Museums aren’t just for exhibitions anymore. In fact, come nightfall, these institutions have a knack for throwing some of the best parties in town. To see the complete list, have a look at our Summer Art Guide.
Midsummer Night Swing at the Lincoln Center
June 26—July 14
Head to Damrosch Park for an all-out outdoor dance party, complete with group lessons and a different live band each evening.
Target First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum
July 7 and August 4
Every first Saturday of the month, the Brooklyn Museum becomes a playground for art and fun. Beyond its normal tours and activities, the evening spices things up when DJs get their spin on, a dance party beings to rage, and drinks start flowing.
Warm Up 2012 at MoMA PS1
July 7, 14, 21, 28; August 4, 11, 18, 25; and September 1, 8
Every Saturday this summer, MoMA PS1 will present its fifteenth annual outdoor music and sound art series. With the Young Architects Program winning submission Wendy in the background, the events take place in the MoMA PS1 courtyard.
Manhattanhenge at the Hayden Planetarium Space Center at the Museum of Natural History
July 11
It’s not exactly a party, but Manhattanhenge, a term coined by Hayden Planetarium Director Neil deGrasse Tyson, kicks off at dusk when the sunset aligns precisely with the grid-like streets of Manhattan. Learn the history and astronomy behind this phenomenon, which director Tyson believes future civilizations will interpret in the same way we currently do Stonehenge.
Frick Garden Party
July 11
Now in its fifth year, the Frick’s Garden Party has quickly become one of the major social events of the summer. And well it should be, since it’s a rare chance to hobnob in the museum’s elegant Fifth Avenue garden.
Young Members Party at the Met
July 12
Cocktails on the roof, a DJ set by electronic music duo The Knocks, and exclusive tours of the Prada exhibition are open only to patrons under thirty-five.
Block Party at the New Museum
July 21
This free event includes projects and performances in Sara D. Roosevelt Park, followed by family-friendly tours of the museum’s current exhibitions.
