Must-See Art in NYC, November 2024

There is so much to celebrate this November! The month kicks off with colorful installations for Día De Los Muertos and ends with the sparkling lights of New York City's holiday decorations. Along the way, The Met Museum celebrates a milestone anniversary, a long-forgotten art carnival makes a comeback, and teams of architects construct sculptures out of cans for a cause. Check out the big art installations and events happening this month:

1. Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy, The Shed

The world’s first art amusement park is coming to New York City on November 20th. Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy is a fantastical fairground with rides and attractions created by famous 20th-century artists. In this revival exhibition, guests can see a Ferris wheel by Jean-Michel Basquiat, a carousel by Keith Haring, a wave swinger by Kenny Scharf, a wedding chapel by André Heller, and immersive pavilions like David Hockney’s Enchanted Tree, Lichtenstein's Glass Labyrinth and Salvador Dalí’s Dalídome. As you admire these large-scale installations, live roving performers and a curated playlist will enhance the carnivalesque atmosphere.

Luna Luna debuted in Germany in 1987. At the close of that original fair, the attractions were packed into shipping containers and forgotten in Texas for decades. The New York exhibition will showcase archival materials that illustrate the history and significance of Luna Luna, as well as its restoration. It is on view through January 5th. You can purchase tickets here.

2. Día De Los Muertos Installations, Multiple Sites

Día De Los Muertos is celebrated from November 1st through November 2nd. This weekend, there are many sites across New York City where you can see ofrendas and other colorful symbols associated with the holiday. In Times Square, a trio of nearly ten-foot-tall La Catrinas stand at the Crossroads of the World with a giant red bull. La Catrina, "The Dapper Skull," was created by Mexican printmaker and lithographer José Guadalupe Posada around 1910 and it has since become an integral visual element of Día De Los Muertos. These pieces, presented by the government of the state of Aguascalientes, in collaboration and under the management of the Consulate of Mexico in New York and the Mayor's Office of the City, will be on view through November 2nd.

At Flatiron North Plaza, visitors can celebrate Mexican heritage by pinning photos or letters to lost loved ones on a community ofrenda. There will be activities like Mexican folklore performances by Calpulli Mexican Dance Company, face painting, and sugar skull decorating until 7 pm on November 1st.

3. Canstruction, Brookfield Place

Using the unusual medium of unopened canned foods, teams of architects, engineers, and contractors get together each year to build impressive sculptures of New York City symbols, beloved characters, replicas of famous artworks, and more. The 23 entrants of this year's Canstruction design competition include firms such as Beyer Blinder Belle, Gensler, Stantec, and others. They'll be competing for awards like Best Original Design, Best Use of Labels, Structural Ingenuity, Best Meal, and Most Cans, as selected by a panel of judges. You can get involved by donating cans and voting for the "People's Choice" award. You can also hop on a guided tour of the exhibition or create your own by using this exhibition map. Don't hesitate, the exhibition is only on view through November 11th.

4. Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bakeoff

Expect to see all of New York's famous holiday decorations and annual exhibitions popping up this month! On November 8, 2024. the Museum of the City of New York opens its massive gingerbread exhibition, for the third year in a row. Twenty amateur and professional bakers from across the five boroughs will show off their creative backing and frosting skills by recreating cookie versions of the city's most iconic locations. A panel of city-based bakers, curators, and restaurant owners will judge the entries and award a variety of prizes, but you can help pick the “People’s Choice.”  The sweet sculptures will be on view through January 12, 2025. See highlights from last year here!

5. Notre-Dame de Paris: The Augmented Exhibition, at The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine

You can celebrate the re-opening of Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral right here in New York City, at our own famous cathedral. On November 15th, Saint John the Divine will host an interactive, augmented reality exhibition that gives visitors the opportunity to travel through 850 years of Notre Dame’s history using cutting-edge technology.

Here's how it works: Visitors use a HistoPad™ to navigate displays of illuminated photo panels and 3-D models of Notre Dame—including a full-size chimera. Using the interactive, touch-screen tablet, guests are transported to medieval Paris to meet stonemasons, craftsmen, and builders and learn about the cathedral's construction, witness historic events like the coronation of Emperor Napoleon I, and discover how Notre Dame survived and was rebuilt from the 2019 fire. Notre Dame de Paris reopens on December 8, 2024. The exhibition, presented by French educational technology startup Histovery, in collaboration with the Public Institution in charge of the conservation and restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, will be on view through January 31, 2025.

6. Fixed Crane, Madison Square Park

Visitors looking to rest in Madison Square Park this fall will find an unusual place to sit on the Oval Lawn. Unveiled on October 24th, artist Nicole Eisenman's monumental new art installation doubles as a bench. The artwork is made of a decommissioned 1969 Link-Belt industrial crane turned on its side and covered in hand-made sculptures. The counterweight of this 90-foot-long piece of equipment is where you can find a seat. Intertwined with the crane’s structure are sculptures like a flag-waving figure at the apex, a bronze Birkenstock–wearing foot near the crane's engine, and bandages appended to the crane that appear to “heal” the obsolete apparatus. A solitary illuminated figure sits in the cab like a ghostly operator. Public programs, including an artist talk with Eisenman and a dance performance choreographed by Ryan McNamara, will run in conjunction with the installation. Fixed Crane will be on view through March 9, 2025.

A Tale of Three Squares: Gramercy Park, Madison Square & Union Square Tour

Registration opens on November 7th at 12pm ET. Open to members at the Insider level and higher.

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7. New York Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show

To find more holiday cheer this November, head up to the Bronx for the New York Botanical Garden's Annual Holiday Train Show. From November 23rd through January 20th, 2025, the historic Haupt Conservatory will be filled with nearly 200 replicas of iconic New York City buildings crafted from plant materials. Visitors can enjoy the display day and night, with special evening events that feature special snacks, spiked cider cocktails and mocktails, and hands-on activities. Purchase tickets here.

8. Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has its own special holiday show too! Lightscape is a nighttime illuminated trail that winds through the garden showcasing new works of light art. The dazzling installations will illuminate the garden’s 100,000-square-foot Cherry Esplanade from November 22nd to January 5th, 2025.

9. The Met's American Wing Turns 100

The Metropolitan Museum of Art will celebrate the centennial of its American Wing on Sunday, November 10th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Festivities will include the unveiling of newly reinstalled galleries, art-making activities, live performances, and talks with curators and artists. There will even be cake! Grab a piece at The American Wing Cafe. See the full schedule of events here.

10. The World's Borough Exhibition, Flushing Town Hall

Queens is one of the most diverse areas in the world and that distinction is honored at a new art exhibit inside Flushing Town Hall. The exhibit features work from over 70 New York City artists who responded to an open call. “From the flavors of local cuisine to the sounds of street life and the iconic landmarks that define the area, this exhibition offers a unique perspective on what makes Queens such an inspiring and exceptional place—through the lens of visual art,” says Flushing Town Hall’s Director of Arts Services Dan Bamba. The exhibit features a mix of paintings, drawings, photographs, and mixed media. The World's Borough Exhibition is free and open to the public through November 25th.

11. Coney Island History Show & Tell, Brooklyn Public Library's Coney Island Branch

Share your own pieces of ephemera, photographs, and artifacts at the Coney Island History Project's show and tell! Hosted by Tricia Vita, guests will see items from the History Project's collection including a stereoscope, stereoview photos, and keepsakes from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This event is free and will take place at 1901 Mermaid Avenue at West 19th Street, on Saturday, November 16, 2:30-4:00 PM. Registering here.