Summer at the Whitney
A Seasonal Guide
It’s summer in the city—here are our favorite ways to beat the heat at the Whitney.
Al Fresco Dining
Studio Bar and Cafe, Floor 8
Enjoy outdoor dining at the renovated Studio Bar and Cafe on Floor 8, operated by Frenchette Bakery. The views from the top-floor terrace are unbeatable and we’ve set out tables and umbrellas for you to take in the city skyline—and an AR artwork by Nancy Baker Cahill—in the shade. (If it’s really a scorcher, we have indoor dining options, too!) The summer menu includes refreshing favorites like spritzes, iced tea, cold brew, matcha lemonade, and more. Snacks and a lunch menu are also available. We recommend the jambon beurre. Before you go, make sure to peep the floor-to-ceiling mosaic by artist Dyani White Hawk on the back wall of the cafe, which is just as breathtaking as the city views. You can find more al fresco dining and a full menu at Frenchette Bakery on the ground floor.
A Season of Vibrant Portraits
Amy Sherald: American Sublime, Floor 5
Discover Amy Sherald’s vibrant portraits in her debut solo exhibition at a New York museum, featuring everyday Black Americans and iconic depictions of Michelle Obama and Breonna Taylor. The luminous colors in Sherald’s portraits, such as All Things Bright and Beautiful seen here, get us in a summer mood.
Georgia O’Keeffe’s Summer Souvenirs
Floor 7
Summer is a time to travel and we all know the feeling of being so inspired by a place that we want to gather a bit of it as a souvenir. Before moving out west permanently, Georgia O’Keeffe collected sun-bleached bones during her summer sojourns to New Mexico to bring back to New York to remind her of the landscape she loved. “When I got to New Mexico that was mine,” she once said. “As soon as I saw it that was my country. I’d never seen anything like it before but it fitted to me exactly. Like something that’s in the air—it’s just different. The sky is different, the stars are different, the wind is different.” O’Keeffe’s paintings of the Southwest are now world famous and we can see why! This work captures the essence of the desert and beautifully communicates the artist’s tender regard for that place. Don’t miss Summer Days in “Untitled” (America), a new exhibition of art from the Whitney's collection on Floor 7.
Riverside Oasis
Gansevoort Beach
It is a little-known fact that just steps from the Whitney is a white sand beach complete with electric blue beach chairs and umbrellas. Stop by this idyllic riverside oasis to wiggle your toes in the sand, soak up the sun, and catch the breeze off the river. Admire the huge but delicate sculpture hovering just offshore, Day’s End by David Hammons, which traces the silhouette of a pier that formerly occupied this site and was an important fixture to many artists and the neighborhood community. To learn more about this artwork and the history of the site, check out the Whitney’s podcast or take our self-guided walking tour.
In Technicolor
Mary Heilmann: Long Line, Floor 5
Reflecting on the Whitney’s decade downtown, create colorful new memories and revisit old ones on Floor 5. Mary Heilmann’s art often fosters social connection, and her vibrant new installation, Long Line, is no exception. In 2015, the artist created a site-specific installation, Sunset, to inaugurate the terraces at our new downtown location. The current show reprises her Monochrome Chairs from that project, which sprinkle the gallery like confetti. Relax in these chairs while enjoying the view of Hudson River Park and admiring a hand-painted mural of Heilmann’s painting, Long Line.
Free Tickets to the Whitney
Every Friday night and all day on the second Sunday of every month
The Whitney has two new free offerings: Free Friday Nights and Free Second Sundays. We’ve heard Free Friday Nights described as “the perfect start to a night out in New York City.” Every Friday evening from 5–10 pm, admission to the Museum is free for everyone. We’ve got music, cocktails, and terrace views—oh, and art! The Free Second Sunday vibe is family-friendly and also full of fun. There is always a lot going on and something for everyone, from artmaking and story hour with NYPL to gallery tours, classes, and more.
West Side Fest
In the neighborhood, July 11–13
Join us and our neighboring cultural institutions on July 11–13, 2025 for West Side Fest, a free, multi-site celebration organized by the West Side Cultural Network. Museums, parks, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions located within a half-mile portion of historic New York are presenting free admission days, special indoor and outdoor programming, artmaking for all ages, performances, and more to welcome all New Yorkers to the culturally vibrant western edge of Manhattan.
Plan your visit
What to know before you go.
