Fifth Avenue Transformed into a Cultural Playground for Museum Mile Festival

Fifth Avenue shut down to cars but came alive with art, music, and crowds on the evening of June 10 as the 47th annual Museum Mile Festival drew thousands of visitors to the Upper East Side for a beloved tradition: free admission to museums, outdoor performances, and hands-on art activities, stretching from 82nd Street to 110th.

Eight major museums—and several community partners—participated in this year’s edition of the festival, which has been running since 1978 to make the city’s cultural treasures more accessible.

“Events like the Museum Mile Festival celebrate the spirit of a city where creativity and resilience thrive,” said Stephanie Wilchfort, director of the Museum of the City of New York. The museum was a key organizer of the festival, and Wilchfort spoke at a press conference the morning of the event, emphasizing the importance of the city’s museums to its tourism industry.

“From the city’s stages to its museums and galleries, cultural institutions define New York City’s identity,” Wilchfort told reporters. “Culture is the soul of our city. It reflects our diversity, tells our stories, and drives $110 billion into our economy every year.”

Mayor Adams corroborated this, remarking that while “many people don’t realize it,” New York’s museums are its “top tourist draw.”

At the Museum of the City of New York (MCNY), visitors inside explored the city’s culture through Urban Stomp: Dreams & Defiance on the Dance Floor, an exhibition celebrating the city’s social dance traditions; and Above Ground: Art from the Martin Wong Graffiti Collection, which showcases select pieces from the City’s Street Art Movement (including a Keith Haring).

On the street, New York’s multifaceted culture was on immediate display with interactive Bhangra dance workshops from the Ajna dance company, and live musical performances from the Queer Big Apple Corps Marching Band and Frank London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars.

At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, visitors got a peek into the newly opened P.S. Art: Celebrating the Creative Spirit of New York City Kids exhibit, which showcases artwork from New York City’s public schools from kindergarten to 12th grade across all five boroughs.

“It’s so cool that they do this,” said one attendee at the student exhibit. “I like seeing how the art changes as the kids get older.”

At the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, visitors waited in a line that wrapped twice around the block in order to see Rashid Johnson’s A Poem for Deep Thinkers exhibit—although those who didn’t want to wait could get involved in outdoor art-making activities related to the exhibit.

“It’s definitely crowded,” said a young mother in line attempting to wrangle her increasingly hyper daughter. “She can’t make it through a whole museum, so it’s not really worth it to pay for tickets. But at something like this we can pop in for a few minutes, look at a few things, then leave and do activities outside, checking out somewhere else.”

This year’s surge in attendance was felt across the Mile. MCNY reported a 35 percent increase in visitors as the festival drew probably its largest crowd yet.

“This year’s Museum Mile Festival was a tremendous success.” said Chris Gorman, a spokesman for MCNY. “We hoped visitors would leave feeling inspired and more connected to their city. By engaging in art, culture, and shared experiences with friends and neighbors along Fifth Avenue, we wanted them to feel a deepened sense of community and belonging.”

As for what may have helped the success of this year’s edition, Chris thinks it may have been the Museum Mile expanding beyond just museums.

“One key takeaway this year was the value of involving a broader range of community partners beyond the museums. Organizations like the Church of the Heavenly Rest, the Asia Society, and the New York City Civic Engagement People’s Bus brought unique perspectives and offerings, enriching the festival experience.”