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 July 5, 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. First Friday Activities for July 5th include:

·       1:00-7:00 PM:  Drop-in Woodblock Printing

Stop by the Poster History Timeline during First Friday to try your hand at woodblock printing! Select from one of three designs made by Japanese artist Sato Yamomoto, all inspired by the acclaimed exhibition Wonder City of the World: New York City Travel Posters.

·       2:00 – 3:30 PM: Monotype Printing Workshop

Monotyping is a printmaking process that involves putting ink or paint directly on a printing plate to create an ephemeral, one-of-a-kind print. Join multimedia artist Sabrina Sims to experiment with this iterative process and learn exciting techniques including stenciling, masking, wet-on-wet blending, and subtractive layering. Each participant will create monoprints and have the opportunity to trade with each other at the end of the workshop. No previous experience necessary; all materials provided.

·       3:00-4:30 PM:  In-Person Vibrant Verbal Description Tour

Members of the low-vision and blind community are invited to an in-person Vibrant Verbal Description Tour at Poster House. This event will provide exclusive access to the museum’s exhibition, The Anatomy of a Movie Poster: The Work of Dawn Baillie. This intimate experience will allow guests to get up close with the posters described, as well as provide additional tactile objects to help illuminate the art. 

·       5:00-7:00 PM: Barbie Movie Screening with ASL Interpretation & Audio Description

This First Friday, guests can enjoy a free screening to Barbie, with ASL interpretation and audio description, and have the chance to view one of the original Barbie posters. Be sure to stop by Café des Affiches for exclusive, themed drinks and snacks to accompany the screening!

·       7:00 – 8:00 PM: Kinetic Light Dance Performance

Poster House is delighted to welcome the disability arts ensemble Kinetic Light. Working in the disciplines of art, technology, design, and dance, Kinetic Light creates, performs, and teaches at the nexus of access, queerness, disability, dance, and race. Alice Sheppard and Laurel Lawson from Kinetic Light will be presenting a work-in-progress excerpt from their newest dance work, The Next T.i.M.es, and additional Kinetic Light works.

Please note that masking is mandatory for this performance.

Free tickets can be reserved online in advance of July 5th. 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.