Press Release: Late-Night Summer Hours
Museum of the City of New York Expands Free Wednesday Admission with Late-Night Summer Hours
Summer programming includes free block parties, a family festival, and more.
Media Contact: Chris Gorman, pressoffice@mcny.org | 917.492.3482
NEW YORK, NY (June 17, 2026) — The Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) today announced an expansion of its popular free Wednesday admission program for the summer. Beginning July 1 and running through September 2, the Museum will extend its Wednesday hours until 9 p.m., giving New Yorkers and visitors more time each week to explore the city's flagship museum at no cost.
Since introducing free Wednesday admission in 2024, the Museum has seen visitorship grow by 25%. The summer late nights build on that momentum, extending access to MCNY's critically acclaimed exhibitions and programs to audiences who can't visit during traditional daytime hours.
“New York has a magic in summer that belongs to everyone—lifelong residents and first-time visitors alike," said Stephanie Hill Wilchfort, Ronay Menschel Director and President of the Museum of the City of New York. "Staying open late on summer Wednesdays is our way of saying that this Museum is for all New Yorkers."
Visitors to the free Wednesday late nights can enjoy a pop-up bar with signature cocktails, soft drinks, and snacks while experiencing the Museum's full slate of current and critically acclaimed exhibitions, including:
- Another Wonderland: Abram Champanier's Alice Mural, celebrating the rescue and restoration of a major New Deal–era mural cycle created for the children's ward at Gouverneur Hospital, featuring Lewis Carroll's beloved characters reimagined across 1930s New York City
- The Occupied City: New York and the American Revolution, an immersive journey through Revolutionary-era New York on the Museum's third floor
- He Built This City: Joe Macken's Model, showcasing Joe Macken's monumental handmade model of New York City
Public and Family Programming
The late nights anchor a full slate of free and family-friendly summer programming, including the return of Uptown Bounce—the Museum's beloved free summer dance party series at the top of Museum Mile:
- Uptown Bounce: Hip Hop x Afrobeats—Thursday, July 23, 2026, 6 p.m.
Presented in collaboration with El Museo del Barrio, with DJ Misbehaviour spinning Hip Hop classics and contemporary hits alongside an Afrobeats set by DJ GabSoul, across two floors of nonstop music. - Uptown Bounce: House x Disco—Thursday, July 30, 2026, 6 p.m.
DJ Stormin Norman and DJ Bridge transform the Museum into a dance floor with sets spanning Disco favorites, soulful House, and anthems drawn from New York City's nightlife culture.
Families can also step through the looking glass at the Alice of Wonderland Family Festival on Saturday, July 11, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Inspired by Another Wonderland and presented in collaboration with the NYC Health + Hospitals Arts in Medicine initiative, the festival fills the Museum with family-friendly artmaking, activity stations, and live musical performances, culminating in a children's Mad Hatter parade through the galleries. The festival is included with Museum admission.
Cooling Off at MCNY
When New Yorkers need relief from the summer heat, the Museum is here. As a designated New York City cooling center, MCNY will open its doors whenever the City activates its cooling center program—welcoming anyone who needs a cool, comfortable place to escape the heat, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
About the Museum of the City of New York
The Museum of the City of New York fosters understanding of the distinctive nature of urban life in the world’s most influential metropolis. Through exhibitions, public programs, and educational initiatives, the Museum explores what gives New York City its singular character and global impact.
Image: Filip Wolak
