The best things to do in NYC this week

Spring is finally here, and Coney Island is ready to shake off the winter blues this weekend as Luna Park opens its gates for the 2026 season. The seaside institution will reopen this Saturday, March 28 at 11am, kicking things off with a two-day celebration featuring rides, games, treats and more.

On Sunday, March 29, the spotlight shifts to the legendary Coney Island Cyclone for its annual egg cream christening ceremony, a quirky, very New York tradition that marks the official start of the season. This year, the Cyclone turns 99, so the ceremony marks the beginning of the countdown to its centennial in 2027. To celebrate, the first 99 riders on Sunday will score a free spin on the iconic coaster and a classic egg cream (while supplies last).

Discounted Luna Boardwalk passes will be available on-site all weekend, with a portion of proceeds going to local charitable groups like the Coney Island Sharks, Children of Promise and the Coney Island Public Library.

New York’s outdoor food festival season is about to get a delicious jumpstart. JAPAN Fes, one of the city’s most beloved street food events, is returning this month to celebrate a major milestone: its 10th anniversary in New York City.

The festival officially launches its 2026 season on March 28 at Astor Place in the East Village, bringing dozens of Japanese food vendors to the streets for a full day of snacking, sipping and exploring. If you miss that first event, another festival will follow the very next day on March 29 on 40th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Midtown.

If you’ve never been, imagine a block party devoted entirely to Japanese street food. Vendors serve everything from teriyaki chicken skewers and crispy karaage to onigiri, ramen, takoyaki and yakisoba. Sweet treats like matcha shaved ice and bubble tea also make frequent appearances, along with Japanese snacks, crafts and cultural booths.

After months on the road, Cardi B is finally coming back to her hometown for the New York leg of her headlining tour, the Little Miss Drama Tour. But before she hits the stage for a two-night run at Madison Square Garden (March 25 and March 26) and another show at Newark’s Prudential Center (March 26), she’ll be heading up to the Bronx to offer folks an exclusive first look at her upcoming beauty line.

On Tuesday, March 24, Cardi B will be popping up in the Bronx to promote her new haircare line, Grow-Good Beauty. Powered by Shopify, the Grow-Good Beauty Supply Bus will be hosting a beauty bodega right in front of the still-under-construction Hip Hop Museum from 11am to 6pm. While it is unclear as to what time the rapper will be making an appearance or what products will be available, if it is anything like her massive “Bodega Baddie” pop-up in September, we say get there early and prepare for a crowd.

The Museum of the Moving Image's Marvels of Media Festival returns for its fifth installment from Thursday, March 26 to Saturday, March 28. Celebrating the work of autistic media-makers, the free, three-day event at the Astoria museum kicks off with the opening night program "The Human Condition" — spotlighting three works that explore universal struggles with communication and connection — and continues with film screenings, industry panels, networking events and workshops for puppetry, stop-motion animation and filmmaking and panels and networking opportunities. Designed with accessibility in mind, Marvels of Media will also include the MoMI Visual Story Guide, a sensory relief space in the Media Lab, as well as sensory kits.

Does your ideal night out involve dinner and a little spectacle? Clear your calendar for March 27: Sushi by Bou is debuting “Tuna Spectacle,” a one-night-only event that turns the usual quiet omakase counter into something far more high-energy. From 9pm to 11pm at its East Village location, guests will gather around as a team of chefs breaks down an entire 200-pound, premium bluefin tuna in real time.

As the fish is carved—a process that involves incredible precision—guests will also be served a steady flow of freshly prepared nigiri made from the very tuna being sliced moments earlier. The experience includes a welcome sake toast, with additional drinks available to keep the night moving.

The Eras Tour may be over, but Swifties still have a chance to hear Taylor's oeuvre live in a concert hall thanks to The Music of Taylor Swift: A Symphonic Tribute, a one-night only T. Swift spectacle conducted by Macy Schmidt as part of The Sinfonietta’s residency at The Town Hall on Saturday, March 28 at 7pm. Performed by an all-women 38-piece orchestra, the evening will span all of the pop star's memorable eras, bringing her music to life in a bold and fresh new way. Singing along not encouraged (sorry!).

The Midtown Cultural Alliance is hosting its second cross-organizational Open House from Thursday, March 26 through Sunday, April 5, bringing together the Japan Society, the Korea Society, Korean Cultural Center New York, L'Alliance New York and Scandinavia House. All five partner organizations will host a wide range of both free and paid programming intended to invite visitors to explore the Midtown neighborhood, with events ranging from gallery shows and film screenings to language courses and kids' activities. Check out the full lineup of 2026 offerings here.

Taking place on March 28 (from 11am to 7pm) and 29 (from 10am to 7pm), a free Hannah Montana pop-up will land in Greenwich Village, inviting fans to step inside a real-life version of the pop star’s famously fabulous glam closet. The two-day experience arrives as part of celebrations marking the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special, which will premiere on March 24 on Disney+ and Hulu.

The activation was created in partnership with Maybelline New York and Disney and recreates one of the most memorable spaces from the beloved series. Inspired by the closet where Miley Stewart famously transformed into her blonde-wigged pop alter ego, the immersive setup turns that TV moment into a walk-through experience.

Inside, visitors will find interactive Maybelline beauty stations where they can try out stage-ready makeup looks inspired by Hannah’s signature pop-star style. Once the glam is complete, guests can strike a pose at a Polaroid photo station designed to capture their inner Hannah Montana moment.

The pop-up is free to attend and open to the public, with no RSVP required. Entry will be first-come, first-served, so fans eager to relive their Disney Channel era may want to arrive early.

The ultimate blonde bombshell and a movie star like no other, Marilyn Monroe is the subject of a new film series at the Museum of Modern Art, in celebration of the actress's 100th year. From March 12 through 25, "Marilyn Monroe: Celluloid Dream" will spotlight some of the performer's most indelible roles—including the 1953 Howard Hawks classic Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, the 1955 Billy Wilder-directed comedy The Seven Year Itch, and her final completed film role, 1961's The Misfits—as well as titles that drew direct influence from her iconography, including David Lynch's Mulholland Drive. Check out the full screening schedule here. 

The Easter fun lasts all week during the East Midtown Easter Egg Hunt. From Saturday, March 28 to Saturday, April 4, kids under 12 can visit businesses throughout the East Midtown area to hunt for Easter eggs. 

How it works: Each participating business will have candy-stuffed eggs hidden at their location beginning Saturday, March 28, for kids to look for on a first-come, first-served basis. Each location will also have one golden egg hidden, which is redeemable for an extra special prize for the hunter and their parents. To make sure kids all over the city have the chance to participate all week long, children are kindly asked to hunt one egg per location.

The event is hosted for the fourth year by the East Midtown Partnership, a business improvement district. Here's the full list of participating businesses.

A Tokyo-style convenience store is popping up on the Lower East Side—but don’t expect it to stay quiet for long. On March 27, Japanese canned cocktail brand -196 Vodka Seltzer (pronounced “Minus One Nine Six”) is transforming a Bowery address into a neon-drenched tribute to Tokyo nightlife with a one-night-only immersive experience called the Konbini Backroom.

Guests will begin their night in a meticulously designed konbini, the Japanese term for convenience store, stocked with some of Japan’s most iconic grab-and-go snacks alongside refrigerators filled with cans of -196’s fruit-forward vodka seltzers. But the real surprise is hidden behind a secret door. Step through it and the quiet store transforms into a neon-lit nightclub inspired by Tokyo’s late-night party scene. The hidden backroom is designed to evoke the feeling of stumbling into an underground dance floor after what started as a simple snack run, a transition that feels perfectly at home in the nightlife-heavy streets of the Lower East Side.

Providing the soundtrack for the night is viral pop star turned DJ Rebecca Black. Fresh off major festival stages, a sold-out tour and her Boiler Room debut, Black will spin a high-energy set of remixes aimed squarely at the dance floor. The drinks will revolve around -196’s signature vodka seltzers, available in Lemon, Strawberry, Peach and Grapefruit. 

The Konbini Backroom pop-up takes place March 27 from 7 to 11pm at 169 Bowery. Entry is limited to guests 21 and over with a valid ID.

The biannual celebration of Off Broadway theater is back, and it's better than ever. The 20th anniversary edition of 20at20 returns on March 23 through April 12, giving theatergoers the chance to score $20 tickets to 28 Off Broadway shows, starting 20 minutes before curtain at participating box offices.

Presented by the Off Broadway Alliance—a nonprofit dedicated to supporting, promoting and sustaining Off Broadway theater while making it more more accessible—the ticket promotion has long been a gateway for audiences to experience Off Broadway shows at deeply-discounted prices. All you need to do is arrive shortly before showtime, grab a $20 seat and discover a new play or musical.

This anniversary edition includes a mix of premieres, cult favorites, family shows and experimental works. Among the highlights is Monte Cristo: The Musical, starring Sierra Boggess, Adam Jacobs, Norm Lewis and Karen Ziemba. Comedy fans can head to Friends! The Unauthorized Musical Parody or Singfeld! A Musical About Nothing, both playing at the Theater Center. Classical drama also makes an appearance with Titus Andronicus from Red Bull Theater, starring Patrick Page at Pershing Square Signature Center. Meanwhile, international offerings include the U.S. premiere of Heartbreak Hotel from New Zealand company EBKM.

NYC has an amazing independent film scene, with some of the best arthouse cinemas in the world. (Just check out Time Out's new global list of the 100 Greatest Cinemas in the World for proof.) And now New Yorkers can take advantage of it for free with a new campaign out of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment: Running from March 20 through 26, the inaugural Art House Cinema Week will offer up 5,000 free tickets to 30 participating independent theaters around town, including Film Forum, Metrograph, IFC Center, the Angelika and more.

So, how exactly do you get said tickets? You have to be among eligible New Yorkers, including NYC teachers, CUNY students, U.S. active-duty military personnel and veterans, people with disabilities, SNAP/EBT cardholders and NYC families registered with the nonprofit Cool Culture, which provides free access to cultural spaces. Simply present valid forms of identification at the box office. 

Advance tickets are currently available to all for purchase and additional information can be found on the Art House New York website. 

If you’ve ever wished you could crawl inside a Betsey Johnson store circa its heyday, your moment has arrived. From March 27-29, the designer is taking over Shopify’s SoHo space and turning it into “Betsey World,” a fully immersive glitter bomb pop-up.

Set at 131 Greene Street, the experience is designed as a series of themed environments pulled from Johnson’s decades-long creative universe. There will be an art gallery filled with original works, a bedroom and locker room that channel her personal history and a full-blown maximalist floral dreamscape. Rather than just recreating past stores, the new pop-up is a surreal mix that leans nostalgic, but with a slightly trippier edge.

A curated capsule of apparel, handbags, shoes and jewelry—each inspired by Johnson’s own artwork—will be available for purchase on-site, alongside select original pieces for collectors. The idea is that you’re not just browsing racks; you’re also taking home part of the world you just wandered through.

Celebrate all things spring on Sunday, March 29th at the Museum of Jewish Heritage's third annual Spring Equinox Festival, honoring Persian culture and the start of the warm-weather season with music, food and activities from noon to 6:30pm, plus free museum admission. In addition to authentic Persian food for Nowruz, the day-long festivities will also include backgammon lessons and boardgames, children's activities from Pardis for Children, a Persian dance performance, a history of Jewish henna and more.

File this under things we never thought we’d write in 2026: the dollar slice is back—and it’s coming from one of the city’s cult-favorite pizza spots.

Emmy Squared Pizza’s East Village location has officially reopened after a four-month renovation, but instead of easing back into service quietly, the team is going full throwback mode. Starting today, the restaurant is rolling out a “Cheaper Than Gas” promotion with $1 slices and $5 beers at the bar, available Monday through Thursday from 4 pm. The deal runs over two separate weeks (March 23–26 and March 30–April 2), giving you eight chances in total to relive your pre-inflation pizza fantasies.

This isn’t a typical floppy corner slice, either. Emmy Squared has built its reputation on Detroit-style pies—thick, square slabs with crispy, caramelized cheese edges (a “frico” crust), airy dough and sauce layered on top in signature stripes. 

The Guggenheim's iconic spiral rotunda gets a colorful transformation courtesy the works of Geneva-born, New York-based artist Carol Bove, in the first museum survey of her sculptural pieces. Running from March 5 through August 2 and charting more than 25 years of work, the career-spanning show displays the wide range of her inventive practices, "from assemblages of paperback books and intimate paper collages to towering steel sculptures," per the museum. 

Two powerhouse chefs with deep New York ties are joining forces for a one-night-only dinner that blurs the line between street-food nostalgia and Michelin-level technique.

On March 24, in celebration of Women’s History Month, Yingtao will host a four-course, $90 collaboration with Saigon Social, bringing together chef Emily Yuen of Yingtao and chef Helen Nguyen of Saigon Social for a menu inspired by “Chinese-Vietnamese street food” through a contemporary lens. The event marks part one of a two-part collaboration and highlights female leadership in the kitchen at a moment when both chefs are earning national attention.

Yuen and Nguyen are James Beard semifinalists and alumni of legendary French chef Daniel Boulud, and that shared fine-dining foundation underpins the evening. But this won’t be a white-tablecloth tasting menu in the traditional sense. Instead, the chefs are leaning into bold, personal flavors that reflect their roots. The concept centers on the cultural and culinary overlap between Chinese and Vietnamese cuisines, two traditions that have long influenced one another yet are often flattened into generic “fusion.” Expect layered broths, punchy herbs, fermented depth and textural contrast—classic street market flavors—reimagined with the refinement of fine-dining kitchens.

For a week leading up to Easter, those looking for a little holiday magic can stop in on the ground floor of Macy's Herald Square to mix and mingle with a cast of colorful characters, including Benny, Macy’s in-house Easter Bunny, and friend Gardener Milo amid an environment conjured out of puppetry, theatrical flair and a little of that beloved Macy's magic. Kid-friendly character meet-and-greets will happen on March 9 through April 2 from noon to 7pm, April 3 from 1pm to 8pm, and April 5 from 10am to 8pm. (Note: Macy's Herald Square will be closed on Easter Sunday.)

MoMA is opening a grocery store where absolutely nothing is edible—and that’s the point. Launching on January 7, 2026, MoMA Mart is a limited-time pop-up from the MoMA Design Store that turns the mundane task of grocery shopping into a visual prank. Shelves are stocked not with snacks, but with objects that look like food at first glance and then reveal themselves as lamps, clocks, candles, stools and sculptural décor.

MoMA Mart will run from January 7 through March 29 at both MoMA Design Store locations—SoHo (81 Spring Street) and Midtown (44 West 53rd Street)—and will also be featured online, where people will be able to shop for the various items. Consider it grocery shopping for people who already have snacks—and could use a tomato lamp instead.

What does American art look like right now? According to the 2026 Whitney Biennial: complicated. Opening on March 8 at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the exhibition gathers 56 artists navigating everything from AI belief systems to climate grief and geopolitical power.

Co-organized by Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer, the exhibition spans most of the museum’s galleries and extends into performance and public programming. The curators resisted the urge to build the show around a tidy thesis. “Rather than coming to our research for the Biennial with a preconceived container, Marcela and I let our conversations with artists guide us,” Sawyer said during an official preview. 

The participant list reflects that breadth. In addition to artists working across 25 states, the Biennial includes artists from Afghanistan, Chile, Iraq, Okinawa, the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Vietnam—“places marked by the reach of U.S. power,” as the museum noted. The definition of “American art” here feels elastic and deliberately complicated.

Natalie Wall’s perfectly curated sex-story show offers cringe-inducing, heartbreaking and gut-busting tales every month. Brave storytellers relive intimate tales about their sex lives and breaking barriers about sex and dating. The show pairs sexual inclusion with humor and sheds light on the awkward universal experience we all know and love (and cringe at). Joining Wall at 8pm on March 27 at Brooklyn's Friends and Lovers (641 Classon Avenue) are comedians Rachel Green, Dani Faith Leonard and Sharon Spell.

Hiroshi Hiraoka, one of the most respected ramen chefs in Japan and the chef-owner behind Sapporo’s Japanese Ramen Noodle Lab Q, is heading to New York City this month for a series of limited-time pop-ups at two Manhattan restaurants. The events will bring his refined “tanrei” style ramen, rarely experienced outside Japan, to diners at Towa in Flatiron and nonono in NoMad.

First up is an elegant collaboration at Towa, where Hiraoka will join chef Masaya Shirai for a special “ramen-kaiseki” tasting menu running March 21–22 and March 28–29. The multi-course experience will feature two different types of Hiraoka’s signature ramen (one warm and one chilled) woven into the progression of dishes. Prices are $125 per person at the sushi counter and $75 in the dining room.

After the Towa collaboration wraps up, Hiraoka will continue his New York visit at nonono, Hand Hospitality’s yakitori and ramen izakaya. From March 30 through April 4, guests can order his ramen a la carte during lunch and dinner service. The pop-up is also part of a bigger transition for nonono, as Hiraoka is working with the team on a refreshed ramen program that relies on the chicken-based broths. The dishes developed during the collaboration will remain on the menu after the chef returns to Japan.

Opening March 16 at the New York Transit Museum’s Grand Central Gallery & Store, "Inspired by MetroCard" explores how the humble fare card evolved into a creative canvas for artists, designers and institutions across the city. The free exhibition pulls from contemporary artworks and the museum’s own collection to show how MetroCards have been transformed into fashion pieces, sculptures, paintings and collages, as well as limited-edition cards.

Rather than treating the MetroCard solely as transit technology, "Inspired by MetroCard" presents it as an accessible design object, one handled by almost every New Yorker and that material artists repurposed in strikingly personal ways. The show includes rare art MetroCards, fashion collaborations and works created from expired or discarded cards. Among the highlights are works by artists as different as Nina Boesch, Barbara Kruger, Nina Vishneva, Thomas McKean and VH McKenzie, who have turned the cards into everything from mosaic tiles to canvases and even a wedding dress.

Your new monthly ritual has arrived. Join us every third Saturday for a late-night soundtrack curated by Mike Medium of the Heavy Hitters and Hot 97, alongside special guest DJs bringing nonstop heat to the dance floor. Expect the best in hip-hop, R&B, reggaeton, throwback jams and more surprises throughout the night.

Sip on specialty cocktails courtesy of Patrón, vibe with the crowd and dance like it’s a Saturday in NYC done right. Whether you’re coming for the music, the cocktails or the energy, this is where Saturday night lives.

New York’s ongoing matcha obsession is getting a serious carb-forward upgrade this spring. Starting March 5 through the end of the month, Breads Bakery is rolling out a limited-time, matcha-packed menu that leans just as heavily into pastries and desserts as on cafe classics.

The brewed lineup includes a classic matcha latte, available hot or iced and made with your milk of choice, plus a straight-up whisked matcha for purists who want the full grassy, bold flavor without distractions. The real headline, though, is the baked menu. There's now a playful green twist on some of the bakery’s signature formats, including the Matchalach, a flaky laminated take on rugelach filled with creamy matcha, as well as matcha brioche buns stuffed with smooth pastry cream. A velvety matcha pound cake brings understated sweetness and crisp shortbread cookies with dark chocolate chips lean into the tea’s slightly bitter edge.

The limited-time lineup will be available at Breads Bakery locations across Manhattan—including Union Square, Bryant Park, Rockefeller Center, the Upper West Side and the Upper East Side—so consider this your cue to lean fully into green tea season while it lasts.

On now through April 27 across two floors of the SculptureCenter in Long Island City, Pat Oleszko: Fool Disclosure is the artist's first New York City solo presentation in 35 years, spotlighting her signature inflatables as well as posters, postcards, photographs, costumes, hats and moving images, among others, all of which are rooted in Oleszko's "humor, sharp social commentary and the defiance of all forms of authority," says the museum. 

A new pop-up photo exhibition at the St. George Ferry Terminal is turning the transit hub into an open-air gallery, showcasing powerful portraits of immigrant New Yorkers and the lives they’re building across the city. The installation is part of the third annual “New York Proud” campaign, organized by the New York Immigration Coalition in partnership with Photoville. The public art initiative turns busy public spaces into storytelling platforms that highlight the experiences and contributions of immigrants across the five boroughs. 

This time around, the portraits have landed in Staten Island—right where thousands of commuters, tourists and ferry riders pass through every day. Photographed by Venezuelan documentary photographer Oscar B. Castillo, the exhibition features immigrant New Yorkers in the places where they work and create, like kitchens, studios, clinics, stages and street corners. The subjects range from fruit vendors and chefs to playwrights and doctors, offering a glimpse into the many roles immigrants play in keeping New York running.

Running from March 13 through April 12 at La Mama Galleria, JEWESS is the ambitious new exhibition by Brooklyn-based artist Danielle Durchslag, exploring three powerful Ashkenazi characters who meet "at the crossroads of Jewish ritual, politics, and fashion," per organizers. Visually inspired by 1960s glamour, Tudor court dressing and early London punk, the personas are Elizabeth Taylor, Queen Elizabeth I and a rebellion Angel of Death, all reimagined with the Jewish holidays of  Passover and Shabbat in mind. During the exhibition's run, there will be three free and open-to-the-public events: Two guided tours of the exhibit by the artist herself on March 21; a concert by NYC Jewish punk band Theophobia on March 22; and  a conversation between Durchslag, designer Isaac Mizrahi and comedian Negin Farsad about Jewish glamour on April 5.

Last year, Samuelsson launched "Subway Series,” a monthly pop-up where up-and-coming BIPOC chefs took over his glittering FiDi restaurant, Metropolis by Marcus Samuelsson, for a night. This month he is doing it yet again, but this time, the marquee showcases an impressive lineup of female chefs. 

For the spring rendition of Subway Series, four stellar female chefs (Fariyal Abdullahi of Hav & Mar, Mavis-Jay Sanders of Community Kitchen, Lana Lagomarsini of Restaurante Garzon and Roshara Sanders of Red Rooster Harlem) will be popping up at Metropolis, in celebration of Women’s History Month. Each Friday beginning at 5pm, a different chef will take the lead, cooking up a menu that reflects their individual heritage, experience and cookery. 

Queens' own Robert Mapplethorpe is the subject of an expansive (literally) new photography exhibition at the Gladstone Gallery. From March 5 through April 18, the West 24th Street space will display 16 new large-scale, limited-edition photographs by the American photographer, organized in collaboration with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation. Most of the pieces will be presented in sprawling 60x60 inch format, ranging in subject from florals to female nudes to famous folks (Grace Jones, Patti Smith) and much more. Altogether, the works "demonstrate Mapplethorpe’s obsession with perfection, which he employed in his practice as a whole," per the gallery. 

Throughout March, Brooklyn Public Library is celebrating Indie Press Month with a special series spotlighting local indie publishing culture and the authors, editors and publishers who make up that community. There will be a set of free and open-to-the-public talks dotted throughout borough branches, including but not limited to: "A Brooklyn Indie Story: Brooklyn Noir and Akashic Books" with Tim McLoughlin, Johnny Temple and John Chrastka on March 4 at the Red Hook Interim Library; "The Brush Live in Translation with Archipelago Books" on March 17 at Bushwick Library with poets Eliana Hernández-Pachón and Natasha Tiniacos; and "The Editorial Instinct with Other Press" on March 26 at the Williamsburgh Library with psychoanalyst Judith Gurewic and writer Michael Greenberg.

Two of Mexico's most beloved artistic and cultural icons—Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera—will be rightfully celebrated in a new MoMA exhibition presented in conjunction with the Metropolitan Opera and its production of El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego (May 14–June 5, 2026). On view from March 21 through September 12, 2026, the exhibit will showcase five paintings and a drawing by Kahlo and over a dozen works by Rivera pulled from MoMA's collection, in an elaborate installation designed by Jon Bausor, the set and co-costume designer of the opera.  Photographic portraits of the artists by the likes of Lola Álvarez Bravo and Leo Matiz will also be on view.

Can you believe Survivor has survived 50 seasons? The iconic show is back on February 25 and the Paley Center is celebrating the milestone. If you're a fan of Survivor, you won't want to miss "Outwit, Outplay, Outlast: Celebrating 50 Seasons of Survivor." Running now through May 31, the exhibit is an immersive, nostalgia-heavy tribute to the CBS juggernaut. It will feature some of the show's most memorable moments and will give visitors the chance to step into the winner-takes-all world of Survivor.

The exhibit celebrates 50 seasons with actual items from the show and plenty of behind-the-scenes photos. There will be authentic outfits worn by Jeff Probst and castaways, immunity idols and necklaces and a torch snuffer. View original sketches for logos, sets and props. There’s even a chance to snap a pic with the iconic torch and sit at a replica Tribal Council. While the museum hasn't revealed exactly which iconic wardrobe pieces will make an appearance, fans are hoping for the infamous Q skirt, Boston Rob Mariano’s Red Sox hat or perhaps Angelina Keeley’s jacket. In addition to the artifacts, the exhibit will include plenty of photos and videos spanning all fifty seasons, plus screenings of classic episodes in the Paley Museum’s Bennack Theater.

On June 30, 2015, Misty Copeland made history as the first Black American woman to be promoted to principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre's 75-year history. That historic decade-long run came to an end when Copeland retired in 2025, and a new photography exhibit at the Leica Gallery New York — fittingly entitled "Ballet" — will feature never-before-seen photographs of the dancer in her final ABT performance. Running through March 29, the group show will display stunning snaps from photographers Henry Leutwyler, Diana Markosian and Kylie Shea and explore "the discipline, vulnerability, and transcendence of dance through three distinct photographic practices, united by a shared devotion to movement," per the gallery. A free opening reception will be held on February 19, followed by a moderated panel discussion with the artists on February 21 with special guest Misty Copeland.

Having won a Tony Award for Merrily We Roll Along, Daniel Radcliffe returns to make more magic in the Broadway premiere of Duncan Macmillan's interactive dark comedy about a British man who makes lists of the world's good things, at first to ease his mum's depression and later to temper his own. The show ran Off Broadway in 2014 with Jonny Donahoe, who also contributed to the script; this version is co-directed by Macmillan and Jeremy Herrin (Wolf Hall). It's theatrical candy cane: slim and sweet, tempered by sharpness and striped with bright nostalgia.

Nearly two decades after The Sopranos ended with that excellent and polarizing series finale, the HBO series remains an enduring television masterpiece. And the Museum of Modern Image will celebrate the groundbreaking drama with a new exhibition, Stories and Set Designs for The Sopranos, drawing from showrunner and series creator David Chase's personal archive. From February 14 through May 31, 2026, fans of the show will get to peruse scripts, notes and research material chronicling the series' story arcs and character trajectories, as well as delve into the designs of four principal sites from the show, including Dr. Melfi’s office, the Soprano home, the Bada Bing strip club, and Satriale’s Pork Store via concept art, ground plans and more. MoMI will also present three special screenings featuring David Chase and cast members from The Sopranos, February 26–28; find more info here. 

Fashion has been explored as an expressive tool by numerous artists, from Salvador Dalí to Sonia Delaunay to Scott Barrie, a fact beautifully portrayed in the new exhibition Art X Fashion at the Museum of FIT. Running from February 18 through April 19, the stylish display will feature more than 140 objects, including garments, accessories, textiles, photographs, and original artworks drawn from MFIT's permanent collection. "This exhibition will garner strong opinions and spark lively dialogue, but whether you decide that fashion is art or not, fashion's strong and mutual relationship with fine art is undeniable," says Dr. Elizabeth Way, curator of costume and accessories at MFIT.

The Orchid Show at The New York Botanical Garden exhibits thousands of species of beautiful blossoming orchids, making it one of the best NYC events in February and one of the best things to do in the Bronx. NYBG’s orchid show has been running for more than two decades and has only gotten better year after year.

The Orchid Show this year will explore the connection between natural flora and the concrete jungle "in a dazzling reimagining of the Big Apple, from stoops and slice shops to the subway itself."

NYBG’s Orchid show runs from February 7 through April 26, 2026 at the New York Botanical Garden (2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx) inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.

“He Built This City: Joe Macken’s Model” brings a sprawling, handmade replica of New York City to the Museum of the City of New York, just steps from Central Park. The exhibition marks the first time the viral model, famously constructed by Queens-born truck driver Joe Macken, has been presented in New York City itself.

Macken began the project in 2004 and stuck with it for the next 21 years, quietly recreating the five boroughs by hand in his upstate New York home. Built from everyday materials like balsa wood, cardboard and glue, the finished model measures roughly 50 by 27 feet and is made up of more than 300 individual sections. It captures the city’s skyline, neighborhoods and landmarks with obsessive detail, from Midtown towers to outer-borough blocks.

A century ago this fall, Robert Rauschenberg was born in Texas. He went on to become a Pop art pioneer and one of the most renowned American artists of this era. Now, museums and galleries across the globe are planning shows that honor the artist's expansive creativity, spirit of curiosity and commitment to change.

For its part, NYC's Guggenheim Museum on the Upper East Side will host a major show called "Robert Rauschenberg: Life Can't Be Stopped," running through April 5, 2026. The show will feature more than a dozen historic pieces, including Rauschenberg's monumental painting "Barge," all which reflect the artist’s radical legacy. 

Lace up! The terrace at Time Out Market Union Square has transformed into an ice skating rink, open for all your triple axel attempts from now through March 31. Whether you’re planning a group outing, a family skate, or a fun date night, enjoy gliding in the rink with cozy bites and drinks just steps away.

Skate Rink Reservation Hours:

Monday–Wednesday: 4pm–9pm (last reservation at 9pm)
Thursday–Friday: 12pm–9pm (last reservation at 9pm)
Saturday: 10am–8pm (last reservation at 8pm)
Sunday: 10am–6pm (last reservation at 6pm)

Reservations begin at the top of each hour and last 40 minutes.

Reservation Pricing:

$15 per 40-minute session (includes skate rental)
$10 per 40-minute session (BYOS – Bring Your Own Skates)

Book your session here. 

If you ever lost an afternoon chasing ghosts, the Paley Museum has your next field trip lined up. The midtown mainstay is celebrating one of gaming’s most beloved icons with a new exhibit, “45 Years of PAC-MAN,” opening Friday, January 16 and running through May 31.

The show traces how a simple yellow circle dreamed up in Japan in 1980 by designer Toru Iwatani grew into a global pop-culture heavyweight. From early arcade cabinets to living room consoles and far beyond, PAC-MAN redefined what video games could be, while still welcoming in first-time players.

At the exhibition, visitors can jump straight into the action with classic Pixel Bash arcade cabinets, competitive rounds of PAC-MAN Battle Royale Chompionship and newer titles like PAC-MAN WORLD 2 Re-PAC. There’s also a chance to tackle what the museum bills as the world’s largest PAC-MAN.

Sid Gold’s Request Room is the premier live piano karaoke bar in the country, with iconic locations in New York, Detroit, Nashville and Washington D.C. Known for its magical, one-of-a-kind experience, the audience becomes just as much a part of the show as the singer on stage. With a songbook of over 1,000 titles, Sid Gold’s pianists don’t just play—they coach, harmonize and cheer you on, giving even the shyest voices the confidence to shine.

Every other Tuesday (including this Tuesday, January 6), Sid Gold’s very own John Khoury will be hosting a special karaoke night at Time Out Market New York, Brooklyn. Bringing his extensive repertoire, Khoury is well versed in the music of Frank Sinatra, Chappell Roan and everything in between. Performing now in the shadow of his beloved Brooklyn Bridge, John is ready to make Time Out Market the city’s newest stage for unforgettable sing-alongs.

The event starts at 7pm and is free to attend.

Get your tickets here. 

A century ago this fall, Robert Rauschenberg was born in Texas. He went on to become a Pop art pioneer and one of the most renowned American artists of this era. Now, museums and galleries across the globe are planning shows that honor the late artist's expansive creativity, spirit of curiosity and commitment to change.

For its part, Museum of the City of New York is highlighting the artist's time in New York City. "Robert Rauschenberg’s New York: Pictures from the Real World" explores Rauschenberg’s integration of photography and found objects into his art, reflecting his deep engagement with "the real world" and his complex relationship with urban life in NYC. He was a photographer with a bold creative vision which was essential to his art making, and this exhibition celebrates that. 

Most people associate the sari with its South Asian origin. The New York Historical adds another layer to the garment's story by unearthing how the sari—and those who wear it—made New York City its home in a new exhibit opening soon. "The New York Sari: A Journey Through Tradition, Fashion, and Identity" runs through April 2026.

This exhibition traces the path of the sari from the Indian subcontinent to NYC, going from exotic object of trade to a tradition embraced by many communities. The sari holds many different identities; whether it be within consumer empires, dance and performance or explorations of gender and identity, museum officials explained. 

The Brooklyn Museum has gotten a major dose of calm. Visitors can now enter a Tibetan Buddhist shrine room with ritual horns, butter lamps and the hum of chanting monks, courtesy of a long-term loan from the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art.

The Rubin Museum Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, one of the institution’s most beloved installations, will be on view inside the Brooklyn Museum’s Arts of Asia galleries as part of a six-year collaboration between the two museums. Entry is included with general admission, which the museum offers on a pay-what-you-wish basis. 

Let internet boyfriend Pedro Pascal be your guide on a tour of the universe. The famous actor is the narrator for a new space show at the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium titled Encounters in the Milky Way. 

Encounters in the Milky Way takes a 20-minute voyage through outer space with stunning visualizations of dazzling stars, constellations and planets. Stirring music complements Pascal's narration, and you'll even feel your seats move as if you could blast off to space yourself. 

If Da Vinci had the technology we do today, what would he have created?

That’s the question being asked at Mercer Labs’ newest exhibit, “Maestros and the Machines,” featuring sound by Timbaland. The exhibit investigates: what could’ve been created if past artists, musicians and geniuses had technology as we know it today.

The new exhibit, which showcases an immersive atmosphere with cutting-edge digital tools, soundscapes and more, is conceived and directed by artist and Mercer Labs founder Roy Nachum. (You might recognize Nachum’s name because he designed Rihanna’s Anti album cover.)

Sure, you can learn about the American Revolution in history books. Or you can experience it in real life—in the actual place where history was made—during this exhibit at Fraunces Tavern Museum in Lower Manhattan. 

The museum is set to debut “Path to Liberty: The Emergence of a Nation” in honor of America’s 250th anniversary. Find the exhibit inside Fraunces Tavern, a historic building that served as a meeting place for the Sons of Liberty, hosted Washington's farewell to his officers and even was hit by a cannonball during the Revolutionary War. 

As part of the nation's semiquincentennial (a.k.a. 250th) celebrations, Fraunces' exhibition will offer a chronological, multi-year experience telling the history of the American Revolution from 1775 to 1783, with a distinctive focus on what occurred in New York State and the surrounding areas.

After a five-year closure, the Frick Collection is now open once again inside its historic Gilded Age mansion at 1 East 70th Street by Fifth Avenue.

Visitors will get to experience even more of the museum's extensive collection by stepping inside restored spaces on the first floor while also walking around a new roster of galleries on the mansion's second floor, open to the public for the very first time.

The second floor used to be the Frick family’s private living quarters, but later became staff meeting rooms and administrative offices. So yes, you’ll be able to walk into the original bedroom of Henry Clay Frick.

It's hard to imagine now in our globalized world, but many of the young American soldiers who headed onto massive ships like the USS Intrepid during World War II had never even seen the ocean before. They’d soon be navigating the Pacific, launching planes off of aircraft carriers and battling Axis enemies. 

Now, the stories of those military members are on display in a new permanent exhibit at the Intrepid Museum, the historic aircraft carrier docked along the Hudson River in Hell’s Kitchen, which served from 1943 to 1974. The new 10,000-square-foot exhibit includes 50 never-before-seen artifacts, crew member oral histories, videos and photos showcasing the ship's history.

Plus, you’ll get to see the museum’s newest WWII aircraft acquisition, a legendary fighter-bomber called the FG-1D Corsair. Planes just like it often flew off of Intrepid’s flight deck during the war.

Tucked away on Bridge Street in an old factory basement, this two-story playscape for kids and adults contains ample room for fun, including laser tag, mini-bowling and arcade games.

Laser tag games are comprised of three 10-15-minute matches, where you bob and weave around rustic columns and obstacles Area 53 has set up. Across an hour-and-a-half, you and your friends will be giggling and screaming as you "shoot" each other's guns to gain points. It's not for the faint of heart—running to avoid lasers is a workout, but a super fun one. Checking out its "After Dark" laser tag and mini-bowling for those 18+ on Thursday nights.

Area 53's mini-bowling allows for up to six people to knock down pins across 25 minutes and its arcade has traditional games, from basketball shooting games to racing games and claw machines. 

Blast off to another planet at INTER's new interstellar experience. Inside this Soho space, expect to see more than 10 immersive exhibits using light, sound and digital projection to transport you to another galaxy.

Walk through a mirrored hallway with moving light, then find yourself on an alien terrain. Stroll through a tunnel of bioluminescent flowers, bounce around in a netted space called “The Vortex,” and get swallowed by a black hole in an infinity mirrored room. All of it is certainly fodder for your Instagram feed.

But it’s not just about looking around. INTER asks you to … interact. There are multiple generative art installations that react in real-time, like donning a space suit in the interstellar research lab and forming new constellations via motion-tracking technology.

Some 4,500 years ago, ancient Egyptians built the Great Pyramid of Giza—the greatest pyramid the world had ever seen. Sure, you can read about this incredible civilization in history books, but you can now walk through their pyramid without ever leaving New York City. A new virtual reality experience called Horizon of Khufu offers a chance to travel miles away and back in time. 

You'll get a chance to wander around the pyramid, then look in awe at the intricate tombs of Pharaoh Khufu and the majestic Giza Necropolis. Eventually, you'll board a ship for a journey across the Nile, attend a mummification ceremony, and experience the somber occasion of King Khufu's final rites.

As the Revolutionary War came to a close, British Loyalists and soldiers evacuated the colonies in droves. But the evacuation was more complicated for Black Loyalists, some of whom joined the British cause in response to offers of freedom. 

In 1783, the new government formed a special committee to review the eligibility of some Black Loyalists to evacuate with the British Army, and that committee met at Fraunces Tavern in Lower Manhattan. A new permanent exhibit at the Fraunces Tavern Museum explores this important moment in history. 

The exhibition first opened last year, and officials are now moving it to a larger permanent gallery within the museum. The new space will offer a chance to include recent new discoveries of significant information concerning the identities of individuals participating in the Birch Trials and their inclusion in the Book of Negroes.

You may just miss Hell’s Kitchen’s latest lounge. Tucked away off 52nd Street and 8th Avenue, you’ll find a red light and a blue door marked with red graffiti of a martini and a piano. Once the light flicks on, duck inside to find the city’s latest piano bar and supper club. Follow the red light to So & So’s Piano Bar. A part of the Romer Hell’s Kitchen hotel, the piano bar and supper club is an ideal escape for locals and theater industry vets alike. Illuminated by stunning marquee lights, the stage will host up-and-coming local acts alongside Broadway legends, and has already been graced by Darren Criss and Noah Cyrus.

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. 

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.

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 open.

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. 

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.  

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. 

New York City is full of free outdoor art that you don't even have to go to a museum to see. Sculptures, murals and photographs can be found in its parks, sidewalks and on its buildings! 

An outdoor artwalk makes for a perfect fall activity, and there's no shortage of art to check out right now. Best of all, it costs you nothing to pay a visit.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

The sun will come out—eventually! Our guide to spring in NYC details flower shows, outdoor fests and cultural musts.

Want to know what’s happening in New York today, this weekend or in the coming months? Use our NYC events calendar for 2025 as your guide to find the best things to do around town.