Whitney Museum Celebrates West Side Fest with Free Programs from July 11 to 13

The Whitney Museum of American Art invites the public to celebrate West Side Fest with free admission and a full schedule of programs from July 11 to 13. The event coincides with the museum’s Free Friday Night and Free Second Sunday initiatives and marks the 10th anniversary of the Whitney’s presence in the Meatpacking District.

West Side Fest is organized by the West Side Cultural Network—a group of cultural institutions located within a half-mile stretch on Manhattan’s west side—and includes art workshops, guided tours, walking tours, live music, family-friendly activities, and teen open studios. Full program details are available at: whitney.org/west-side-fest-2025.

Highlights of the Program

Friday, July 11

• Open Studio for Teens (1–3 pm): Hands-on artmaking workshop led by contemporary artists and Whitney educators.
• Art + You (4–5 pm): Gallery conversation for visitors 25 and under, focusing on the exhibition Amy Sherald: American Sublime.
• Free Friday Night (5–10 pm): Free general admission for all.
• Decade Downtown Whitney Walking Tour (6 pm).
• Live music: Guitarist and composer Miles Okazaki performs Work: The Compositions of Thelonious Monk on the fifth-floor terrace (7 pm and 8:15 pm), in partnership with Public Records.

Saturday, July 12

• Exhibition tours led by Whitney educators:
  • Amy Sherald: American Sublime (11 am and 3 pm)
  • Shifting Landscapes (12:30 pm)
  • Christine Sun Kim: All Day All Night (1:30 pm)
• Visitors can also explore the newly opened exhibition “Untitled” (America).

Sunday, July 13

• Free Second Sunday (10:30 am–6 pm): Free admission for all visitors.
• Family Artmaking (11 am–4 pm): Activities inspired by the “Untitled” (America) exhibition.
• Collective Composition Workshop (11 am–3 pm): Artmaking session inspired by Christine Sun Kim.
• Live Figure Drawing (11 am–2 pm): Open sketching session with live models on the fifth floor.
• Disability Pride Month Workshop (11:30 am–1:30 pm): Led by artist Annie Nishwani Lachhman and accessibility advocate Lakshmee Lachhman-Persad, this inclusive program invites participants to create art exploring disability identity.
• Decade Downtown Whitney Walking Tours (12 pm and 4 pm).
• Storytimes with The New York Public Library (11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm in the lobby).

Weekend-long activation: Step Into Hopper
From Friday, July 11 at 12 pm through Sunday, July 13, the Whitney and the Meatpacking District Management Association invite visitors to explore Step Into Hopper—a series of life-sized, interactive 3D recreations of three iconic Edward Hopper paintings. Installations will be open at the West 14th Street Promenade and Gansevoort Landing.

Expanded Free Admission Programs

The Whitney now offers free admission to all visitors ages 25 and under through its Free 25 and Under initiative. This new program builds upon the museum’s ongoing Free Friday Nights and Free Second Sundays, reaffirming its commitment to accessibility and public engagement. The program is supported by Whitney Board member Susan Hess and artist Julie Mehretu.

Second Sundays is also supported by the Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All initiative, which funds projects that remove barriers and expand access to museums across the United States.

Images and video from previous Free Days and Nights can be found at: whitney.org/press/free-days-and-nights.