We’ve been in such a funk during the pandemic and everything else going on in our town that we’ve slightly lost sight of where we are and the fact that New York is finally in Phase 1 of re-opening. It almost feels like a delayed spring, but we’ll take it and already planning for Phase 2. As we all knew, New York will be back and it’s already on its way. Our mind has been in a fog, so we almost forgot about the fact that one of the most special New York City events is taking place this month — The annual Museum Mile Festival.
In a normal world, the festival is an early summer (unofficially) special for us. It’s a free event where you have access to some of the world’s finest art collections during extended evening hours. The nearly 30-block stretch of Fifth Avenue is home to eight participating institutions—The Africa Center, El Museo del Barrio, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, the Jewish Museum, Neue Galerie and the Museum of the City of New York. It’s a pretty special event and a way to immerse yourself in culture and the institutions that we sometimes take for granted being in our backyard.
As you may have suspected, this year’s event will be taking place virtually. Eight New York City museums are joining together to create the first ever day-long virtual Museum Mile Festival on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, from 9 am to 9 pm.
Throughout the day, each museum will host live and pre-recorded programs, virtual exhibition tours, live musical performances, and activities for families streamed across their respective websites and social media platforms. Culture enthusiasts from around the world will now be able to join New Yorkers, during this unprecedented moment, and enjoy the festival.
The day’s offerings will be listed on each participating museum’s website. In addition, audiences can follow the hashtag #VirtualMuseumMile on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for cultural happenings throughout the day.
Happy Culture!