Museum Mile Festival 2016

Dozens of art exhibitions will be on view for free during this year's Museum Mile Festival.

For one day on June 14, visitors will be able to enjoy live performances, street entertainers and exhibits along Fifth Avenue, from East 82nd to 105th streets.

The event, also known as "New York City's biggest block party," will kick off 5:45 p.m. at the Metropolitan Museum of Art at 82nd Street and run through 9 p.m.

Fifth Avenue will be closed to all vehicle traffic from 110th - 79th street.

Begun as an initiative to spur the development of new museum audiences and to increase support for the arts during the fiscal crisis of the 1970s, Museum Mile was formed as a consortium by the museums that share the Fifth Avenue address. The first festival, held in June of 1978, was an instant success. Not only did it expose New Yorkers and NYC visitors to an incredible collection of New York’s artistic riches, it also brought together disparate New Yorkers. From the barrios of East Harlem and the townhouses lining the Upper East Side, to the winding streets of the Village and the clustered neighborhoods of the outer-boroughs, people came to celebrate their shared pride in their city. Museum Mile Festival promoted public awareness through increased visibility, accessibility and attendance at all the museums, and brought many New Yorkers to upper Fifth Avenue for the first time. 

For more information, click here.

Photo credit: museummilefestival.org