First Friday

Join Poster House on the First Friday of every month for free admission and extended hours! Museum Members can check in at the Info Desk to receive one free drink ticket to use at the bar from 6 – 9 PM. Explore the museum’s latest exhibitions and get in on the fun by attending a tour, workshop, performance, or activity throughout the day. Every First Friday is different, offering unique opportunities to engage with rotating exhibitions and the permanent collection.

12—1:30pm: Minimal Blooms, Maximum Impact: A Floral Design Workshop – $10

In honor of the flower-filled posters of Lorenzo Homar, Poster House is hosting an exciting floral design workshop. Discover the beauty of simplicity in this hands-on activity that proves less truly can be more. Participants will learn how to create elegant, eye-catching arrangements using just a few floral elements—perfect for sprucing up your space, celebrating special moments, or simply enjoying fresh blooms.

Under the guidance of Matt Zaccari, a florist and gardening expert focused on sustainability, guests will discover how to utilize seasonal flowers and greenery to create three eye-catching arrangements: a hand-tied bouquet, a minimalist centerpiece, and a bold structural design featuring branches.

Whether you’re a home entertainer, a DIY decorator, or just someone who loves flowers, this session will empower you to design with confidence, creativity, and a budget in mind. All materials are included—and yours to take home! This program is suitable for attendees over the age of 8.

1—7pm: Paper Petals & Peace: An Origami Workshop – $10

As part of Poster House’s ongoing partnership with Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop, the museum is thrilled to host a daylong origami-making event in the Poster History Timeline. Aimed at balancing participants’ minds and bodies while encouraging interpersonal connection, this hands-on activity will use natural materials, including washi paper, to create delicate works of art. Guests will learn how to fold cranes and kusudama flowers out of dyed paper. 

All ages and skill levels are welcome. Be prepared to unleash creativity and take home a handmade creation!

The Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop (RBPMW) is a dynamic community print studio that honors the legacy of pioneering artist and master printmaker Robert Blackburn (1920–2003). Founded in the spirit of inclusivity and artistic excellence, RBPMW provides a supportive, collaborative space for artists of all backgrounds to explore and expand their printmaking practice.

2—4pm: Subway Insides Workshop: The Ink Explosion of the 1980s – $15

Many people are familiar with the colorful cartoon-laden logotypes and abstract masterpieces that adorned the exteriors of New York City subway cars throughout the 1970s and ’80s. However, unless you were a straphanger yourself during that time, you are probably not aware that the interiors of the subway cars were also completely covered with bold signatures of every size written with homemade fountain pens and magic markers. This chiseled-script calligraphy dripped and ran over every available space inside the subway cars between about 1970 and 1989. In his photographs from this era, Richard Sandler captured New Yorkers amidst this visual chaotic energy, which he likens to free jazz or the semblance of thoughts within the minds of his subjects.  

Hosted in honor of From the Bronx to the Battery: The Subway Sun, this workshop will discuss and look back at this little-studied phenomenon that was once a large part of the city’s aesthetic and can be seen in countless movies from Saturday Night Fever to Coming to America. Visitors will look at examples and create their own tag-covered image on a subway interior template, using chisel- and broad-nibbed markers to mimic this time-honored practice. You can take home your piece on glossy cardstock at the end of the workshop. 

This is not a drop-in workshop. Please plan on arriving on time and staying for the duration of the event. Appropriate for participants ages 13 and up. 

Sam Meyerson is a visual designer who grew up studying and practicing within the “Graffiti Art” movement. He has a deep affinity for the subway, and for the youth-oriented folk-art forms of graffiti that turned public urban environments into museums. He has painted murals for BEYOND THE STREETS and designed apparel for Supreme. He currently lives in NYC, where he works as a freelance artist in several capacities and mediums.

4–5pm: Spanish-language Tour of Puerto Rico in Print

Lorenzo Homar was one of Puerto Rico’s most influential graphic designers and is often referred to as the father of the Puerto Rican poster. This guided tour of Puerto Rico In Print: The Posters of Lorenzo Homar will focus on the history of the island as well as on the artist’s biography, providing an important context for his extensive body of work.

This tour will be given in Spanish. Additional Spanish-language tours will be offered throughout the summer.

A Lorenzo Homar se lo considera como uno de los artistas gráficos de mayor influencia de Puerto Rico y a menudo se le conoce como el padre del cartel puertorriqueño. Esta visita guiada de Impresiones de Puerto Rico: Los carteles de Lorenzo Homar se enfocará en la historia de la isla, así como en la biografía del artista, proporcionando el contexto necesario para apreciar su extenso cuerpo de trabajo.

Ofreceremos esta visita guiada en español. Visitas adicionales en español estarán disponibles durante los meses del verano.

7—8:30pm: The Second Annual Miss Poster House NYC: Fallout & Fierce 

Join us for the Second Annual Miss Poster House NYC: a dazzling drag competition celebrating Pride. Inspired by the current exhibitions Fallout: Atoms for War & Peace and Puerto Rico in Print: The Posters of Lorenzo Homar, five fierce drag queens will battle it out in a show-stopping competition to be crowned Miss Poster House NYC—and they’re pulling out all the stops! Expect high-energy performances, bold fashion, and unforgettable moments.

Hosted by the sensational Junior Mintt and featuring an all-star lineup of local talent, this is a night of art, pride, and power you won’t want to miss. Parental Advisory: 16+ Recommended

Accessibility Note: Masks and clear masks are available free of charge at the museum. Assistive listening devices and stools are available. ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or a CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) is also available upon request. Please contact access@posterhouse.org or (914) 295-2387 to request interpretation services and to address any other accessibility needs. For other event-related questions, please contact info@posterhouse.org.

Nota de accesibilidad: Mascarillas y mascarillas transparentes están disponibles gratuitamente en el museo. También ofrecemos audífonos auxiliares y taburetes. Para cualquier otra necesidad de accesibilidad, comuníquese a access@posterhouse.org o al (914) 295-2387. Para otras preguntas sobre el evento, comuníquese a info@posterhouse.org.