Your summer arts guide for New York City 2025

Summer is on the horizon and that means more time to explore art around New York City.

Here are a few things in the city’s art scene that you won’t want to miss this summer.

Mouth of America
Brooklyn Bridge Park
On display now 

As a part of a new campaign by Vimergy, a supplement company, Mouth of America explores how the country’s overmedicated culture. The statue features Lady Liberty swallowing hundreds of giant pills, standing as a metaphor for chronic illness, overmedication and the growing distrust of the institutions, including the pharmaceutical industries, that are supposed to protect us. 

Two new exhibits at Color Factory
251 Spring St. 
On display now

The Color Factory is welcoming two new exhibits just in time for summer. First, Colorscopes taps into your inner astrologist. Created in collaboration with renowned astrologer and numerologist Michele Bernhardt, the exhibition allows visitors to find their birthdays and get matched with a color. Next, Color Factory’s iconic Confetti Room has been revamped to honor Manhattanhenge, embodying the beauty of the sunny phenomenon. Plus, Color Factory is now offering bodega-inspired treats to visitors who come and explore! Tickets start at $39.

The Year of Flaco
The New York Historical, 170 Central Park West
On display through July 6, 2025

Flaco the Owl, who tragically lost his life after he escaped the Central Park Zoo in 2024, captured the hearts of New Yorkers. The New York Historical’s new exhibition, The Year of Flaco, takes an in-depth look at the owl’s life as he took to the skies and was spotted hunting and living a life outside the zoo. Curated by Rebecca Klassen, the exhibition includes photos, videos, and mementos from a memorial beneath Flaco’s favorite oak tree. Admission is $24 for adults, $19 for Seniors, Educators, Active Military, $13 for students, $6 for kids 5-13, and free for children under 5.

Julien Ceccaldi, Adult Theater
MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Ave, Queens
On display through Aug. 25, 2025

A New York City-based artist, Julian Ceccaldi combines techniques taken from animation studio and the Italian Renaissance to create, drawing visitors into a distorted episode of digital subjugation and hyperconsumerism. This is Ceccaldi’s first solo exhibition in the United States. Tickets are free for all New York City and New York State residents.

Sydney Shen, SBNO (Standing But Not Operating)
Riverside Park South, Manhattan
On display through Sept. 3, 2025

Time is ticking, but this sculpture isn’t counting the seconds. Sydney Shen’s SBNO is caught somewhere between an anatomical model, a carnival ride, and a metronome and speaks to the human desire to be moved beyond our limits, both physically and emotionally. This exhibition is presented by the Art Students League of New York and the Riverside Park Conservancy.

Superfine: Tailoring Black Style
The Met Fifth Avenue, Gallery 999, 1000 5th Ave.
On display through Oct. 26, 2025

After making its smash debut at the Met Gala this year, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style explores how tailoring and fitted garments helped form Black identities. The exhibition displays Black style from the 18th century to the present, providing a cultural and historical examination of the style through dandyism. The exhibition was made possible by Louis Vuitton. Tickets are pay-what-you-wish for New York State residents and NY, NJ, and CT students.

Molly Gochman, Monuments to Motherhood
Prospect Park, Brooklyn
On display through May 10, 2026

Nestled away in Prospect Park, you’ll find a piece from Molly Gochman’s Monuments to Motherhood series, which honors those who nurture, sustain, and support their communities. This fifteen-foot-tall bronze sculpture aims to recognize those whose labor holds society together and also stands as a testament to the past generations. This exhibition is presented by the Prospect Park Alliance.

Michel Bassompierre, Michel Bassompierre on Park Avenue
Park Avenue Malls, Manhattan
On display through May 11, 2026

This sculpture is one of nine created by French sculptor Michel Bassompierre, each of which is a peaceful animal caught in the intimacy of its life. At Park Avenue Malls, you’ll find Bassompierre’s peaceful gorilla looking out onto the city while it encompasses the artist’s soft and precise form. This exhibition is presented by Galeries Bartoux, Patrons of Park Avenue, and the Murray Hill Neighborhood Association.

Urban Stomp: Dreams & Defiance on the Dance Floor
Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave at 103rd St.
On display through Feb. 22, 2026

This first-of-its-kind exhibition explores 200 years of dance in New York City. From the ballrooms to the clubs of today, this exhibition shines a bright light on the city’s many dance cultures and how they help shape the society we live in. The exhibition is presented in collaboration with the Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University–Newark. Tickets are $23 for adults, $18 for seniors 65+, $14 for students 19+, and free for those 18 and under.

Van Gogh Flowers
New York Botanical Gardens, 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx
On display from May 24 through Oct. 26, 2025

Dive head-first into an immersive display inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s famous flower paintings. After exploring large-scale art, you’ll find a breathtaking field of Van Gogh’s sunflowers. On select evenings, visitors can enjoy Starry Nights, featuring a dazzling drone show alongside live music and food and beverages available for purchase. Tickets are included in general admission and are $39 for adults, $35 for seniors and students, $17 for kids aged 2-12 and free for those under 2 years old.