, kicking off the 2026 season on February 7 with a packed, after-hours celebration timed to Black History Month.
If you’ve never been, First Saturdays is the museum’s long-running, community-centered series—and it’s completely free. Expect live music and performances by Brooklyn-based artists, curator-led exhibition tours, film screenings, art-making activities, pop-up talks and a local marketplace, all unfolding across the museum well after regular closing hours. It’s been a staple since 1998 and remains one of the city’s best arguments for why museums shouldn’t feel hushed or precious after dark.
The February edition, called "Imitate No One," honors artists who reimagine tradition while building community. The night takes its name from poet Jayne Cortez’s rallying cry and includes a tribute to her legacy with a performance by her band, The Firespitters, alongside readings by contemporary poets influenced by her work.
Much of the evening also draws inspiration from "Seydou Keïta: A Tactile Lens," the landmark exhibition dedicated to the influential Malian photographer. Art historian and curator Catherine E. McKinley will lead a tour exploring Keïta’s portraits of Bamako residents from the 1940s through the 1960s, exploring themes of self-fashioning, modernity and African independence. There’s also a hands-on art station inviting guests to experiment with Polaroids in the spirit of Keïta’s studio practice.
Music, naturally, is everywhere. DJs Auntie Spice and Monday Blue will keep the Beaux-Arts Court moving, while the Brooklyn Ecumenical Choir, Nailah Hunter and Timmy Regisford bring performances to the lobby. Elsewhere, Cue the Record hosts a listening session of Fela Kuti’s 1973 album Gentleman and magician Nicole Cardoza will perform a show spotlighting the overlooked history of Black and women magicians.
First Saturdays are free, but registration is required and includes general museum admission. The series continues March 7 with Women’s History Month programming, followed by editions celebrating poetry, AAPI heritage, Pride Month and Caribbean culture through the summer.