One Night, 15 FREE Museums!

By Justin Dizon

Want to explore the present and past without a time machine?  On June 23, you can do just that during “Night at the Museums,” a program presented by 15 distinctive museums and cultural institutions and organized in conjunction with the River to River festival (*Ben Stiller is not included).

On Tuesday, June 23 from 4-8 P.M., these Lower Manhattan cultural institutions will offer free special programs and tours.

At the Anne Frank Center USA, you can see “The Helpers of the Secret Annex,” a newly designed exhibition focusing on the brave individuals who provided food, clothes, medicine and entertainment to Anne Frank and the seven other people hiding in The Secret Annex. At the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, special tours will be offered of the museum’s permanent collection, “Infinity of Nations,” as well as the celebrated exhibitions “Glittering World: Navajo Jewelry of the Yazzie Family” and “Cerámica de los Ancestros: Central America’s Past Revealed” from 4 to 7 P.M. At the African Burial Ground National Monument, rangers will be on hand to answer questions and make periodic presentations; you can also view the film “Our Time At Last,” which details the history of the monument from its creation through its rediscovery to its designation as a national park.

These institutions and many others will issue a special Night at the Museums Passport for the event, available at each venue that evening. It will provide a map of the area and information about the museums and historical sites to help visitors plan their evening.  All activities are free but some require tickets or advance reservations.

Walking to and from these amazing places is bound to fire up your appetite.  The Black Hound, Clinton Hall, Industry Kitchen, Merchants River House, Pound & Pence , SouthWestNY, and Watermark are all offering 25% discounts to anyone who mentions “River to River”.

For complete information, including times and schedules of all the participating institutions, visit NightAtTheMuseums.org.