Whitney Museum Opens Its Doors for Free During West Side Fest

The Whitney Museum of American Art will throw open its doors from Friday, July 10, through Sunday, July 12, as part of West Side Fest, welcoming visitors with free admission, live performances, hands-on art making, neighborhood walking tours and Whitney Biennial programming. Free admission will be available Friday from 5 to 10 p.m. and all day Sunday, July 12, from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Over the three-day festival, the Meatpacking District museum will transform into a hub of activity for families, first-time museum goers and regular visitors alike, with events ranging from Play-Doh-inspired art making and queer history walks to outdoor performances featuring a forklift and workshops tied to the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

”The Whitney is thrilled to participate in West Side Fest again as a member of the West Side Cultural Network,” said Meghan Ferrucci, senior publicist for the museum. The network includes more than 20 nonprofit arts and cultural organizations working together to celebrate Manhattan’s West Side.

”Events like West Side Fest offer an opportunity to connect audiences with the incredible range of arts and cultural experiences, so many of them for free, available across the neighborhood and to encourage exploration and discovery among both New Yorkers and visitors,” Ferrucci said.

The festivities begin Friday, July 10 with free admission from 5 to 10 p.m., when visitors can wander through the museum before stopping at an art making session hosted by the Play-Doh brand, where participants will create sculptures inspired by the natural world.

Outside the museum on Gansevoort Street, Whitney Biennial artist Gabriela Ruiz will debut “Exive II”, a performance that transforms a forklift from a piece of industrial machinery into a dance partner, lifting the artist into the air in a work exploring power, labor and vulnerability.

The weekend continues Saturday, July 11 with curator-led tours of the 2026 Whitney Biennial and the exhibition “Untitled (America),” as well as a live recording of Joshua Citarella’s podcast “Doomscroll,” featuring political writer Bhaskar Sunkara.

On Sunday, July 12 free admission returns for the museum’s monthly Free Second Sunday. Families can create art alongside Biennial artist Taína H. Cruz, contribute to a collaborative mosaic inspired by Dyani White Hawk’s installation, sketch the Manhattan skyline from the museum’s terrace and join artist Rich Tu in designing World Cup-themed posters celebrating New York and New Jersey as hosts of the 2026 tournament.

”What makes the programming across the Fest unique is that there is truly something for everyone of any age,” Ferrucci said.

The weekend also reflects a broader effort by the Whitney to make the museum more accessible beyond special events.

”The Whitney’s participation in West Side Fest reflects our ongoing commitment to increasing access to art and culture,” Ferrucci said. In addition to West Side Fest, the museum offers Free Friday Nights every week, Free Second Sundays each month and free admission year-round for visitors ages 25 and younger.

As museums across the city look for new ways to reach broader audiences, the Whitney hopes the festival encourages visitors not only to explore its galleries but also to discover the cultural institutions that line Manhattan’s West Side.

”We are excited to join our fellow West Side Cultural Network members in welcoming visitors during West Side Fest and celebrating the culturally vibrant West Side,” Ferrucci said.