New art exhibit openings, cookie baking contests, behind-the-scenes tours, and holiday cooking classes are all happening this week in New York City. See art from world-renowned legends or emerging local talents, vote for the best tasting cookie or learn how to create the best tamale, or explore an abandoned hospital complex with our Untapped Picks of things to do:

Friday, December 14th

Attend the first Signal to Noise, a special after-hours event at the Museum of the Moving Image, which will be the first in a monthly series. The night will feature musical performances, interactive digital artist installations, and participatory experiences throughout the building. Featured artists for the evening are Peter Burr, Martha Colburn, and Laura Ortman. Guests can also explore current exhibitions, including A Whole Different Ball Game, which features 40+ playable sports video games; The Jim Henson Exhibition; and more! Complimentary snacks will be available with beer provided by Mikkeller. This event is free but you must register in advance and be 21 years of age or older.

Examine the issue of “ethical tech” at Terms and Conditions, a short films screening and discussion hosted by Rooftop Films. The evening kicks off with a happy hour followed by live music, eight short films, a post-screening discussion and after party. This event at Industry City is free but advance registration is required.

Saturday, December 15th

Explore New York City’s holiday history, at “New York’s Holiday History from George Washington to Andy Warhol” at QED in Astoria. Find out which of New York’s early 19th century artists and writers were the first to depict the modern Santa Claus, see which New York retailer invented holiday windows, discover where in New York Santa got his sleigh, and uncover more New York holiday stories. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $10. The show starts at 3:00pm.

Sunday, December 16th

Discover some of the hundreds of quirky and impressive art installations scattered throughout the NYC subway system on Untapped Cities Underground Art in the Subway Tour. Expert tour guide Justin Rivers will take you on an in-depth tour of the subway art tapestry, put together to illuminate the often unseen art, history, and secrets that make the subway system the most playful gallery in the world. Co-conceptualized by artist Aaron Asis, it’s a perfect compliment to our popular Underground Subway Tour or a fun stand alone for art, history and subway lovers alike.

Behind-the-Scenes Tour of NYC Subway Art

Taste more than twenty different cookies baked by Brooklyn’s finest home cooks at the Brooklyn Cookie Takedown 2018.  From chocolate chip to oatmeal, taste them all and vote for the best! The competition starts at 3:00p.m. and tickets can be purchased in advance online.

Go on an urban exploration with Untapped Cities’ Behind-the-Scenes Hard Hat Tour of the abandoned Ellis Island Hospital Complex. The 22-building complex on the less visited south side of Ellis Island was once the standard for United States medical care, but has been left to decay for nearly 60 years. Visit the contagious disease wards, the autopsy rooms and have exclusive access to places usually closed to the public. You will also be able to view pieces of the site-specific art installation, Unframed, by world renowned French artist JR, which puts haunting life-size historical images from the island on the walls, doors, windows, floor and furniture of the complex, enhancing the eerie atmosphere.

Behind-the-Scenes Hard Hat Tour of the Abandoned Ellis Island Hospital

Monday, December 17th

Explore the legacy of Abstract Expressionism at the Met Museum’s latest art exhibition, Epic Abstraction: Pollock to Herrera. Opening this Monday, the exhibit encompasses more than 50 large-scale abstract paintings and sculptures that date from the 1940s through the 21st century., including iconic works like Jackson Pollock’s classic “drip” painting Autumn Rhythm (1950) and Louise Nevelson’s monumental Mrs. N’s Palace (1964–77). International artists, such as Japanese painter Kazuo Shiraga and the Hungarian artist Ilona Keserü will also be featured.

Tuesday, December 18th

See art from emerging and established artists from the Bronx and around New York City at the 6th Annual Whimsical Winter Wonder Exhibition at The Poe Park Visitor Center. This family friendly exhibition, which is free and open to the public, will feature the work of artists like Bobbi Beck, Ner Beck, Howard Better, Trevon Blondet, Ernesto Camacho, Daniel Delvalle, Susan Kelsinger, Zoraida Nieves Michelle Pappas, Emilio Rodriguez, and more!

Learn how to make the best tamale at the final class in the Holiday Eats cooking series at The Greene Space. At Feliz Navidad: Tamales and More, Fany Gerson, Maricel Presilla and Von Diaz will unwrap the secrets of making perfect tamales, both savory and sweet, and share some other favorite holiday recipes. Whether you want to host your first tamalada or just cook for a holiday meal, they’ll be ready to answer all your questions. Plus, you’ll get a taste of one of our favorite holiday treats.

Skate with Santa a Prospect Park!

Wednesday, December 19th

Taste five different Toast Ale beers paired with cheeses at a Toast Ale Beer and Cheese Masterclass hosted by Tannat Wine and Cheese. The masterclass will feature five different 5oz glasses of beer–an IPA, a lager, an American pale ale, a light Pilsner, and a stout– paired with complementary cheeses from Tannat’s kitchen. The $10(+tax) class starts at 6:30pm and a happy hour will follow at 7:00p.m.

Join City Planner and Untapped Cities Insider Jeff Rueben for a talk about the forgotten theaters of the Bronx at the City Island Nautical Museum. The event is co-sponsored by the East Bronx Historical Forum and the City Island Historical Society. The Bronx, which had over 100 theaters showing movies and live entertainment in the years before World War II, now has only two multiplexes. Both were built in recent years and are sorely lacking in the architectural character that typified the earlier venues. However, many of those older theaters are not gone, but instead are being reused for other purposes, with varying degrees of preservation of original details.