First Saturday: In Bloom
Celebrate spring, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and our exhibitions Artland and Hiroshige’s 100 Famous Views of Edo (feat. Takashi Murakami). May’s First Saturday features a lineup of artists, poets, and musicians from the Asian diaspora in Brooklyn and beyond.
This program is free; registration is required and includes Museum general admission. Tickets are released on a rolling basis. Sign up for the Brooklyn Museum newsletter to be notified of the next release.
For access needs, including ASL interpretation, email us at access@brooklynmuseum.org.
Music: Carnegie Hall Citywide Presents Gamelan Dharma Swara
Kick off the night with dancers and musicians from the percussion orchestra Gamelan Dharma Swara. They’ll perform Balinese gamelan music, exploring their traditional repertoire alongside new works. Presented in partnership with Carnegie Hall Citywide.
Hands-On Art
Add to the ever-growing Artland, Do Ho Suh’s fantastical ecosystem of colorful clay islands and creatures.
Book Club: Drag Story Hour
Drag artist Yuhua Hamasaki from Drag Story Hour reads a selection of family-friendly, bilingual children’s books in English and Cantonese. Seating is limited and is first come, first served.
Film: Brace Yourself
Tune in to this series of thrilling short films, ranging from sci-fi to comedy to horror. Presented by the Asian American International Film Festival.
Music: Mitamu
Explore collective storytelling and the relationships among art, poetry, and technology in the music of interdisciplinary artist Tammy Huynh, a.k.a. Mitamu. She draws on jazz, avant-pop, and classical sounds.
Pop-Up Poetry: Kundiman’s 20th Anniversary
Hear poets Margaret Rhee, Purvi Shah, R. A. Villanueva, and Gein Wong read original work to mark the 20th anniversary of Kundiman, a national organization dedicated to nurturing writers and readers of Asian American and Pacific Islander literature. All four poets attended Kundiman’s inaugural retreat. Seating is limited and is first come, first served.
Music: DJ T i T o
Listen to ’90s and R&B hits mixed by DJ T i T o, founding member of NYC queer Asian nightlife collective Bubble_T.
Teen Talks: Hiroshige
Join teen Museum Apprentices as they host 10-minute pop-up talks in Hiroshige’s 100 Famous Views of Edo (feat. Takashi Murakami).
Music: YiuYiu 瑶瑶
Celebrate memory and music with YiuYiu 瑶瑶 (Rochelle Hoi-Yiu Kwan of Chinatown Records 華埠錄音). Pulling from the Chinatown Records archive, she lovingly shares some favorite Chinese vinyl inherited from her family and neighbors.
For twenty-five years, we’ve hosted First Saturdays—monthly evenings of free programming welcoming visitors from central Brooklyn and beyond—at the Brooklyn Museum. Join us the first Saturday of February–August and October, 5–11 pm.
Advance registration is required. Admission is subject to our capacity at the time of your arrival. To ensure the safety of our visitors and to comply with city fire codes, please enter through the front of the Museum starting at 5 pm.
Masks are optional except for programs in the Auditorium, at which masks will be provided upon arrival. Coat check is available in a limited capacity on a first-come, first-served basis.
Have a performance, film, or activity you’d like to present? Submit a proposal or get in touch with us at public.programs@brooklynmuseum.org.
Proud Sponsor of First Saturdays
First Saturdays are supported by the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, the Charles H. Revson Foundation, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Made possible by the Wallace Foundation Community Programs Fund, established by the Wallace Foundation.