Poster House First Friday at Poster House

Poster House, the first museum in the United States dedicated to the global history of posters, will host its monthly “First Friday” event May 3, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM at Poster House, 119 West 23rd Street in Manhattan. On the first Friday of every month, Poster House offers free admission and extended hours for guests to come explore the museum’s latest exhibitions. The two main exhibitions currently on display for the spring season are Wonder City of the World: New York Travel Posters and The Anatomy of a Movie Poster: The Work of Dawn Baillie. Both exhibits will be open through September 8, 2024.

Every First Friday is different, offering unique opportunities such as tours, workshops, performances, and activities, to further engage visitors with the exhibitions. This month, Poster House is partnering with Welcome to Chinatown for a series of programs that celebrate the culture, community, and resilience of Chinatown. First Friday Activities for May 3rd  include:

·       2:00-5:30 PM: Pengyou Zine Making Workshop

Kick off Asian Pacific American Heritage Month by joining artists Renee Chang and Echo Chen of PENGYOU in a zine-making activity using paper goods from around Chinatown, prints of posters from the Poster House archives, and any art supplies that inspire you! Attendees will be encouraged to engage in parent-child dialogue and/or self-reflection on family history, identity, and shared stories as they craft their zines. All materials will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring any personal ephemera to contribute to their creation.

·       3:00 – 4:00 PM: DIY Blind Box & Buttons with Christina C Young Founder of The Bao Bae Shop

A blind box is a type of packaging that conceals its contents, creating a fun surprise for yourself or a loved one! In this beginner-friendly workshop, participants will decorate and construct their own blind box packaging as well as a custom button pin. They’ll then blind-swap the button pins with fellow workshop attendees and seal them in their own boxes so everyone will go home with a mystery surprise!

·       5:00 PM: Happy Hour

Enjoy complimentary cocktails courtesy of our friends at Jumo in the Café des Affiches.

·       6:00 PM: Read Out Loud: What in the World Is Ezra’s Art? with Emigrate followed by Q&A with authors Eric Toda & Shay Fan

Join legendary drag queen Emigrate for a reading of Eric Toda & Shay Fan’s latest children’s book What in the World is Ezra’s Art? Ezra is a seven-year-old boy who likes cheese-flavored ice cream, flying off the couch with his superhero cape, and peeling dried glue off his fingers. And he LOVES making art. Every day at Braddock Elementary, he doodles, draws, paints, and crafts with abandon. But there is one problem: no one understands it. Ezra questions whether he should continue to make art when nobody seems to get, or even like, his creations. What in the World Is Ezra’s Art? explores the question: can he feel good about his art when no one else does?

Eric Toda is a tech executive who has held brand and digital marketing leadership roles at Fortune 100 companies including: Gap Inc., Airbnb, Snapchat, and Nike. His work has garnered Cannes Lions, Webbys, Clios, and Shortys. Eric wanted to tell a story that encourages children, including his own, to be creative without fear of judgment. He lives with his family in the Bay Area.

Shay Fan writes family-friendly comedic adventure stories featuring Asian American protagonists that want to change their world. She has consulted for technology and healthcare companies including YouTube, Microsoft, Roche, and AbbVie. This is her first book. She lives with her family in Los Angeles.

·       6:00 – 9:00 PM: Mini-Night Market curated by Pengyou x WtC

What better way to close out First Friday than with a Night Market? Join Welcome to Chinatown and Pengyou for a curated selection of design and craft pieces from the heart of Chinatown. A percentage of all proceeds will be donated to Welcome to Chinatown. Featured vendors include the Bao Bae Shop, Backbend Studio, Mola Mola, and Tzu Ching Chen.

Make your own Free tickets can be reserved online in advance of May 3rd . During normal hours, tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students, veterans, and seniors. Poster House offers free museum admission through New York City’s public library Culture Pass system.