Explore New Exhibits in Lincoln Square

Three new exhibitions debuted in Lincoln Square this September. The American Folk Art Museum (2 Lincoln Square between West 65th and West 65th Street) opened two new exhibits on the 13th, while The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (40 Lincoln Center Plaza) unveiled a large-scale exhibition on the 19th.

Take a break from playing board games with the family and pay a visit to the American Folk Art Museum’s new exhibit, Playing with Design: Gameboards, Art, and Culture, featuring over 100 handmade gameboards from the collection of Bruce and Doranna Wendel. See early examples of classic games like Parcheesi, checkers, and chess, as well as hand-painted iterations of Monopoly and Chutes and Ladders. The exhibition explores themes of history, culture, design, and craftsmanship. Games with objectives like a train journey, a whaling expedition, or a trip around the world demonstrate that adventure and risk-taking are fundamental to American life.

Offering a glimpse into the artistic traditions of the Shaker community, a Protestant religious sect, Anything but Simple: Gift Drawings and the Shaker Aesthetic showcases “gift” drawings—symbols of love and nature created by Shaker women in the mid-19th century. Often given as “tokens” to other Shakers during meetings, these drawings were believed to represent divine messages. The Shakers are known for their minimalist approach to design, and these brightly colored and intricate drawings represent a departure from the simplicity usually associated with the culture. The exhibition includes examples of Shaker clothing and furniture to demonstrate the contrast between the clean lines typically associated with Shaker design and the vibrancy of the drawings. It also includes an in-depth look at the Shakers themselves, as well as the biographical information of the women who made the drawings. Both exhibits at the American Folk Art Museum are open through January 26, 2025. Visiting hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 11:30am to 6:00 pm. Admission is always free.

Meanwhile, you can delve into the history and legacy of The Joffrey Ballet at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts' exhibition, The Joffrey + Ballet in the U.S., through March 1, 2025. The first large-scale retrospective on the company features treasures from the Joffrey archive on display for the very first time. Robert Joffrey, born Abdullah Jaffa Bey Khan, co-founded the ballet company with Gerald Arpino with the doctrine that ballet was for everyone, so it’s extremely fitting that this exhibit will be on display for anyone to view for free. Learn how the two spread their vision of ballet and made the Joffrey a globally renowned force in the ballet world, including the challenges, ingenuity, and dedication that it took to build the ballet company, redefine ballet, and construct its future in the U.S., too. The exhibition features newly digitized rare film, costumes, props, pointe shoes, and more. 

From gameboards to Shaker drawings and design to the ballet, you can learn about endless subjects and art forms in Lincoln Square. Don’t miss out on visiting these fascinating exhibits. 

Photo: Adapted from a Dance Magazine design which originally appeared in the May 1996 issue of Dance Magazine. Reproduced with permission from Dance Magazine. Photograph by Herbert Migdoll © Joffrey Ballet. Jerome Robbins Dance Division.