Get In Free At 8 Of NYC's Best Museums For Annual Festival

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — For one night every summer, Fifth Avenue's museums shut down the avenue to traffic and open their doors to pedestrians for free art, music, and other festivities for all ages.

The event, called the Museum Mile Festival, will be taking over Fifth Avenue from 82nd Street to 110th Street on Tuesday, June 9, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Now in its 48th year, the festival's participating museums include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, El Museo del Barrio, Neue Galerie New York, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Cooper Hewitt, the Jewish Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, and the Africa Center.

Also in the neighborhood, the New York Academy of Medicine, the Church of the Heavenly Rest, Asia Society, 92NY, Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, NYC Kids Project, The People's Bus, and AKC Museum of the Dog will also host activities.

Here's a list of all the activities at the museums.

The Met

1000 Fifth Ave.

Create art, catch a performance on the iconic steps from the L Train Brass Band from 8:30–9 pm., and check out current exhibitions including Costume Art, Musical Bodies, Raphael: Sublime Poetry, and the newly opened P.S. Art: Celebrating the Creative Spirit of New York City Kids.

El Museo del Barrio

1230 Fifth Ave.

Celebrate the 48th Annual Museum Mile Festival at El Museo del Barrio, where Fifth Avenue transforms into a vibrant Puerto Rican block party inspired by the exhibitions Jangueando: Recent Acquisitions, 2021–2025 and Sophie Rivera: Double Exposures. Enjoy live salsa from Lulada Club, energizing sets by DJ Bembona, guided tours, and hands-on art-making for all ages.

Neue Galerie New York

1048 Fifth Ave.

The Neue Galerie is hosting a pop-up table in front of the museum to explore the architecture and history of its home and its collections of Austrian and German art and design. The museum itself will be closed.

The Guggenheim

1071 Fifth Ave.

Explore the museum’s galleries until 9 p.m., or head outside for lively chess activations where visitors of all skill levels can play, learn, and connect. The evening will also showcase artwork created by students from District 75 schools, highlighting the creativity, talent, and unique perspectives of New York City’s young artists.

Cooper Hewitt

2 East 91st St.

Explore three exhibitions on view: Art of Noise, which celebrates groundbreaking design that shapes and visualizes our musical experiences; Devon Turnbull: HiFi Pursuit Listening Room Dream No. 3, featuring a large-scale handcrafted audio system that transforms listening into an immersive art experience; and Made in America: The Industrial Photography of Christopher Payne, showcasing more than 70 large-format photographs.

The Jewish Museum

1109 Fifth Ave.

At The Jewish Museum, enjoy live performances by Ethiopian-Israeli musician Gili Yalo, create art inspired by Paul Klee during a family activity, receive a free gift with qualifying purchases at the Museum Shop, and explore exhibitions including Paul Klee: Other Possible Worlds, Identity, Culture and Community, and Circa 1776: Jews in Colonial America.

Museum of the City of New York

1220 Fifth Ave.

Visit the Museum of the City of New York for free from 6–9 p.m. on June 9 and explore exhibitions celebrating the city’s art, history, pop culture, and civic life, including the newly opened The Occupied City and Another Wonderland.

The Africa Center

1280 Fifth Ave.

Enjoy a live performance from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. by Congolese-American musician Nkumu Katalay & The “Life Long Project” Band, and participate in an interactive button-making workshop led by Art in the Park.

For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.