POSTER HOUSE PRESENTS FREE FIRST FRIDAY ON MAY 1, 2026 at Poster House

Poster House, the first museum in the United States dedicated to the global history of posters, will host its monthly, free “First Friday” event on May 1, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM at Poster House, 119 West 23rd Street in Manhattan. On the first Friday of every month, Poster House offers free admission and extended hours for guests to explore the museum’s latest exhibitions and get in on the fun by attending a tour, workshop, performance, or activity throughout the day. The two main exhibitions currently on show are: Act Black: Posters from Black American Stage & Screen and Love & Fury: New York’s Fight Against AIDS – open through September 6, 2026. The two capsule exhibitions on show are: From Monarchy to Modernity: Travel, Identity, & the Czechoslovak First Republic (1918–1938) and Reading Under Fire: Arming Minds & Hearts During Wartime.

Every First Friday is different, offering unique opportunities such as tours, workshops, performances, and activities, to further engage visitors with the exhibitions. First Friday activities for May 1st  include: 

• 11:30am-1pm: Butterfly in the Sky Screening

  • Join Poster House for Butterfly in the Sky (2022), screened in connection with the museum’s exhibition Reading Under Fire: Arming Minds & Hearts During Wartime This documentary explores the story behind the beloved children’s series Reading Rainbow that aired on PBS for more than 20 years from 1983, and talks about its famous host LeVar Burton and the challenges its creators faced in cultivating a love of reading through television. The film considers the lasting impact of this show, with its instantly recognizable theme song, one that introduced generations of children to the joy and power of books.

• 12:30–4:30pm: Drop-In Printmaking with Robert Blackburn Printmaking Studio

  • Participants will learn about Japanese woodblock printing (Moku Hanga ) with artist Nandini Chirimar and  how to print by hand using water-based inks and pre-carved blocks, gaining a hands-on introduction to this traditional technique. Guests will also have the opportunity to incorporate stencil drawing into their compositions and take home their own unique prints. 

• 2–3:30pm: Gel Plate Printing with Sato Yamamoto

  • Join us at Poster House for a gel-plate printing workshop in which participants will explore the medium through a range of accessible techniques. The session will cover foundational methods using printing ink on paper as well as ways of working with acrylic ink on wet surfaces to build layered compositions. Participants will create textures and patterns using a range of found materials and mark-making tools. 

• 3–6pm: Happy Hour

  • It’s Happy Hour at Café des Affiches! Every First Friday between 3pm and 6pm, visitors are invited to enjoy $2 off all alcoholic beverages in the museum’s café.  

• 4–5pm: Curatorial Tour of Reading Under Fire

  • In honor of Reading Under Fire: Arming Minds & Hearts During Wartime, Molly Guptill Manning will lead an in-depth tour of the exhibition at Poster House. Molly will talk about the ways in which posters produced during World Wars I and II promoted reading to support morale, education, and connection during wartime, addressing some of the specific stories behind the works on view and the broader nationwide movement they helped shape.  

• 5–6:30pm: Lantern Making Workshop with Artsy Anxious Girlie 

  • In celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, join Artsy Anxious Girlie for a hands-on lantern-making workshop at Poster House. Participants will create their own lanterns using paper-folding and assembly techniques in a project inspired by traditions connected to Chinese New Year. The session will introduce participants to the cultural significance behind the forms as they are guided through the process step by step. This workshop will invite reflection on heritage, memory, and community through the shared act of making.  

• 6:30–8:30pm: Night Market presented by Welcome to Chinatown

  • Close out First Friday at Poster House with a Night Market hosted in collaboration with Welcome to Chinatown and featuring special design and craft pieces from the heart of the neighborhood!  

• 7–8pm: Queens in Rotation—AAPI Pride Drag Performance

  • Join Poster House for an electrifying evening of drag in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month and Pride inspired by the museum’s current exhibition Love & Fury: New York’s Fight Against AIDS (in partnership with Welcome to Chinatown). This high-energy event will feature a series of fierce and dynamic performances by Felicia Oh and Emi Grate that emphasize bold self-expression and a commitment to community.