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Photograph: Courtesy of Affordable Art Fair

The best things to do in NYC this week

The best things to do in NYC this week include the Whitney Biennial, "Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies" at ARTECHOUSE, the Affordable Art Fair, Pasties and The Wolf, and the "Dogs of New York" art exhibit.

Written by
Rossilynne Skena Culgan
Contributors
Christina Izzo
&
Ian Kumamoto
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If you’re looking for the best things to do in NYC this week, or even for today, there are tons of fun options, including the Whitney Biennial, "Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies" at ARTECHOUSE, the Affordable Art Fair, Pasties and The Wolf, the "Dogs of New York" art exhibit, and awesome free events in NYC! For more ideas, scroll down to see this week's best things to do in NYC.

RECOMMENDED: Full list of the best things to do in New York

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Best things to do in NYC this week

  • Art
  • Art

Art nerds can’t wait until the Whitney Biennial, which happens every two years. It’s always a gigantic showcase of some of the coolest, newest, and most provocative art at a big New York City museum. It’s the Whitney Museum of American Art’s landmark exhibition series and the longest-running survey of American Art, on view March 20-August 11.

This year, the Biennial is themed “Even Better Than The Real Thing” and features the work of 71 artists and collectives. It does a lot in this iteration. The survey examines rapidly advancing technologies and machine learning tools; the body and subjectivity as it pertains to queer identity, body sovereignty, motherhood, the aging body, and the trans body; material agency and the use of unstable media; and lots more.

Overarching is the focus on “the real,” an extremely present topic these days with the onslaught of incorrect ChatGPT answers, horrifying deep fakes and art made by AI. 

  • Art
  • Art

Digital art and poetry will combine for a dive into Afrocentricity and Afrofuturism at this new immersive exhibit in Chelsea. "Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies" opens at ARTECHOUSE on March 22 and runs all summer.

The digital art exhibition promises a "vibrant reflection upon the past, present, and future of the Black experience." It's told through the perspective of London-based Afro-surrealist digital artist Vince Fraser alongside evocative poetry by ursula rucker.

Both artists worked to honor the legacy, struggles, and complexities of the Black experience in their work. Even the exhibition's title, "Aṣẹ" stems from a powerful mantra, affirmation, and philosophical belief held by the Yoruba people of West Africa, meaning "so will it be." (By the way, that's pronounced as AH-shay.)

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  • Art

Got a wall to fill? This walk-around expo unites thousands of contemporary artworks under one roof, spotlighting painting, sculpture, photography and other artistic media. It runs from March 20-24 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea. 

Don’t let the name fool you: If you’re coming to buy, you should be prepared to spend in the range of three or four digits; to qualify as "affordable," the original artworks must be priced below $12,000. The least expensive works start at $100. Even if you can’t find something within your budget, you'll still get to check out pieces by a bunch of amazing artists.

Don't miss featured art by Arts Gowanus, which will exhibit a geometric collection by Liza Domingues as well as an interactive exhibit with Hannah Robinett's "Order & Chaos." For another interactive component, visitors are asked to design a flower petal, which will become part of a "collective bloom." The exhibit, meant to show the transformative power of shared creativity, is hosted by The Art Therapy Project. Finally, be sure to catch the live painting session with Jules Wittock, who will handpaint one of his incredible labyrinths.

If you're coming with children, take advantage of the fair's stroller hours on Sunday, March 24 when the show opens early for parents and their little ones. On the other end of the spectrum, the fair also offers Art After Dark on Friday, March 22 for late-night shoppers.

Passes start at $41. Living up to its name, the fair will also give free admission to those who come on Thursday, March 21 between 6-8pm with a donation of a free art supply.

  • Things to do
  • Events & Festivals

In the TV show "The Masked Singer," celebrity contestants disguise themselves head to toe in elaborate costumes to shield their identities. The concept has captivated audiences of all ages for 11 seasons, and now you can see the incredible costumes up-close and in-person. 

The Paley Center for Media will present " Spotlighting the Costumes That Captivated America" at its midtown museum from Wednesday, March 13 through Sunday, May 19. 

The costumes on display, which helped the show win two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Costume Design, merge fashion, fantasy, and artistry. Each is a fantastical creation, extraordinary in its intricacy, originality, and scale. Some of the fan-favorite costumes include Miss Monster, Flamingo, Chameleon, and Gazelle.

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  • Theater
  • Theater & Performance

See some of Broadway's most famous shows through fresh eyes at this new exhibit at the Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. The exhibition showcases lenticular prints, which appear to animate as you move around. 

"Reanimating Theater: The Photography of Friedman-Abeles," opens March 15 and runs through September 25, 2024. It brings to life photographs by Friedman-Abeles Studio of some of Broadway's most beloved productions from 1954-1970, like West Side StoryCamelot, and Bye, Bye Birdie

  • Art

Deep-dive into the works of American ceramist and painter Toshiko Takaezu with this retrospective and monograph coming to the Noguchi Museum in Queens from March 20 to July 28, 2024.

The first nationally touring retrospective of Takaezu’s work in twenty years, Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within will feature about 200 pieces from private and public collections around the country, including her rarely-seen acrylic paintings and weavings, ceramic sculptures including her signature “closed forms,” Moons, Garden Seats, Trees, and select works from her late masterpiece, the Star Series. 

Following its presentation at The Noguchi Museum, the exhibition—which is organized with assistance from the Toshiko Takaezu Foundation and the Takaezu familywill travel to several additional venues across the United States.

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  • Art
  • Art

The Rubin Museum, that legendary building in Chelsea that has housed the largest collection of Himalayan art in the world for two decades, is permanently closing its physical space later this year. As sad as this is for New York’s culture scene, New Yorkers at least get to enjoy the museum until October, and you should definitely plan to make the most of it until then. 

The museum’s last exhibit, “Reimagine: Himalayan Art Now, will be an appropriate, forward-looking nod to 32 contemporary artists from the Himalayas and the Asian diaspora whose work will be shown in dialogue with objects from the museum’s existing collection.

The exhibit will open on March 15 and continue all the way through the museum's physical closing on October 6. Expect to see 32 new commissions and work across mediums, including painting, sculpture, sound, video, performance and more.

  • Things to do

The Children’s Museum of Manhattan is celebrating Women’s History Month by spotlighting pioneering female artists throughout the entire month of March.

Attendees of all ages can honor engineer Emily Warren Roebling—known for her contributions to the Brooklyn Bridge—by making their own bridges with wire, foam and other mixed media materials. Make like artist Augusta Savage, a central figure in the Harlem Renaissance, by creating a three-dimensional self-portrait inspired by her work. Get in tune with jazz icon Ella Fitzgerald by creating cardboard-tube microphones and crooning to the singer’s famous ballads, or tap into your inner scientist by sculpting teeny-tiny critters inspired by the work of entomologist Sophie Lutterlough.

Check out the full month’s lineup of activities at the CMOM website.

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  • Nightlife
  • Nightlife

If you’re on Foodie-Tok, chances are that you’ve come across a video of The Lavaux, a romantic Swiss restaurant and wine bar in the West Village that has some of the best Swiss cheese offerings in the city. But recently, it’s gone viral on TikTok for its “Secret Message Party,” where they encourage strangers to send each other anonymous notes on Tuesday nights.

The note-passing party is the baby of general manager Christian Stemmer, who got the idea two years ago while traveling through his native Switzerland and ate at a restaurant where people were sending notes to other tables. He decided that something like that would probably do very well in New York, where most of us are starved for deeper human connection. “New Yorkers are all about new experiences,” Stemmer tells Time Out

  • Comedy

Equal parts fun and flabbergasting, Hell Yeah! is a comedy group that creates high-energy, fully-improvised musicals. Yes, musicals. Armed with only a blank stage, a piano “and a burning desire to sing about our feelings,” the troupe—which includes performers PJ Nally, Maria Schroeder, Tony Harkin and Taylor Michelle Feldman, among others—builds an entire narrative based on a simple audience suggestion.

Hell Yeah! will be putting on several upcoming shows at the Peoples Improv Theater! but given that each edition features entirely fresh material “that’s never been seen before, and will never be seen again,” we won’t blame you if you want to attend more than one.

See the show on March 22.

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  • Music
  • Cabaret and standards

These are not the movie princesses you remember from childhood. The cult drag revue Distorted Diznee celebrates its 12th anniversary and brings with it a twisted—and very adult—take on classic House of the Mouse characters. Tinkerbell is an applause junkie, a sleeping beauty has residual narcolepsy, a little mermaid “yearns for the carnal benefits of being an anatomically correct woman,” you get the picture.

During the 80-minute non-stop extravaganza, expect high-energy dance numbers, dazzling costumes and plenty of lip-syncing "ladies.” See it on March 22 at 9:30pm at The Laurie Beechman Theatre.

  • Nightlife

Some of the most memorable events are those that combine two things that shouldn't go together and somehow make it work. That's exactly what burlesque performer Little Brooklyn is doing with her show "Pasties and the Wolf," which is a retelling of Prokofiev's classic "Peter and the Wolf" story as told by burlesque performers.

Several respected burlesque performers were invited to take part, including Pointe, who will play the cat, Miss Lixx, who will play the duck, and many others. The show opens on March 22 and will run for two nights only at 1208 Surf Avenue in Coney Island.

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  • Art

At a time when only 11% of acquisitions at U.S. museums are created by female-identifying artists, the Brooklyn Museum's Center for Feminist Art is displaying 48 emerging and established women photographers. The exhibit showcases photographs from artists born in or working from Europe, including Vanessa Beecroft, Carolle Bénitah, and Silvia Rosi.

Everything in the exhibit was made after the year 2000 and focuses on issues of migration, the legacies of nationalism in Europe, and the male gaze as a patriarchal power structure. See it starting on March 8 through July 7.

  • Art

Guest curated by Valeri Larko, this mixed-media exhibition at Red Hook’s Basin Gallery & Studios spotlights the original works of four female artists: Rodriguez Calero, Airco Caravan, Daina Higgins and Arlene Rush.

In their own way, each of the creators addresses women’s rights and social justice issues throughout their art. For example, Calero’s acrollage paintings like “A Life Cut Short” and “Target of Prejudice” respond to hate crimes and acts of humanity against people of color, while Caravan comments on racism, sexism, misogyny and way through her bold, colorful series featuring humorous household products, like pest-spray bottles. The powerful art show will fittingly debut on International Women’s Day on March 8 and run through April 21, 2024.

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  • Art

This is more than your garden-variety art exhibition–None Whatsoever: Zen Paintings from the Gitter-Yelen Collection is, yes, a tranquil display of Zen Buddhist artwork. But it will also feature in-gallery activities like meditation sessions, calligraphy workshops, a tea ceremony demonstration and an ikebana (floral arrangement) workshop.

Spanning over 400 years and drawn from the Gitter-Yelen Collection, the exhibit explores the origins of Zen Buddhism through more than 50 works by Buddhist painter-monks, including the 18th-century master Hakuin Ekaku. You can check out the show from Friday, March 8 through Sunday, June 16 at the Japan Society. 

  • Art
  • Art

The author and illustrator who ignited our childhood imaginations with tales of cuddly bunnies, mischievous squirrels and daring ducks is getting a well-deserved spotlight in NYC.

The wholesome and beautiful works of beloved children’s author and land conservationist Beatrix Potter are now on view at The Morgan Library & Museum through June 9.

Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature” is the most darling show in the city right now. The exhibition even features a delightful recreation of Potter’s home that you can actually sit and read i

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  • Art
  • Art

The Harlem Renaissance had an indisputable impact on American culture, but chances are that you probably didn’t spend much time learning about it in school. That’s because, even though it shaped global literature, music, and art, Black Americans’ historical contributions have been systematically erased or gone unacknowledged for centuries.

A groundbreaking exhibit opening at the Metropolitan Museum of Art hopes to be a part of rectifying the erasure and celebrating Black artists and intellectuals in its newest exhibit. "The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism." 

The exhibit presents 160 works by Black artists from the Harlem Renaissance and delves into many different aspects of the movement, mostly through the lens of paintings and sculpture. You can get your tickets here; the show's on view through July 28.

  • Comedy

Support up-and-coming sketch comedians as they perform a medley of new sketches at this show at The PIT. The show's called "BoogieManja: A Sketch Comedy Collective" and it promises an hour of sketch comedy that changes every show. 

BoogieManja performs on most Wednesdays. Performers include Nothing Bagel, Both Hands, The Right Stuff, Attainable Crush, EZ Pass, and Cliff Hanger.

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  • Art
  • Art

With their vibrant colors, delicate ruffles, and dramatic shapes, orchids love to show off their looks. This spring, the New York Botanical Garden is giving the divas of the plant world their moment in the spotlight as part of “The Orchid Show: Florals in Fashion.”

Three up-and-coming designers created massive installations inspired by these fashionable flowers. In one, you'll see orchids turned into avant-garde clothing. Another features a regal orchid queen. The final section draws upon AI to create anthropomorphic creatures who don floral outfits. Florals in Fashion is on view through April 21 at NYBG in the Bronx; adult tickets cost $35.

  • Museums

Featuring 60 works from The Met's collection, this exhibition traces the history and transformation of product photography, and delves into the techniques and messaging that brands have used throughout time. The photos include an ad for Panama hats in 1916, lipstick from the 1940s, shoes from the 1950s, and so much more.

"The Real Thing: Unpackaging Product Photography" is on view through August 4.

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  • Art

Weaving is one of the oldest art forms in human history, dating back more than 10,000 years, but you can see the ancient craft from a news perspective in this new exhibition at the Met. Now through June 16, textiles from four modern practitioners—Anni Albers, Sheila Hicks, Lenore Tawney and Olga de Amaral—will be showcased alongside pieces by Andean artists from the first millennium BCE to the 16th century.

Weaving Abstraction in Ancient and Modern Art will feature more than 50 works, curated by Iria Candela (Estrellita B. Brodsky Curator of Latin American Art in the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art) and Joanne Pillsbury (Andrall E.Pearson Curator of the Arts of the Ancient Americas in The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing).

  • Art
  • Art

"Giants," the Brooklyn Museum's latest exhibition, fits its name in many facets. First of all, the show relies on the art collection of two titans in the music industry, Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz (Kasseem Dean). Much of the artwork itself is massive, taking over major swaths of the museum. The exhibition features artists who have made and continue to make a significant impact on the art world and contemporary culture.

Finally, and most importantly, the exhibit encourages big conversations that celebrate Blackness, critique society, and imagine a collective future. "Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys" runs through July 7, 2024. The show features 98 artworks by Black American, African, and African diasporic artists including Gordon Parks, Kehinde Wiley, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Mickalene Thomas, Hassan Hajjaj, Barkley L. Hendricks, Lorna Simpson, and Amy Sherald. 

"The Deans consider all of the artists in the show as giants. They have these very strong relationships with the artists that they collect. It's not about transaction. It's about being stewards and advocates and supporters of these artists," Brooklyn Museum curator Kimberli Gant told Time Out New York.

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  • Art

New York is a dog-loving town, a truth beautifully displayed in this “Dogs of New York” exhibition, featuring the Bic-pen illustrations of Israeli artist Shani Nizan.

"When you walk the streets of New York City, it's easy to feel lonely sometimes, until a dog passes by and looks at you as if they know you well. I usually initiate a small conversation with them until I remember that there is a person attached behind,” said Nizan per a press release.

The artist then decides to spread joy to the dog owners themselves by gifting them “human-animal” postcards of their pups. That act expanded into this art exhibition, where the creator delves into the dog culture of New York, exploring different breeds and neighborhoods throughout the city. 

See the show at Moshava Art Gallery in the West Village through April 18.

  • Art

Kick off Women’s History Month with "Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” an exhibition bringing together 18 women curators and thought leaders, including Hall Rockefeller (Less Than Half), Monika Fabijanska (Contemporary Art Projects Curator) and Hanne Tierney (Director of Five Myles). The arts leaders are highlighting works by women or nonbinary artists that address the current historical context for women and gender marginalized individuals in the arts.

The works of Bang Guel Han, Andrea Bowers, and Rusudan Khizanishvili, among others, will be on display in the gallery space, while the lower level will be activated by The Feminist Institute's Memory Lab, during which female and nonbinary artists can book 90-minute digitization appointments to transform their creations. 

See it at Manhattan's Pen & Brush Gallery from March 7 through April 20.

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  • LGBTQ+

Lady Gaga’s family restaurant, Joanne Trattoria (a name made famous by the artist’s eponymous album), is bringing in sensational drag queens for free, “speakeasy” drag shows every Wednesday.

“Drag Me To Joanne’s,” which is hosted by Jupiter Genesis, features special guests. Of course, because it’s all set at Joanne’s, there will “be ample Lady Gaga action,” organizers say.

Produced exclusively by Jessee O of G L I T A NYC and co-produced by Jupiter Genesis, the show starts at 7pm. Joanne Trattoria’s full Italian menu will be available during performances. Additional tickets for the show aren’t needed, you just need or order a meal.

  • Things to do

Every Monday at 7:30pm in the Parkside Lounge on East Houston Street, the NYC Talent Show highlights unconventional talent from the worlds of comedy, music, dance, spoken word, and more. Audience members are also welcome to show their talent if they choose to participate, creating an environment that feels truly dynamic and collaborative. Tickets are $45 with a 60% off early bird discount if you buy prior to midnight the Friday before the event with the promo code PHILOPYGUS.

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  • Things to do

At Sip & Stitch, create your very own custom handbag with the guidance of purse pro Anthony Luciano. As a longtime handbag artistan and a fashion expert, Luciano will share tips and tricks for making a handbag that's perfect for your personal style. 

The lively workshops are held in Luciano’s Garment District studio, which is packed with vintage ephemera, beautiful decor, and plenty of purses to spark your inspiration. The class begins with a chance to pick a leather color and texture of your choosing—just nothing boring, as Luciano admonishes. Once that’s sorted, he’ll guide you through each step of the process, from cutting to gluing to making final touches. While the workshop is called Sip & Stitch, there’s technically no “stitching” involved, so don’t be intimidated. Even if you’re not a crafty person, Luciano and his team will make sure you leave with a handbag you’re proud to carry. 

Several workshops fall under the Sip & Stitch umbrella, from a classic handbag to a unisex option. Prices range from $175 to $275, with adult beverages and snacks provided at the higher price point. The team plays pop and disco tunes in the background, making a fun and fashionable night for all.

  • Art

Taking over the Asia Society through August 11, 2024, this immersive photography and video exhibition will bring together the works of more than 50 photographers and video artists from China and around the world to visualize the causes and consequences of the climate crisis.

The showwhich will take attendees from deep within coal mines to the melting glaciers of the greater Himalaya—is co-curated by photographer Susan Meiselas and international exhibition designer Jeroen de Vries, and led by Orville Schell, Asia Society Vice President and Arthur Ross Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations.

Along with the artworks themselves, the exhibition will feature a series of speaker events, performances, films and more throughout the run of the exhibition. 

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  • Theater
  • Musicals
  • Midtown WestOpen run

Nicholas Sparks's bestselling 1996 novel, which inspired a popular 2004 movie, is now also the source of an original musical by indie singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson and playwright Bekah Brunstetter. The show charts a romance that begins in the 1940s, and the central is played—in different chapters of their story—by Maryann Plunkett, Dorian Harewood, Joy Woods, Ryan Vasquez, Jordan Tyson and John Cardoza; the supporting cast includes Andréa Burns.

The production, directed by Michael Greif and Schele Williams, arrives on Broadway after a well-received 2022 run at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

  • Art
  • Art

The Harlem Renaissance changed the trajectory of American culture, and no other artist encapsulates the spirit of that era better than poet Langston Hughes. He wrote unapologetically about Black life at a time when segregation was law and few Black artists were allowed into the American cultural zeitgeist.

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is honoring Hughes and his friendship with photographer, filmmaker, and U.S. Foreign Service Officer Griffith J. Davis in its exhibit "The Ways of Langston Hughes." The free exhibit at the Schomburg Center's Latimer Gallery in Harlem will include photographs of Hughes and Davis, who met in Atlanta, as well as more of Hughes' friendships through letters, artwork and other memorabilia.

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  • Things to do
  • Events & Festivals

In honor of Black History Month, NYC's Paley Center for Media is hosting a new exhibit to celebrate two pivotal civil rights leaders: Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. 

The new exhibit, titled "Paley Celebrates National Geographic’s Genius: MLK/X – Two Minds, One Movement," is now on view through March 3 at 25 West 52nd Street. The exhibition draws from the National Geographic show about the two figures. Admission costs $20.

Drawing from the TV show, the exhibit will feature costumes, props, and set pieces from the series, along with craft activities. Head to the big screen in The Paley Museum’s second-floor theater to see films from the Paley Archive celebrating the incredible lives of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X as well as the premiere episode of Genius: MLK/X

  • Art
  • Art

Mercer Labs, Museum of Art and Technology, a new immersive museum is now open. It's the brainchild of Roy Nachum, the artist behind Rihanna’s famous 2016 “Anti” album cover, and his business partner Michael Cayre, a real estate developer. 

The 36,000-square-foot space is located at 21 Dey Street, inside the bank building that used to be part of the now-nextdoor Century 21. It's filled with room after room of immersive fun.

The first of 15 experiences, for example, will take you through a giant room equipped with 26-foot-high projectors that blast a series of images all around that will have you feel like you've just taken a swim inside the sorts of motifs that Nachum explores throughout his work. You will quite literally land inside his art pieces.

In another room, which is being branded as one of only three 4D sound studios in the world, guests are asked to wear a blindfold and lay on the floor to properly enjoy the sounds blasting out of the 36 speakers that are embedded under the elevated floor.

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  • Art
  • Art

Miranda Priestly once famously said, "Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking." But at Color Factory, florals for spring are actually groundbreaking as the interactive art experience in Soho takes flowery themes to immersive new levels. 

Color Factory's “Colors in Bloom” experience is now open—exactly at the time when we could all mercifully use a break from the gray landscapes and cold nights.

For example, there's the Central Park Confetti Room, complete with larger-than-life pink cherry blossoms inspired by the city's first sign of spring. Tickets start at $38/person for the experience, which runs through mid-May.

  • Art

In her first solo museum exhibition, sculptor Auriea Harvey has brought her net-based interactives and augmented reality sculptures to the Museum of the Moving Image through June. Titled Auriea Harvey: My Veins Are the Wires, My Body Is Your Keyboard, the showcase will highlight a collection of more than 40 works from Harvey’s nearly four-decade career, including oversized playable projections of her video games, intricate 3D-printed pieces and even early works plucked from her handbound sketchbooks. 

Regina Harsanyi, the Museum’s Associate Curator of Media Arts who organized the exhibition, notes: “Auriea Harvey has persistently reimagined and redefined the creative boundaries of networked technologies for more than three decades. She possesses a remarkable sensitivity to how the digital revolution of the 1990s spawned a societal shift in the way humans connect.”

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  • LGBTQ+

Fans of RuPaul's Drag Race rejoice. Arlo Williamsburg is hosting 1,200+ person watch parties every Friday night from 7-10pm so you can experience this season the way it was meant to be experienced — around hundreds of screaming Drag Race fans.

Hosted by Drag Race alum Mirage, consider this your weekend pregame or it can be the main event, too — there will be cocktails, giant screens and drag queens with things to say.

  • Museums

The Grolier Club is America's oldest society for bibliophiles, and they're showcasing decades' worth of bookbinding magic at their 60th Street headquarters. Highlights of the exhibit include silver filigreed and jeweled binding from the 1600s, as well as bindings that date back all the way to the 1540s.

The exhibition highlights more than 100 historic and fine bindings, tracing the evolution of decorated bindings and celebrating the works as three-dimensional art objects. The oldest in the collection is pigskin binding with etched brass cornerpieces and central boss, while the newest is a 2019 free-drawn gilded design in a polychrome palette. 

"Judging a Book by Its Cover: Bookbindings from the Collections of The Grolier Club, 1470s-2020" runs through April 13, 2024. It's free to attend, but make sure to book a tour or attend a talk for the full experience.

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  • Museums

The International Center for Photography (ICP) in the Lower East Side is celebrating five decades of its existence with ICP at 50: From the Collection, an exhibit that will showcase photography from their archives dating back from 1845 till 2019. Notable names at the exhibit include Robert Mapplethorpe, Carrie Mae Weems, and Laurie Simmons. The show's on view through May 6. 

Along with the retrospective, the ICP is also celebrating the opening of David Seidner: Fragments, 1977-99, the first major exhibit highlighting Seidner's prolific fashion photography career before his passing in 1999. 

  • Art

An exuberant celebration of fashion, the "Fashion Forward" exhibit will showcase original paintings, textiles, garments and drawings from icons like Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Balmain, Hubert de Givenchy, Karl Lagerfeld, Alexander McQueen, and many others. Located in the dynamic Crown Heights gallery "B" Dry Goods, this exhibit will run until March 30 on Thursdays-Saturdays from 12pm-6pm, as well as some Sundays. Although the exhibit is free, everything on display will be for sale.

Other highlights of the exhibit include a traveling trunk for Queen Marie Antoinette’s wardrobe and an original Givenchy sketch of the black dress that Audrey Hepburn's wore in "Breakfast at Tiffany's." This is perfect for anyone interested in taking a look behind the scenes of fashion's biggest moments.

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  • Comedy

If you're looking for some good laughs in Bushwick while sticking to a budget, then your best bet is to head to Starr Bar's free stand up comedy shows every Wednesday at 10pm. Hosts James Donlon, Aditya Mayya, and Paddy DeFino will showcase new sets of comedians every week with no cover charge, drink minimum or ticket fee. 

  • Art
  • Art

When Komal Shah starting collecting art more than a decade ago, she noticed something startling: "The art world does not treat women artists equally" compared to male artists. 

She decided to do something about that by founding the Shah Garg Foundation with her husband, Gaurav Garg. The organization champions artwork by women and seeks to remedy the imbalances facing marginalized artists. Nearly 100 pieces of art from their collection are now on view in a powerful and diverse show called "Making Their Mark: Art by Women in the Shah Garg Collection" in Chelsea (548 West 22nd Street). It's free to visit through March 23, 2024; hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-6pm.

The expansive exhibition fills two stories with stunning works by artists including Firelei Báez, Cecily Brown, Judy Chicago, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Mary Weatherford, Anicka Yi, and many others. The show features paintings, drawings, textile works, sculptures and mixed media pieces by significant artists from the last eight decades. 

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  • Things to do
  • Events & Festivals

Two New York City hotels are offering outdoor spa experiences this winter—The William Vale in Brooklyn and The Rockaway Hotel + Spa in Queens, so grab your swimwear and make a reservation. 

At The William Vale, enjoy the views while indulging in some much-needed stress relief. Bask in the heat of a barrel sauna with panoramic skyline views or soak in a cedar hot tub under the stars—or both! The experience makes for a special solo trip or a romantic date night. 

At The Rockaway Hotel, enjoy a resort-style escape not too far from Manhattan. For the winter, the hotel has transformed its patio area into a winter pool house with cedar saunas and cozy decor. Plus, the outdoor pool is open for a refreshing plunge. After your dip, you can slip into a buttery robe and relax with tabletop games.

  • Art
  • Art

Inside a venue dating back 100 years into the past, a new art show explores a question of the future: How can human creativity and artificial intelligence coexist?

ARTECHOUSE, located inside an old boiler room at Chelsea Market, has debuted its latest digital art exhibition, "World of AI·magination;" tickets are on sale here starting at $21/person. To create the exhibition, ARTECHOUSE Studio developed original visual elements with generative AI systems. Designers hope to inspire visitors to consider AI as a "creative associate rather than a mere tool for innovation." 

World of AI·magination centers around a 20-minute cinematic experience with six scenes. One scene, called the Library of Magical Portals, features colossal books brimming with dreams and algorithms. Another scene called Symphony of Illusions constantly morphs, while the Infinite Maze immerses visitors into multiple parallels.

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  • Art
  • Art

As she donned the black robe for her role on the Supreme Court, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was known to adorn the traditional garment with a wide array of collars and necklaces. 

Now, her fashion is getting the spotlight in a new photography exhibit called "RBG Collars: Photographs by Elinor Carucci." See it at The Jewish Museum on the Upper East Side through May 27, 2024. 

The installation features two dozen photographs of the late justice’s collars and necklaces taken shortly after Ginsburg died in 2020. This is the first time the Carucci’s photographs are being shown at the Jewish Museum since the images were acquired in 2021.

  • Theater
  • Circuses & magic
  • Midtown EastOpen run

There's a reason Chamber Magic has remained a staple in NYC's magic scene for more than two decades: It dazzles, show after show, with tricks that'll still leave you awestruck days later. 

The charming Steve Cohen, billed as the Millionaires’ Magician, conjures high-class parlor magic in the marble-columned Madison Room at the swank Lotte New York Palace. Dress to be impressed (cocktail attire is required); tickets start at $125, with an option to pay more for meet-and-greet time and extra tricks with Cohen after the show. If you've come to see a classic-style magic act, you get what you pay for.

Sporting a tuxedo and bright rust hair, the magician delivers routines that he has buffed to a patent-leather gleam: In addition to his signature act—"Think-a-Drink," involving a kettle that pours liquids by request—highlights include a lulu of levitation trick and a card-trick finale that leaves you feeling like, well, a million bucks.

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  • Art
  • Public art

A pastel-hued floral mural with a feminist message is the newest addition to the High Line. Titled “Thank You Darling,” this mural by Dutch artist Lily van der Stokker celebrates the playful, feminine realm often overlooked or derided in our culture. 

"Van der Stokker’s work, which she has referred to as 'feminist conceptual pop art,' is undeniably joyful and positive. However, it often simultaneously speaks to weighty themes—aging, health, and, more generally, the lived experience of being a woman within patriarchal structures," a press release from High Line Art explains.

Her installation for the High Line continues this practice for a wide public audience, offering a sweet expression of gratitude to the millions of passersby and inhabitants of nearby buildings. Find the words THANK YOU DARLiNG (with that capitalization) on the side of a building adjacent to the High Line at 22nd Street.

With the word "darling" styled in bright yellow bubble letters, the mural seems to reach out to personally thank every single person who sees it. Check it out through November 2024.

  • Comedy

Head to a beloved West Village music shop for a banging musical comedy blowout every Friday night. This variety show mixes music, comedy, and characters with apperances by Stephen Sihelnik (NY Comedy Festival), Natan Badalov (Adult Swim), Alexander Payne (Netflix), and surprise guests.

Fun fact: The event's set in New York's oldest continually-run music and record store, Music Inn World Instruments. It's been in operation since 1958 and has been heavily featured in the first two seasons of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."

Show up early, save a seat and BYOB: You're in for a party.

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  • Art
  • Mixed media

Journey back in time to the Lower East Side at the turn of the century. A new exhibit at The Museum at Eldridge Street introduces the often-overlooked stories of 29 women who lived or worked in the neighborhood. 

The exhibition, titled "28 Remarkable Women...and One Scoundrel" features mixed media portraits by artist Adrienne Ottenberg, which are printed on silk and cotton banners. They're hung throughout the museum's gallery and historic sanctuary. Stories about the women highlight the work, life, and impact they made culturally, on social justice movements, and more.

Those featured in the exhibition include:

  • Political activist Frances Perkins, who upon witnessing the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, took on an influential role in the worker's rights advocacy movement. That led her to eventually become President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Secretary of Labor—the first-ever woman cabinet member.
  • Suffragist and activist Mabel Ping-Hua Lee who campaigned for women’s rights to vote and was the first Chinese woman in the U.S. to earn her doctorate.
  • Public healthcare worker Elizabeth Tyler, who was the first Black nurse hired at Henry Street Settlement. She went on later to establish the Stillman House Settlement on Manhattan's West Side, which provided health care and social services to the Black community in San Juan Hill.

See the show at the Lower East Side venue through May 5, 2024. The museum is open Sunday through Friday from 10am to 5pm. Admission is $15/adult; pay-what-you-wish admission is offered on Monday and Fridays. Reserve in advance here.

  • Things to do
  • Events & Festivals

Beneath the cobblestone streets of the Seaport, secrets hid underground for decades—until now, that is. A new walking tour led by the South Street Seaport Museum unearths the neighborhood's freaky and fascinating facts.

The museum's "Sinister Secrets of the Seaport" whisks visitors back in time for a 90-minute walking tour full of true crime tales about theft, organized crime, murder and even pirates. Tours are available through March for $40/adult. Whether you're a true crime buff or you're just always in the Halloween spirit, these tours make for a memorable afternoon in a historic neighborhood. 

The tour takes on the scandalous, dubious and sinister tales lurking throughout this historic district. While many stories come from the area's crime heyday in the 1800s, some stories stretch back to the 1790s and others up to the 1990s. It's grim subject matter, of course, but it's delivered in a lighthearted way. You'll never see the Seaport in the same way again.

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  • Art
  • Art

Beautiful, buoyant, beguiling bubbles are back at the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) in Queens. The beloved bubbles exhibit, which has been closed for five years, will return bigger, better and bubblier than ever.

The Big Bubble Experiment encourages kids of all ages to experiment and discover through the joy of playing with bubbles. That includes blowing, stretching, popping and looking closely to see what happens at each move. 

The exhibit features 10 stations, each one with different tools and methods for exploring bubble solution.

  • Things to do
  • City Life

Majestic, incredible elephants are getting the spotlight in a new exhibit at The American Museum of Natural History. "The Secret World of Elephants" showcases both modern and ancient elephants, offering visitors a chance to see a full-scale model of a woolly mammoth, learn about what elephants eat, touch an elephant's tooth, listen to elephant calls and more.

The exhibition is now open in the museum’s LeFrak Family Gallery. An additional ticket is required to visit the exhibit; museum members can visit for free.

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  • Art
  • Art

Over the past five years, dozens of significant European painting galleries at The Met have been shuttered as staff restored the museum's skylights and carefully conserved the centuries-old artworks. Now, after years of effort, 45 galleries are finally reopening, showcasing famed works in vivid detail and radiant natural light.

"Look Again: European Paintings 1300–1800" features more than 700 works of art, including pieces by Rembrandt, Caravaggio, and Poussin; the largest collection of 17th-century Dutch art in North America; and the most extensive holdings of El Greco and Goya outside Spain. The galleries have officially re-opened and are ready for visitors.

As they restructured the galleries, curators focused on women artists, as well as the history of class, race, gender and religion in the works. They also added some sculpture and decorative arts pieces into the rooms, as well as some contemporary works in conversation with works from the past. For example, you'll see the work of Dutch masters in dialogue with works by contemporary artist Kerry James Marshall. 

  • Art
  • Art

The vibrant, ornate stained glass windows inside Manhattan's historic churches always create a dazzling spectacle. But now, a new long-term art display inspired by those rich colors has unfurled inside the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Morningside Heights—the world's largest Gothic cathedral

Titled "Divine Pathways," the monumental art installation is made up of more than 1,100 lengths of blue, red and gold fabric. Each ribbon measures 75 feet in length (approximately seven stories high). Combined, they are almost 16 miles long—that's longer than the island of Manhattan!  

St. John the Divine is open daily for self-guided sightseeing tours with a $15/adult admission fee; timed tickets are recommended. "Divine Pathways" will be on view through June 2024. 

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  • Things to do

There's something unusual "blooming" among Bella Abzug Park's natural fauna.

Part of a solo exhibition of Korean American artist Sui Park, curated by Barbara Stehle and presented by Sapar Contemporary, this outdoor installation in Hudson Yards features the artist's biomorphic sculptures, which are shockingly made using plastic materials like zip ties and fishing line.

For Park, who trained as both an architect and in the ancient art of Korean basketry, "nature is a sacred space that allows her to slow down, consider her surroundings, acknowledge her thoughts, and find inspiration," reads a press release. "With this exhibition, she captures that sentiment using humble materials and reconstructs them into whimsical forms, awakening one’s senses and encouraging others to connect with their thoughts as well as their surroundings."

See the artwork now through fall 2024.

  • Art
  • Art

Eighty years ago, as World War II raged on, Danish citizens worked together to ferry 7,000 Jewish people to safety, keeping them out of concentration camps. 

Now, New York City’s Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust is commemorating that anniversary, known as one of the most effective examples of mass resistance in modern history. "Courage to Act: Rescue in Denmark," the museum’s first exhibition developed for elementary-age students, is now opne.

The exhibit focuses on themes of separation, bravery and resilience to help children ages 9+ reflect on the dangers of prejudice and on their own potential for courageous collective action. 

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  • Art

In a pioneering exhibition, the Brooklyn Museum will present the first-ever museum show dedicated to zines by artists in North America. "Copy Machine Manifestos: Artists Who Make Zines" encompasses more than 800 objects examining how artists have used the medium of zines over the past half century.

This exhibition explores the largely unexamined, yet vibrant aesthetic practice of zines. Zines have been widely used to create and foster communities outside of dominant culture since the early 1970s, when more affordable reproduction technologies like the photocopy machine became widely accessible. The exhibition documents the zine’s relationship to a range of avant-garde practices and intersections with other mediums, including painting, drawing, collage, photography, performance, sculpture, video, and film. From conceptual art to punk and street culture to queer and feminist practices, this canon-expanding exhibition interrogates hierarchies between media and features artworks by nearly one hundred artists.

It'll be on view through March 31, 2024.

  • Things to do
  • Events & Festivals

Explore "The End of Fossil Fuel," the latest pop-up from the NYC Climate Museum. It's free to visit in Soho and offers a bevy of eye-opening activities for all ages.

Inside the gallery, a collection of maps will put climate change issues into perspective, alongside text panels about the history of the fossil fuel industry. The exhibits trace the origins of the climate and inequality crises and how we got to where we are today. Other activations include a sticker wall where visitors commit to specific climate actions and a kids' corner with books and drawing materials.

Find the pop-up at 105 Wooster Street in Soho through April 30, 2024. The museum is free to visit and open to all. It's open Wednesdays-Sundays from 1-6pm. 

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  • Things to do
  • Weird & Wonderful

In New York City, it can be hard to find an apartment with a nice bathtub you'd actually want to soak in. Heck, it can be hard to find an apartment where the shower isn't in a closet in the living room (ahem, this $1.25 million StreetEasy listing).

But now cosmetics company LUSH is solving that very New York problem with a new book-a-bath service just launched this week. In addition to indulgent baths, LUSH Spa Lexington also offers massage treatments and facials, creating a calming oasis near hectic midtown. Find the newly opened spa on the Upper East Side at Lexington Avenue and East 61st Street.

Given the fact that LUSH invented the bath bomb, they’re pros when it comes to bathing. For the book-a-bath experience, head through the store and climb the stairs to the spa. Inside a petite pink-and-white bathroom, a clawfoot tub beckons. Before your bath, a staff member will prepare the water with a Snow Fairy bath bomb, which creates glittery pastel pink water. Plus, they’ll offer a fresh face mask tailored for your skin, a curated playlist and a cup of vegan hot chocolate. 

  • Comedy

Running every Monday since 2014—which might make it the longest-running bar show in Brooklyn, but don’t quote them (except we just did)—Lobby Comedy brings together a curated and very funny lineup of international and national touring comedians as well as up-and-coming local acts.

Co-hosted by real-life BFFs and stand-up comics Matt Pavich and Dan Davies, the weekly series is currently held at Williamsburg’s Freehold bar. Grab a booth or a cozy armchair, enjoy the espresso martini that comes with every $10 ticket (and considering that espresso martinis alone are well worth more than $10, consider it a very good deal!) and sit back for 90 minutes of fresh comedy.

"All you have to do is show-up and laugh your *** off," organizers promise. 

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  • Things to do
  • City Life

The days of outdoor tennis in New York City are fleeting, but before it gets too cold to play in the parks, a new indoor tennis facility is opening in Brooklyn. 

Court 16's 26,000-square-foot venue on the fourth floor of City Point will offer seven courts for tennis or pickleball, usable by players at any level and age. To talk serves, swings and after-game plans, a contemporary lounge featuring Ligne Roset designs and the most comprehensive Babolat product line of racquets in New York City will also be on site.

  • Things to do
  • Weird & Wonderful

At this new experience in Lower Manhattan, shattering plates, throwing glasses at the wall and smashing laptops isn't just OK—it's encouraged. 

Live Axe's Rage Room, allows visitors to take a crowbar to a printer,  pulverize glassware, shout, stomp and truly let it all out.

The Rage Room is located beneath Live Axe, a popular axe-throwing spot that’s been open since 2020. Before you get to go wild, you’ll meet your “rage captain” who will interview you about what makes you tick, from relationship issues to work problems to political drama. Then, you’ll suit up into head-to-toe gear, including a helmet, eye protection and gloves to make sure you’re safe. (Be sure to wear close-toed shoes and long pants for the experience.)

Here's our first look at the experience.

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  • Things to do
  • Events & Festivals

The phrase “women’s work” is often used derisively to indicate labor that’s seen as “less than,” but a new exhibit at New-York Historical Society reclaims that phrase. Aptly titled "Women's Work," the show chronicles the history of women's contributions to labor and how those efforts are both inherently political and essential to American society. 

The exhibit features dozens of objects in the museum's collection from indenture documents to medical kits to military uniforms. With items ranging from the 1740s to today, the show celebrates the strides society has made in equality while not shying away from highlighting the gender-based inequalities that persist today.

It's on view thorugh August 18, 2024. 

  • Things to do
  • City Life

America’s first Black popular music icon is getting his due with a massive new center that houses a 60,000-piece collection and a venue for live music, lectures and screenings.

NYC’s Louis Armstrong House Museum has now opened its new facility, the Louis Armstrong Center—and it’s a big deal!

The space acts as a permanent home for the 60,000-piece Louis Armstrong Archive (the world’s largest for a jazz musician containing photos, recordings, manuscripts, letters & mementos) and a 75-seat venue for performances, lectures, films, and educational experiences, according to a release.

The Center and the historic house are now open to the public Thursdays through Saturdays. Tickets can be purchased at louisarmstronghouse.org. Tours have limited capacity, so book in advance.

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  • Restaurants
  • Eating

Sushidelic, a psychedelic Kawaii-themed sushi restaurant complete with a sushi counter conveyor belt and plenty of kitschy, neon decor is now open at 177 Lafayette Street.

Sushidelic’s menu features sushi dishes that come to you on a conveyor belt, plus more Japanese favorites and vegetarian dishes—all created in collaboration with several Japanese and New York-based chefs, including Hiroki Abe from nearby EN Japanese Brasserie.

  • Things to do
  • City Life

A major new exhibit by the Museum of the City of New York titled "This Is New York: 100 Years of the City in Art and Pop Culture" explores NYC through the lenses of visual art, television, film, music, theater, literature and fashion. The exhibition, which celebrates the museum's centennial, is now open in Manhattan. Here's a sneak peek at what you'll see in this landmark show. 

The exhibition highlights more than 400 objects through several sections. The first, called “Tempo of the City,” spotlights the joys and struggles on the streets and subways of NYC. The next, called “Destination NYC,” focuses on iconic and hidden places from parks to rooftops to nightclubs. Next, the exhibit moves to a peaceful room called “At Home in New York” featuring depictions of home life in books and films. Finally, take a seat for “You Are Here,” a compilation of more than 400 film scenes about New York City stitched together to create a stirring narrative that’ll make you smile and laugh. 

"This Is New York: 100 Years of the City in Art and Pop Culture" runs through June 21, 2024 at the Museum of the City of New York in East Harlem. Admission is $20/adult (you can opt for pay-what-you-wish admission if you buy tickets in person at the museum).

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  • Art
  • Art

For more than 50 years, El Museo del Barrio has been curating a complex and culturally diverse collection. Now, for the first time in more than two decades, the museum will present its most ambitious presentation of that permanent collection with 500 artworks, including more than 100 new acquisitions. 

The exhibition called "Something Beautiful: Reframing La Colección" is now open and will remain on view through March 10, 2024 with different pieces rotating in and out. El Museo del Barrio, located in the city's East Harlem neighborhood known as "El Barrio," is the nation's leading Latinx and Latin American cultural institution. 

See it at at El Museo del Barrio in Manhattan's East Harlem neighborhood. Adult admission is $9.

  • Art
  • Art

A vibrant new sculpture called “Old Tree” is now on view at the High Line. 

Find it over the intersection of 10th Avenue and 30th Street, claiming residency through Fall 2024. Created by Zurich-based artist Pamela Rosenkranz, the vivid sculpture is the third High Line Plinth commission, which changes every 18 months.

The pink and red “Old Tree” sculpture stretches 25 feet into the sky. It's shaped like a realistic tree but constructed completely from man-made materials. 

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  • Art
  • Art

On a typical visit to the Museum of Modern Art, crowds surround the most precious paintings, and it can be tough to squeeze your way in for a photo, let alone to admire the artwork’s brushstrokes. But now, thanks to these new exclusive tours by GetYourGuide, you can get in before the museum opens for a guided tour of amazing artwork. 

The new MoMA Before Hours Tour with Art Expert is now available. Tickets are on sale here for $99/person. Few New York City experiences compare to the absolute thrill of gazing at famed works of art uninterrupted for as long as you like.  

  • Things to do
  • Weird & Wonderful

Many museums start with some kind of orientation, like a map or remarks from a docent. But not The House of Cannabis (a.k.a. THC NYC), the new weed museum now open in Soho. Instead, this museum starts, quite fittingly, with a trippy “Disorientation Room.”

While the museum boasts plenty of mind-bending multi-sensory bells and whistles, it also showcases art, highlights science and confronts the social justice issues baked into cannabis prosecution. The museum, the first of its kind at this scale, packs every inch of its four-story, 25,000-square-foot space at 427 Broadway with fascinating facts and delightful immersive experiences fit to entertain both tokers and non-smokers alike. Tickets ($45/adult) are on sale now.

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  • Things to do
  • Events & Festivals

Find your latest read at The Free Black Women’s Library, a new free library in Brooklyn's Bed-Stuy neighborhood, which also serves as a social art project, a reading room, a co-working space and a community gathering center. The library "celebrates the brilliance, diversity and imagination of Black women and Black non-binary authors." All 5,000 books in the library's collection are written by Black women and non-binary authors.

Here's how it works: Anybody can visit the space to read, work or hang out. If you want to take a book home, simply bring a book written by a Black woman or Black non-binary author, and you can trade. Whether you decide to bring the book back after you're done reading or keep it for your collection is up to you.

The library is currently open four days per week (Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday) at 226 Marcus Garvey Boulevard. In addition to offering a space to read or work, the library has also hosts a book club, art shows and workshops on topics like writing, drawing, poetry, painting and sewing. All are welcome. 

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  • Things to do

The name really says it all: Make bonsai in a bar! These teeny tiny trees are the definition of "happy little trees." 

The pros from Bonsai Bar will teach you the fundamental skills and techniques behind the art of bonsai while you sip your drink and have some fun with your friends. The teachers will also help you as you pot, prune and design your very own bonsai tree. 

Bonsai Bar events pop up all over the city at locations like Brooklyn Brewery, the Bronx Brewery and SingleCut Beersmiths Queens Taproom.

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  • Theater
  • Theater & Performance

From amazing costumes to Broadway history to fun photo opps, this long-awaited new museum is a must-see for theater buffs.  

You can expect the new museum to highlight over 500 individual productions from the 1700s all the way to the present. 

Among the standout offerings will also be a special exhibit dubbed "The Making of a Broadway Show," which honors the on- and off-stage community that helps bring plays and musicals to life multiple times a week. 

  • Sports and fitness
  • Sports & Fitness

With indoor and outdoor options, Carreau Club, the nation’s first pétanque bar, offers a fun spot to get your game on while sipping a drink.

For the uninitiated, pétanque (pronounced puh-TONK) is a bocce-ball style French boules sport gaining popularity in the U.S., starting here in NYC.

Carreau Club operates primarily as a walk-in pétanque club and reservations are not required. But you can book a court in advance for a single party or multiple courts for larger groups. Reservations cost $50/court/hour.

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  • Theater
  • Circuses & magic

AirOtic Soiree is bringing the heat to Hell's Kitchen with a 21+ cabaret-style performane showcasing incredible aerial acrobatics in a titillating, sensual style. The show takes audiences through an intense story of love, passion, sexuality and eroticism through an immersive circus and cabaret experience including extravagant costumes, seductive choreography and circus artistry. 

During the show, dine on dinner and decadent dessert towers curated by celebrity chef Saul Montiel. Before and after the performance, cocktails will be available for purchase.

See it at HK Hall, a historic venue with striking decor in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen, with performances through April 2024. 

  • Art
  • Art

The New York Public Library dug through its expansive and centuries-spanning archive to stage an impressive free exhibition filled with cultural artifacts. "The Polonsky Exhibition of New York Public Library’s Treasures" spans 4,000 years of history and includes a wide range of history-making pieces, including the only surviving letter from Christoper Columbus announcing his “discovery” of the Americas to King Ferdinand’s court and the first Gutenberg Bible brought over to the Americas.

New treasures were just added to the exhibit this fall, including a signed, first edition copy of "Passing" by Nella Larsen, a selection of manuscript pages from "The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot, and a miniature early 19th-century Qur’an, produced in Turkey.

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  • Nightlife
  • Nightlife

Have some fun this week and go check out Gamehaus, a giant new arcade and beer hall just opened in Long Island City. This 5,000-square-foot multifunctional space features a dozen large-screen TVs, classic video games and loads of beers.

Classice arcade games include Atari Pong, Ms. Pacman, Jurassic Park, Pop-a-Shot and Skee Ball.

  • Things to do
  • City Life

Swingers NoMad, a "crazy mini-golf course" and entertainment complex straight from London, offers three nine-hole golf courses across 23,000 square feet under 20-foot-high ceilings.

"Crazy golf" is a British spin on mini-golf, but it's for a 21-and-over audience since craft cocktails are served by caddies on the course. Take your pick from six cocktail bars with signature classic cocktails, as well as 12 cocktails created specifically for Swingers NoMad. Plus, you can rent private rooms, check out an opulent clubhouse and enjoy four gourmet street food vendors—Sauce Pizzeria, Miznon, Fonda and Mah Ze Dahr Bakery.

For the holiday season, Swingers is offering a fun twist on the festivities: Spin a Naughty-or-Nice Prize Wheel to decide whether you're ordering the "Naughty" Sex on the Green shot or the "Nice" Festive Dessert. In addition to the game, there's also seasonal decor and even more holiday drinks.

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Ambush Comedy
Photograph: John Cafaro

79. Ambush Comedy

Join Josh Johnson (Comedy Central's The Daily Show), Lucas Connolly (Comedy Central), and Brittany Cardwell (Drule, New York Comedy Fest) for stacked lineups of top comics from NYC and beyond every Wednesday at 7:30pm. 

Plus you can enjoy free beer from 7:30 to 8pm and there's a pizza raffle if you RSVP. What's not to love? Show up to Two Boots Williamsburg for the show.

  • Restaurants
  • Eating

Artshack Cafe offers everything on its menu on ceramic pieces made in-house. What’s more, according to an official statement by the cafe, patrons are asked to “help reduce waste by bringing their own cups.” Looking for a coffee to-go? Expect it served in a ceramic to-go cup. The cafe is part of Artshack Brooklyn, a community-based ceramics studio that offers both free and subsidized programming for adults and children alike. In addition to not using single-use products, standout features of the Bed-Stuy cafe at 1129 Bedford Avenue by Monroe Street include an anti-racism library and a number of chairs shaped like bunnies that will make anyone’s selected orders from chef Silvia Barban’s menu taste that much better.

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Subterranean Date Night at The Django
Photograph: courtesy of The Django

81. Subterranean Date Night at The Django

Descend into The Django (l2 6th Avenue, The Roxy Hotel, Cellar Level) and you’ll feel like you’ve entered another world. The subterranean jazz club, with its vaulted ceilings and exposed brick walls, was modeled after the boîtes of Paris. The venue consists of two cocktail bars, an open dining space, and a stage for live performances with a state-of-the-art sound system. The Django offers a full dinner menu and handcrafted cocktails, all partnered with a brilliant entertainment lineup. Check out the schedule here.

  • Things to do
  • City Life

Superstorm Sandy devastated New York City, destroying homes and businesses, but it also flooded the New York Aquarium so badly that parts of it have been closed to the public for the past decade. Now, after completely rebuilding these galleries with help from FEMA, New York State and New York City, NY Aquarium is open in full—you can see all of it—"Spineless," the PlayQuarium, "Ocean Wonders: Sharks!" Glover’s Reef, the Conservation Hall, the Sea Cliffs, the Aquatheater, the Seaside Café and more.

 

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  • Sex and dating
  • Sex & Dating

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's "Date Nights" give visitors an opportunity to become acquainted with artwork with informal drop-in gallery chats, listen in on gorgeous live music and sip on yummy cocktails.

"Date Nights" are held every Friday and Saturday night in the American Wing Café from 5pm to 9pm. Make it a night out with The Met's buy-one-get-one drink special and snack on light bites in the American Wing Café. More details can be found at metmuseum.org/datenight

There's literally no excuse not to go—the date nights come with museum admission, which is always pay-what-you-wish for New York State residents and NY, NJ, and CT students with valid ID. And this time, advance tickets are not required. 

  • Things to do
  • City Life

The luxurious Italian wellness spa QC NY has opened to the public, bringing the elegance and rejuvenation of a European spa to Governors Island, but with New York City flavor. It's immediately clear when you enter the spa that it was made to feel like home. From its cozy reception area decorated with custom-made furniture from Italy to its welcoming relaxation spaces with plush leather chairs and massive pillows you can sprawl out on, it feels like you're staying at a retreat with New York Harbor views. Since it's on the edge of the island, a short walk from Soissons Landing, looking out the windows offers gorgeous blue water views and glimpses of the city skyline. Because of its layout, the spa feels secluded from the rest of the island. Click through to read more about the new spa.

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  • Things to do
  • City Life

A new audio tour by the Brooklyn Public Library seeks to explore the lives of the characters and authors that call the borough home in fiction and in real life. From Patti Smith to Biggie Smalls, Howard Zinn to Tanwi Nandini Islam, the guide covers a total of 16 writers over eight miles of Brooklyn. You can also expect to stop at important public libraries the likes of Washington Irving and Clinton Hill, which, according to an official press release, "played an important role in the lives of the featured author[s]." Expect the entire tour, which can virtually start off from anywhere in Brooklyn, to take at least two hours to complete, depending on how many stops you wish to make along the way.

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