This contemporary-art center dates back to 1971 and has been at its current location, a renovated Romanesque-revival public school in Long Island City, since 1976. In 2000, it merged with the Museum of Modern Art. The Queens facility offered room for MoMA to show larger site-specific works that were difficult to mount in the limited space of the museum’s original location on 53rd Street in Manhattan. Each year, PS1’s Young Architects competition solicits proposals for installations for the museum’s courtyard, with the winning design being built to serve as the backdrop for the Warm Up series of concerts which take place every Saturday during the summer. Other popular annual events include the Art Book Fair in October. While MoMA’s exhibits often focus on acclaimed figures of the 20th century, PS1 concentrates almost solely on young, emerging artists and those pushing the boundaries of art in unexpected directions.
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MoMA PS1 Summer Series
While technically the MoMA PS1 is a museum, their Warm-Up summer series is anything but. Every Saturday afternoon/evening, from the months of June through September, the outdoor courtyard turns into a music festival. Besides a slew of top-tier DJs, the summer series is known for sporting some truly cutting edge architecture. In fact, Warm Up is in collaboration with MoMA PS1 Young Architects Program (YAP), which is a yearly series of competitions that allows budding architects to work on projects that the MoMA PS1 faculty conceives. Doors open at noon, and and if you visit MoMA PS1 on Warm Up Saturdays, you’ll have to purchase the $18 ticket in advance ($20 at the door). 2015 marked the series’ 18th year, and there are no plans to stop the summer celebration in the coming years. If in town during the summer months, make sure to swing by for cocktails and great music in their outdoor courtyard.
