Museums and Sites
American Museum of Natural History: ‘Countdown to Zero’ (through early 2017) Smallpox is the only human disease to have been eradicated, but what about Guinea worm, polio, malaria and others? This exhibition, presented in collaboration with the Carter Center, examines international efforts to control and wipe out infection. Daily from 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., Central Park West and 79th Street, 212-769-5200, amnh.org.
American Museum of Natural History: ‘Dark Universe’ (continuing) With the return of the Hayden Planetarium, which closed in August for renovations, comes the latest space show, “Dark Universe.” Narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson, the film explores mysterious dark matter and dark energy, and how scientists are working to improve their understanding of these phenomena. Every half-hour from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays; to 5 p.m. on weekends, Central Park West and 79th Street, 212-769-5200, amnh.org.
American Museum of Natural History: ‘The Secret World Inside You’ (through Aug. 14) In recent years, the microbiome — the roughly 100 trillion bacteria living inside and on human bodies — has been a popular talking point for science journalism. With ever-evolving research into this mysterious area of study, there’s still plenty left to explore. Now, it’s getting the exhibition treatment in this look at what scientists are learning about the role bacteria plays in health. Central Park West and 79th Street, 212-769-5200, amnh.org.
Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum: ‘Gilded Age Glamour: Fashions From the Bartow-Pell Collection’ (through April 30) On a superficial level, this exhibition’s display of clothing and fashion illustrations is about the decadence of the Gilded Age. But it is also a glimpse into how fashion related to the public and private lives of New York families in the late 1800s. And what better site for that than the lavish 19th-century Bartow-Pell Mansion? 895 Shore Road North, Pelham Bay Park, the Bronx, 718-885-1461, bartowpellmansionmuseum.org.
Brooklyn Historical Society: ‘Brooklyn Americans: Hockey’s Forgotten Promise’ (through March 27) The New York Islanders may be new to Brooklyn, but the borough isn’t new to hockey. This exhibition tells the story of its first National Hockey League team, the Brooklyn Americans. The team wore red, white and blue jerseys and represented Kings County at the height of World War II and in the early days of the N.H.L. Still, as the exhibition shows, the team was unsuccessful and ultimately financially doomed. 128 Pierrepont Street, near Clinton Street, Brooklyn Heights, 718-222-4111, brooklynhistory.org.
‘The Discovery of King Tut’ (through May 1) The king himself doesn’t make an appearance at this exhibition; the focus is the wealth of treasures from his tomb, along with the history of what happened when the British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered it in 1922. Reproductions of the artifacts are on display, with explanations about how excavation and preservation work were carried out. Premier Exhibitions 5th Avenue, 417 Fifth Avenue, at 38th Street, 646-979-4120, tutnyc.com.
Discovery Times Square: ‘Vikings’ (through Sept. 5) This exhibition, which features more than 500 artifacts, explores why Vikings have held onto the popular imagination for more than 1,000 years — and why they are often misunderstood. Neil Genzlinger, in his New York Times review of the show, wrote: “What’s most interesting about the exhibition, though, is the way it places Vikings within the evolving world. It includes, for instance, a shell found on Gotland, the Swedish island, that came from the waters off distant Cyprus, because one thing Vikings were good at was getting around.” 226 West 44th Street, Manhattan, 866-987-9692, discoverytsx.com.
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum: ‘On the Line: Intrepid and the Vietnam War’ (through Sept. 1) Visitors familiar with this museum are likely to be well aware of its flight deck, perhaps even some of its wartime history. During the Vietnam War, the Intrepid served three tours overseas between 1966 and 1969. Now, in an exhibition set in the space where the crew members lived and worked, the museum tells their stories with artifacts, film clips and photographs. Pier 86, 46th Street and 12th Avenue, Clinton, 877-957-7447, intrepidmuseum.org.
Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning: ‘Black Royals’ (through March 31) This exhibition to celebrate Black History Month brings in works lent by the African American Museum of Nassau County, including portraits of the dark-skinned British queens Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744-1818) and Philippa of Hainault (1314-1369) — who both, some argue, had African ancestry. 161-04 Jamaica Avenue, Queens, 718-658-7400, jcal.org.
Morgan Library & Museum: ‘Wagner’s “Ring”: Forging an Epic’ (through April 17) Using a mix of manuscripts, costumes and other artifacts, this exhibition tells the story of how Wagner created his epic masterpiece — the four-opera cycle “Der Ring des Nibelungen” — including its first staging in Bayreuth, Germany, in 1876, and its American premiere in 1889 at the Metropolitan Opera House. Zachary Woolfe, in his review of the exhibition for The New York Times, wrote: “Audio and video clips of the cycle, distributed generously through the installation, open up the memorabilia and scores like air in a balloon, endowing mere paper with reminders of the boldness and loftiness that so astonished Wagner’s early audiences.” 225 Madison Avenue, at 36th Street, 212-685-0008, themorgan.org.
Museum of Chinese in America: ‘Sub Urbanisms: Casino Urbanization, Chinatowns and the Contested American Landscape’ (through March 27) Stephen Fan, an architecture professor and curator, examines the trend of Chinese casino workers’ converting suburban homes in Connecticut into multi-family communities. This exhibition is both creative and historical; it examines the present to imagine the future of housing design, while looking back on the events that created the trend of suburban migration. 215 Centre Street, between Howard and Grand Streets, Lower Manhattan, 212-619-4785, mocanyc.org.
Museum of the City of New York: ‘The New York City Marathon: The Great Race’ (through March 13) At the beginning of November, more than 50,000 runners made their way through all five boroughs of New York, starting on Staten Island and ending in Central Park. This annual race — a spectacle for anyone watching along the course — began modestly in 1970, with 127 people running laps around Central Park. City Museum’s timely exhibition tells the story of how the New York City Marathon became the world-class race it is today, including photos from amateurs and professionals on display. Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street, 212-534-1672, mcny.org.
Museum of the Moving Image: ‘How Cats Took Over the Internet’ (through Sunday) Even people who hate cats can’t easily get through an hour of browsing online without coming across some kind of feline clickbait. This exhibition takes a critical look at, and tells the story of, how we, as a society, got to this point. Yes, there are cat GIFs. 35th Avenue at 37th Street, Astoria, Queens, 718-784-0077, movingimage.us.
Museum of the Moving Image: ‘The World of “Anomalisa” ' (through March 27) Two sets, as well as puppets of the film’s main characters, make up an installation of materials from “Anomalisa,” directed by Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson. Written by Mr. Kaufman, the movie uses meticulous stop-motion animation to explore themes of love and alienation with his usual mind-boggling touch. 35th Avenue at 37th Street, Astoria, Queens, 718-784-0077, movingimage.us.
New York Botanical Garden: ‘Wild Medicine in the Tropics’ (through Sunday) This garden’s Enid A. Haupt Conservatory — a warm, humid respite from winter cold — hosts an exhibition about the medicinal qualities of its permanent collection. Visitors are encouraged to use the smartphone app Wild Medicine as a companion to learn more about each plant. Bronx River Parkway (Exit 7W) and Fordham Road, Bedford Park, the Bronx, 718-817-8700, nybg.org.
New-York Historical Society: ‘Holiday Express: Toys and Trains From the Jerni Collection’ (through Feb. 28) Toys of yore are on view in a mountainous landscape for trains and scene-setting trinkets. This massive display also incorporates theatrical lighting and soundscapes, including a multimedia installation designed to make it feel as if the museum’s 77th Street entrance were in the midst of passing trains. 170 Central Park West, at 77th Street, 212-873-3400, nyhistory.org.
New-York Historical Society: ‘Superheroes in Gotham’ (through Sunday) New York is safe as long as its comic-book heroes stick around. It’s been this way for nearly a century, as these characters have defended the city in books, TV shows, movies, video games — even the Broadway stage. New-York Historical Society’s latest exhibition tells the story of how superheroes became a cultural staple for all ages and media. 170 Central Park West, at 77th Street, 212-873-3400, nyhistory.org.
New York Public Library: ‘100 Years of the Picture Collection: From Abacus to Zoology’ (through May 15) The library celebrates the centennial of its Picture Collection with a sort of greatest-hits exhibition chosen from nearly 1.5 million images. (Lined up, the length of the photos surpasses even the height of the Empire State Building, which is, of course, included in the archive.) Subjects in the collection are organized alphabetically and number about 12,000. Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, 917-275-6975, nypl.org/locations/schwarzman; free.
New York Transit Museum: ‘Bringing Back the City’ (continuing) This new exhibition comes three years after Hurricane Sandy took a swipe at the city’s infrastructure. But what of the people who put the pieces back together? “Bringing Back the City” tells the stories of everyday services — like electricity and mass transit — that become extraordinary in times of crisis. Boerum Place, at Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn Heights, 718-694-1600, bringingbackthecity.com.
Noguchi Museum: Sarah Cahill (Wednesday through Feb. 28) For five days, the pianist Sarah Cahill is to take up residence at the Noguchi to perform “Patterns of Plants,” a musical cycle by Mamoru Fujieda, throughout the ground-floor galleries during the museum’s open hours. The cycle, made up of short pieces written between 1996 and 2011, was inspired by plant leaves’ electrical impulses, which were converted from data to sound with the help of a computer program called Max. 9-01 33rd Road, at Vernon Boulevard, Long Island City, Queens, 718-204-7088, noguchi.org.
Rubin Museum of Art: ‘Sacred Spaces’ (continuing) This exhibition’s premise is a question: What is a sacred space? It could be the museum’s Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, an immersive look at a traditional space for prayer and meditation. Or it could be a panoramic vista among the Himalayas. It could even be a video installation about Jain devotional rituals. All are on view in this exploration of veneration and its venues. 150 West 17th Street, Chelsea, 212-620-5000, rubinmuseum.org.
Events
‘Birmingham 1963’ (Friday and Saturday) This performance features a group of female teenagers in the troupe Downtown Art telling the story of how young people figured into the civil rights movement, based on oral histories and interviews with those who lived through it. Afterward, audience members can stay for dessert and a conversation about the issues the show raises. Also next Friday and Feb. 27. At 7:30 p.m., Downtown Art, 61 East Fourth Street, East Village, 917-587-6889, downtownart.org.
Black Artstory (through Feb. 29) The Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership’s Black History Month celebration returns with the theme “Some Assembly Required” — a reference to the importance of community-building in black political and cultural movements. The festivities include free weekly performances, and every day through the rest of the month, the partnership offers a self-guided art tour of Myrtle Avenue, between Flatbush Avenue Extension and Classon Avenue. Fifteen artists have taken part in decorating windows and walls; the map, along with more information about Black Artstory, is at myrtleavenue.org/blackartstory.
Senators Cory Booker and Kirsten Gillibrand (Sunday) These local Democratic senators — Mr. Booker, from New Jersey, and Ms. Gillibrand, from New York — discuss Washington’s political climate, the 2016 election and what Congress can do to build the public’s trust. The occasion is the publication of Mr. Booker’s book, “United: Thoughts on Finding Common Ground and Advancing the Common Good”; he will sign copies after the talk. At 3 p.m., 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Avenue, 212-415-5500, 92y.org.
Free Nights at the Frick Collection (Friday) The Frick’s free after-hours series returns, with the collection open to the public, as well as programming that includes lectures, performances and sketching activities. At 6 p.m., 1 East 70th Street, Manhattan, 212-288-0700, frick.org.
MetFridays: Participatory Installation (Friday) This series at the Metropolitan Museum of Art features Firelei Báez, an artist known for her large paper works that explore identity in diasporic societies. She will lead participants in making a collaborative installation that’s inspired by visitors to the museum’s gift shop. Afterward, the installation will remain on view through March. The program is presented in conjunction with the exhibition “The Power of Prints: The Legacy of William M. Ivins and A. Hyatt Mayor,” open through May 22. At 6:30 p.m., 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org.
‘Piaf: Her Story ... Her Songs’ (Friday) The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, hosts a benefit screening of this concert documentary, about the beloved French chanteuse Edith Piaf. The film, written by and starring Raquel Bitton, features performances of some of Piaf’s most famous songs, interspersed with biographical passages. A Q. and A. with Ms. Bitton will follow, led by the journalist James Gavin. At 7:30 p.m., 111 Amsterdam Avenue, at 65th Street, Lincoln Center, 917-275-6975, nypl.org/lpa.
Slavic Soul Party! (Friday) This nine-member Balkan funk band brings its mix of brass, jazz and dance-ready rhythms to BRIC House, in partnership with Carnegie Hall’s Neighborhood Concerts series. The band is also to perform new works written with young people in Brooklyn and inspired by the song “Somewhere” from the Leonard Bernstein musical “West Side Story,” which Carnegie is presenting in early March in Queens. At 7:30 p.m., 647 Fulton Street, at Rockwell Place, Fort Greene, Brooklyn, 718-683-5600, bricartsmedia.org.
Spotlight Asia: ‘Ring in the Year of the Monkey’ (Sunday) The American Museum of Natural History belatedly celebrates the Lunar New Year with storytelling by the event’s host, Maria Yoon, and performances by the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company. The afternoon’s programs, ringing in the Year of the Monkey, also include a Q. and A. with primatologists. At noon and 3 p.m., Central Park West and 79th Street, 212-769-5200, amnh.org.
Spoken Word
Álvaro Enrigue and Rivka Galchen (Thursday) These two writers discuss Mr. Enrigue’s latest novel, “Sudden Death,” about a 16th-century tennis match between Caravaggio and the Spanish poet Quevedo — played with a ball made from the hair of Anne Boleyn. The novel, recently translated from the Spanish, won literary prizes in Spain and Mexico. Ms. Galchen, a journalist and novelist, is the author of the coming short-story collection “Little Labors,” out in May. At 7 p.m., Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, New York Public Library, 917-275-6975, nypl.org/locations/schwarzman.
‘How to Look at Mexican Art’ (Tuesday) The New School partners with the Americas Society for a panel discussion tied to its exhibition “Hemispheres: A Labyrinth Sketchbook by Silvia Gruner,” on view through June 18. Despite the talk’s title, the focus is on Ms. Gruner’s life and career. (The title refers to a 1995 photographic work of the same name.) The New School professor Soyoung Yoon moderates the discussion, whose participants include Gabriela Rangel, director of visual arts at the Americas Society; Tatiana Cuevas, who curated the exhibition with Ms. Rangel; and the writer Irmgard Emmelhainz. At 6:30 p.m., University Center, the New School, 63 Fifth Avenue, at 14th Street, Greenwich Village, 212-277-8367, as-coa.org.
National Geographic Live (Tuesday) The latest installment of this speaker series features Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, an Austrian hiker who has climbed all 14 of the world’s eight-thousanders (peaks higher than 8,000 meters) without the help of supplemental oxygen. Her K2 climb was featured in National Geographic in April 2012; now, she brings the story to the stage, as she discusses the hike’s numerous tribulations, including heavy snowfall and the threat of avalanches. The achievement, which made her the first woman to reach all 14 summits, earned her an honor as one of National Geographic’s Adventurers of the Year. At 7:30 p.m., Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, 566 La Guardia Place, at Washington Square South, Greenwich Village, 866-811-4111, nyuskirball.org.
Martha Rosler, Nancy Buchanan and Andrea Bowers (Saturday) These three artists, whose works are included in the Brooklyn Museum exhibition “Agitprop!,” will discuss their histories of blending art and activism. They also represent three phases of the sprawling show; Ms. Rosler was included in the first wave, which opened on Dec. 11, while Ms. Buchanan’s work was added in the second wave, which opened on Wednesday. Ms. Bowers’s art will be on view in the third wave, opening April 6. At 2 p.m., Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, at Prospect Park, 718-638-5000, brooklynmuseum.org.
Walking Tours
Broadway Close Up: ‘Act I’ (daily) Broadway Close Up’s flagship tour takes participants through the history of Manhattan’s theater district, from its origins in the 1880s to this season’s hits. Highlights include the busy 42nd Street, ghost stories and theaters where history was made — including the Nederlander Theater, where the tour begins and where the musical “Rent” introduced changes (like ticket lotteries) that are popular today. At 11 a.m., beginning at 208 West 41st Street, Manhattan, 917-841-0187, broadwayupclose.com.
Flatiron District Walking Tour (Sunday) This free tour meets at 11 a.m. on the southwest corner of Madison Square Park, at 23rd Street and Broadway, in front of the William Seward statue. Sponsored by the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership; discoverflatiron.org.
‘Ghosts of Grand Central’ (Saturday) Now that winter has arrived, how about a tour that stays indoors? This haunted walk through Grand Central doubles as a history lesson about the notable commuters of the past, such as August Belmont, Franklin D. Roosevelt and, of course, his Scottish terrier, Fala. The tour meets in front of the New York Transit Museum Gallery Annex, in the hallway west of the train station’s famous four-sided clock. Saturdays through March 26 at 7:30 p.m., 646-493-7092, ghostsofny.com.
Historic Harlem: Celebrating Black History Month (Friday) This northern Manhattan neighborhood is in many ways central to the cultural and political history of black Americans in the past century. This walking tour addresses much of that — stops include the Abyssinian Baptist Church, the Apollo Theater and sites associated with the Harlem Renaissance — but it also explores the area’s early history, from its origins in the 1600s as a Dutch village. The tour meets at 1 p.m. in front of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Lenox Avenue, at 135th Street, Harlem, 888-606-9255, bigonion.com.
‘Historic Times Square’ (Monday) Highlights of this tour of the so-called Crossroads of the World include the Schwarzman Building of the New York Public Library, the Astor Hotel and sites associated with the area’s history as a hub for buying harnesses for horses, and later, harnesses for vices. At 1 p.m., beginning on the southeast corner of 42nd Street and Avenue of the Americas, Bryant Park, 888-606-9255, bigonion.com.
History of Wall Street Tour (weekdays) Stops on this tour, led by Wall Street Walks, include the New York Stock Exchange, Trinity Church, the Wall Street Bull, ground zero and the Sept. 11 memorial. The tours last 90 minutes and begin at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. (Also at 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.) More details: wallstreetwalks.com.
‘Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: American Cultural Primacy and the Preservation of Our Architectural Treasures’ (Sunday) This tour, led by Deborah Zelcer of the Municipal Art Society of New York, makes stops at sites associated with the woman famously known as Jackie O., the widow of John F. Kennedy and a longtime New York fixture. In addition to buildings related to her biography, the tour highlights her advocacy in preserving New York’s architectural history — including that of Grand Central Terminal, where in 2014 a memorial plaque was installed to honor her work to save the station from destruction decades ago. The meeting location is available upon registration. At 2 p.m., 212-935-2075, mas.org.
Slices of Midtown (Sunday) This walking (and eating) tour makes a case against the idea that Midtown Manhattan’s garden of skyscrapers is also a desert for gourmets. Food samples include Persian, Korean and Indian cuisine. At 1 p.m., beginning in front of Kalustyan’s Market at 123 Lexington Avenue, at 28th Street, 212-222-2243, noshwalks.com.
‘Union Square: Crossroads of New York’ (Saturday) Sponsored by the Union Square Partnership, this free year-round tour focuses on the area’s political and social histories. The walk, led by guides from Big Onion Walking Tours, meets at 2 p.m. by the statue of Lincoln in Union Square Park, near the 16th Street transverse. 212-517-1826, unionsquarenyc.org.
Resource: http://www.nytimes.com
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