The Brooklyn Museum Announces Lineup for 200th Anniversary Birthday Bash

The Brooklyn Museum is thrilled to announce the lineup for its 200th anniversary Birthday Bash, a weekend-long celebration that honors two centuries of championing the borough’s vibrant artistic communities. This milestone event, taking place October 5–6, 2024, will showcase the best of Brooklyn with a diverse array of free programming, including music, karaoke, dance, poetry, gallery tours, art-making, and more. The anniversary year programming is proudly sponsored by Bank of America, a longtime supporter of the Brooklyn Museum.

Birthday Bash kicks off the Museum’s year-long bicentennial celebration, inviting families, friends, and neighbors to join in a spirited weekend that highlights Brooklyn’s rich cultural landscape. The programming is designed to engage audiences of all ages, with something for everyone to enjoy. Visitors can also see three newly opened exhibitions: Toward Joy: New Frameworks for American Art, the complete reinstallation of the Museum’s American Art galleries; The Brooklyn Artists Exhibition, featuring works by more than 200 artists who have lived or maintained a studio in Brooklyn during the last five years; and Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies, a major retrospective spotlighting a defining Black woman artist of the 20th century.

“The Brooklyn Museum has long been a beacon for artistic expression and community connection, and what better way to mark this occasion than with a weekend-long celebration?” says Anne Pasternak, Shelby White and Leon Levy Director, Brooklyn Museum. “We are thrilled to commemorate this milestone with the communities that have supported us for generations, and we look forward to continuing to uplift them for many more.”

“Building upon years of partnership to conserve art and present dynamic programming and inspiring exhibitions, it’s an honor to now stand beside the Brooklyn Museum for this milestone commemoration,” said José Tavarez, President, Bank of America New York City. “Together, Bank of America and the Brooklyn Museum share a belief in the power of the arts to help build communities and have a positive impact on us all, and we are thrilled to continue our support of the Museum—an NYC treasure and Brooklyn’s crown jewel in the arts.”

A highlight of Birthday Bash will be the debut of Museum on Wheels, a mobile museum housed in an Airstream trailer, designed to bring arts and cultural programming to audiences of all ages across Brooklyn. Wrapped with a bright and bold design by local artist Christopher Myers, Museum on Wheels is launching as a pilot program this fall and will be stationed on the Brooklyn Museum’s plaza during Birthday Bash. Visitors can enjoy hands-on art activities with local artists, take part in giveaways and art-themed games, and experience a curated menu from Brooklyn-based vegan eatery Aunts et Uncles, plus much more.

Birthday Bash is free; registration is required and includes Museum general admission. Tickets will be released on a rolling basis starting September 20 for Museum Members and September 23 for the general public. See below for the full schedule.

Saturday, October 5

11 am–5 pm Curator Pop-Up Talks

Throughout the Museum
Learn about selected artworks in the galleries during 10-minute talks by our expert curators and conservators.

• 11 am–12 pm Sakimatwemtwe: A Century of Reflection on the Arts of Africa, 3rd Floor

• 12–1 pm Arts of Asia, 2nd Floor

• 1–2 pm Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies, 4th Floor

• 3–4 pm Decorative Arts and Design, 4th Floor

• 4–5 pm The Brooklyn Artists Exhibition, 1st Floor 11 am–8 pm Shop: Brooklyn Charm Bar Shop, 1st Floor

Create your own charm necklace or bracelet to purchase, adding as many Brooklyn-inspired charms as you choose!

11 am–10 pm Explore the Collection

Throughout the Museum
Enhance your journey through the galleries with our digital guide on Bloomberg Connects, a free arts and culture app. Track down Brooklyn Icons, our most exceptional artworks, on a scavenger hunt, and dive deeper with exclusive audio content.

11:30 am–5 pm Drop-In Printmaking: Shoestring Press

Education Studios, 1st Floor
Join Crown Heights–based printmaking studio Shoestring Press to make your own tote.

11:30 am–7 pm Art-Making: Mini-Pull Piñatas

Education Studios, 1st Floor
Keep the birthday celebration going by making piñatas in the Education Studios.

12–5 pm Art-Making: Museum on Wheels

Plaza, 1st Floor
Check out our mobile museum within an Airstream trailer and start the day with art-making activities.

12–5 pm Oral Histories Archive: WNYC

Pavilion, 1st Floor
Document your story and become part of WNYC’s ever-growing Oral Histories Archive.

12–5 pm Voter Registration Drive

Pavilion, 1st Floor
Sign up to vote! HeadCount, a nonpartisan voting advocacy nonprofit, hosts a voter registration drive ahead of the general election.

1–4 pm Art-Making: Life Drawing

Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor
Drop in to sketch from live models.

2–4 pm Music: Ahmed Abdullah’s Diaspora

Lobby, 1st Floor
Stop by the lobby for a performance by trumpeter, composer, and educator Ahmed Abdullah and his ensemble Diaspora. Known for his work in the 1970s Loft Jazz movement, Abdullah was a member of Sun Ra Arkestra and a cofounder of the Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium. Presented in partnership with the Jazz Foundation of America.

5–6 pm Music: Brooklyn United Marching Band

Plaza, 1st Floor
Get in step with Brooklyn United as the youth marching band performs on our plaza steps.

5–9:30 pm Brooklyn Pop-Up Market

Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor
Shop one-of-a-kind, handmade items highlighting artists and vendors from across Brooklyn, featuring artwork, jewelry, fashion, and home and apothecary goods.

5–10 pm Poetry Marathon: Can I Get a Witness?

American Art Galleries, 5th Floor
Hear poets and writers activate our new American Art galleries throughout the evening.

• 5–6 pm Youth poets Fatima Ahmad, Kai Giovanni Diata, Sharjah M’Bodji, Ari Newman, and Fatima Saidysall from Urban Word open the marathon.

• 6–7 pm Poets Fatimah Asghar, Noah Arhm Choi, River 瑩瑩 Dandelion, Ayesha Raees, and Viplav Saini read selected works. Copresented by Kundiman.

• 7–8 pm Writer Simon Wu reads from his recent collection of essays Dancing on My Own, then is in conversation with poet and artist Oscar yi Hou.

• 8–9 pm Poet and artist Cheryl Boyce-Taylor, selected from The Brooklyn Artists Exhibition open call, reads and hosts fellow writers JP Howard, Jacqueline Johnson, Rosamond S. King, and Rachelle Parker.

• 9–10 pm Close out the marathon with the cocurators of Supa Dupa Fresh: poets Mahogany L. Browne, Adam Falkner, Rico Frederick, Jive Poetic, and Jon Sands.

6 pm Special Birthday Moment

Lobby, 1st Floor
Wish the Museum a happy 200th with cake by Junior’s Cheesecake and a rendition of “Happy Birthday” by Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber.

6–7 pm Roundtable: Brooklyn Arts Leadership Collaborative

Auditorium, 3rd Floor
Join leaders of arts organizations across Brooklyn as they reflect on the Museum’s history and discuss the future of cultural institutions in our borough.

6–10 pm Karaoke: Bubble_T

The Norm, 1st Floor
Grab the mic as beloved Brooklyn-based collective Bubble_T transforms our restaurant into a karaoke lounge.

6:30–7 pm Dance: Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet

Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor
Enjoy intergenerational performances by Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet, a nonprofit that uses dance-related education, performance, and programming to uplift communities.

6:30–10 pm Music: Burnt Sugar SmokeHouse

Lobby, 1st Floor
Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber returns with an evening of “avant groidd” soul, jazz, rock, and hip-hop. The performance showcases local and international talent and reflects the vibrant cultural mix that the Brooklyn Museum has cultivated for 200 years. Emceed by Black Rock Coalition president LaRonda Davis.

6:30–7:30 pm Teen Talks: The Dinner Party

Center for Feminist Art, 4th Floor
Join teen Museum Apprentices as they host 10-minute pop-up talks on Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party, a landmark feminist artwork.

7–10 pm Music: The Lay Out

Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor
The Lay Out, a Brooklyn-based community platform that centers Black joy and creative expression, returns to close out the evening with sets by Quiana Parks and DJ 9AM.

Sunday, October 6

11 am–4 pm Art and Slime: Sloomoo Institute

The Norm, 1st Floor
Meet Sloomoo—a magical being made of slime—and dive into slimy and satisfying play, crafts, and joy with our friends from Sloomoo Institute.

11 am–4:30 pm Shop: Brooklyn Charm Bar

Shop, 1st Floor
Create your own charm necklace or bracelet to purchase, adding as many Brooklyn-inspired charms as you choose!

11 am–6 pm Curator Pop-Up Talks

Throughout the Museum
Learn about selected artworks in the galleries during 10-minute talks by our expert curators and conservators.

• 11 am–12 pm Ancient Egyptian Art, 3rd Floor

• 12–1 pm Toward Joy: New Frameworks for American Art, 5th Floor

• 1–2 pm Building tour with Kevin Stayton

• 3–4 pm Arts of the Americas and Indigenous Art, 5th Floor

• 5–6 pm Liza Lou: Trailer, 1st Floor

11:30 am–12:30 pm and 2–3 pm Storytime Pop-Up: Brooklyn Public Library

Shop, 1st Floor
Read stories, sing songs, and make crafts with our friends from Brooklyn Public Library.

11:30 am–5 pm Drop-In Printmaking: Shoestring Press

Education Studios, 1st Floor
Join Crown Heights–based printmaking studio Shoestring Press to make your own tote.

11:30 am–5 pm Drop-In Art-Making: Cardboard City

Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor
Drop in and add your creations to a collectively built cardboard city.

12–5 pm Art-Making: Museum on Wheels

Plaza, 1st Floor
Check out our mobile museum within an Airstream trailer and start the day with art-making activities.

12–5 pm Brooklyn Pop-Up Market

Plaza, 1st Floor
Shop one-of-a-kind, handmade items highlighting artists and vendors from across Brooklyn, featuring artwork, jewelry, fashion, and home and apothecary goods.

12–5 pm Oral Histories Archive: WNYC

Pavilion, 1st Floor
Document your story and become part of WNYC’s ever-growing Oral Histories Archive.

12–5 pm Film: Brooklyn Artists Movie Marathon

Auditorium, 3rd Floor
Settle in for a collection of short films by Brooklyn filmmakers who submitted their work to The Brooklyn Artists Exhibition open call.

• 12–1:15 pm Alláfuera (or otherwise the United States) (Mónica Félix, 18 min.); Passages II (Maya Jeffereis, 11 min.); Objects of Heartbreak (Grace Kim, 9 min.); Fugue (Ali Newhard and Laine Rettmer, 11 min.); Las Nogas (Catya Plate, 20 min.)

• 1:30–2:30 pm Brincando el Charco: Portrait of a Puerto Rican (Frances Negrón-Muntaner, 55 min.), selected by Mónica Félix

• 3–4:45 pm An Oversimplification of Her Beauty (Terence Nance, 95 min.), selected by Grace Kim

12–5 pm Voter Registration Drive

Pavilion, 1st Floor
Sign up to vote! HeadCount, a nonpartisan voting advocacy nonprofit, hosts a voter registration drive ahead of the general election.

1–2 pm Music: The Band Books

Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor
Bring the family as the Band Books plays musical interpretations of beloved children’s books.

2–3 pm Open House: Libraries and Archives

Libraries and Archives, 2nd Floor
Explore the Brooklyn Museum’s past through historical and archival materials with staff of the Libraries and Archives.

2:30–4:30 pm Music: Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra with Niles Luther

Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor
Hear members of the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra present a selection of music celebrating Brooklyn. Presented in conjunction with cellist Niles Luther, the Museum’s composer in residence.

The full anniversary year program can be found on the Museum’s website at brooklynmuseum.org/200. Join the conversation by following #BkM200 on social media.

About the Brooklyn Museum

For 200 years, the Brooklyn Museum has been recognized as a trailblazer. Through a vast array of exhibitions, public programs, and community-centered initiatives, it continues to broaden the narratives of art, uplift a multitude of voices, and center creative expression within important dialogues of the day. Housed in a landmark building in the heart of Brooklyn, the Museum is home to an astounding encyclopedic collection. More than 140,000 objects represent cultures worldwide and over 5,500 years of history—from ancient Egyptian masterpieces to significant American works, to groundbreaking installations presented in the only feminist art center of its kind. One of the oldest and largest art museums in the country, the Brooklyn Museum remains committed to innovation, creating compelling experiences for its communities and celebrating the power of art to inspire awe, conversation, and joy.

Proud Sponsor of the 200th Anniversary Celebration

About Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle- market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,800 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 58 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BAC).