Weekend plans / Weekend guide
Things to do this weekend in New York City
Oct. 23 to 25, 2026: Five considered plans for new art, an evening performance and a Sunday studio visit.
This New York weekend begins with two strong Friday evening choices: a free museum visit in the Meatpacking District or an orchestral program at Lincoln Center. Saturday brings a live performance at the New Museum. Sunday belongs to a major MoMA opening or a slower studio afternoon at The Met Cloisters.
For Oct. 23 to 25, 2026.
This is an archived weekend guide. See the latest weekend plans.
The plan is not to collect all five. Choose one anchor, reserve anything that requires a ticket and leave enough time on either side for the city to feel unscheduled. Museum admission rules and remaining seats can change, so use the official booking links before leaving.
Every listing was checked on Oct. 22. A listed performance time establishes the announced schedule, not a promise that tickets remain. The museum entries likewise separate free admission periods from ordinary weekend admission.
1. Begin Friday evening with Burchfield at the Whitney
Charles Burchfield: Elemental opens Thursday with ten watercolors drawn from the museum collection. Friday evening is the elegant route into the show: reserve the free admission period, choose two works for a close comparison and resist the urge to race through every floor.
Address: 99 Gansevoort St., New York, NY 10014
Website: Official website
Friday, Oct. 23, 5 to 10 p.m. Free admission with a required ticket. Capacity is limited. The museum is at 99 Gansevoort St.
Official Friday admission and reservations2. Hear Hania Rani make her David Geffen Hall debut
Polish composer, pianist and singer Hania Rani presents Non Fiction with the 45 piece Sinfonia Varsovia and guest musicians. The program is part of Unsound New York and offers an unusually expansive Friday night, with an orchestral work at its center rather than a familiar repertory concert.
Address: 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023
Website: Official website
Friday, Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m. at the Wu Tsai Theater in David Geffen Hall. Run time is approximately one hour and 45 minutes. Tickets use a choose what you pay model. Check current availability before traveling.
Official program and ticket options3. Choose the New Museum performance on Saturday
Alison Kuo performs A flame latches to a bit of straw as part of the New Museum program. The work is presented on Friday and Saturday, but the Saturday afternoon slot makes the cleanest weekend plan. Use the ticket page for the exact performance rather than assuming admission to the museum includes it.
Address: 235 Bowery, New York, NY 10002
Website: Official website
Saturday, Oct. 24, 3 to 4 p.m. at the New Museum, 235 Bowery. Check the official event page for remaining tickets and current visitor instructions.
Official Saturday performance and tickets4. See Brancusi on its public opening day
Brancusi: The Artist and His Studio opens to the public at MoMA on Sunday after member previews. Make the sculpture the center of the visit instead of a stop inside an overfilled museum circuit. Begin with the relationship between object, base and surrounding space, then decide where to go next.
Address: 11 W. 53rd St., New York, NY 10019
Website: Official website
Sunday, Oct. 25. MoMA is at 11 W. 53rd St. The exhibition is scheduled through Feb. 27, 2027. Check the museum visit page for current hours, admission and timed entry.
Official exhibition dates and visitor information5. Take Sunday slowly at The Met Cloisters
The Cloisters offers an Open Studio session on Sunday afternoon. It is the right sort of plan for anyone who wants to make something after looking, with the museum and Fort Tryon Park supplying the change of pace. Confirm the session details before building the whole afternoon around it.
Address: 99 Margaret Corbin Drive, New York, NY 10040
Website: Official website
Sunday, Oct. 25, beginning at 1 p.m. at The Met Cloisters, 99 Margaret Corbin Drive. Museum admission terms apply. Consult the official event page for participation details.
Official Open Studio details