December
’Tis the season! Holiday parties are in full swing. Greeting cards are in the mail. Fifth Avenue is aglow, as the Rockefeller Center tree will be soon.
Here at the Brooklyn Museum: Our annual toy drive returns, along with holiday carolers, a winter concert, and other festive programs.
This is a good time of year to nourish your creative side. Witness the power of photography in Seydou Keïta: A Tactile Lens. Reflect on your rituals in the Rubin Museum Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room. Float through our collective imagination in Oliver Jeffers: Life at Sea.
And, of course, be utterly transported by Monet and Venice. Pro tip to avoid the crowds: Become a Member and get access to Member Mornings—an extra hour with the art, just for you. Treat yourself; you deserve it.
Watch this
A glimpse of Venice! Join Senior Curator of European Art Lisa Small and Composer in Residence Niles Luther on a virtual tour of exhibition highlights and the spatial audio installation.
Mark your calendars
Poetry Workshop: Monet and Venice
Sunday, December 7, 11 am–1:30 pm
Join Brad Vogel, author of Find Me in the Feral Pockets and organizer of the NYC Poets Afloat Residencies, in a generative writing workshop inspired by Monet and Venice. Vogel draws a parallel between Brooklyn’s own Gowanus Canal and Venice’s storied waterways, providing prompts for your original writing.
Can’t make this one? Check out other upcoming poetry workshops.
Beyond Keïta’s Frame: Ernest Cole
Saturday, December 13, 2–4 pm
Seydou Keïta recorded Mali’s evolution with his camera. Delve deeper into the country’s and diaspora’s stories with this film series, presented in partnership with African Film Festival.
Ernest Cole: Lost and Found (Raoul Peck, 2024, 105 min.) chronicles the life and work of Ernest Cole. As one of South Africa’s first Black freelance photographers, he took to the streets to reveal life under apartheid.
Joy to the Borough: Sixth Annual Toy Drive and Giveaway
Sunday, December 14, 11 am–2 pm
Help spread holiday cheer! Through December 13, stop by the Admissions Desk in the lobby to drop off new, unwrapped toys for children ages 0–14. All who donate receive 20% off in the Shop as a gesture of thanks.
On December 14, pick up toys along with clothing, coloring books, and other holiday gifts for children. During the giveaway, enjoy a festive lineup of art-making activities and seasonal fun for all ages.
More happening
Stroller Tour: Monet and Venice
Wednesday, December 10, 10–11:15 am
Enjoy an interactive, stroller-friendly tour of Monet and Venice. Designed for children up to 24 months old, this baby-friendly program features touchable objects, songs, exploration of artworks on view, and an opportunity to connect with other adults.
Can’t make this one? Check out other upcoming Stroller Tours.
We’re collecting stories of connection. Did you meet your best friend, artistic partner, great love, or someone special at First Saturday? Tell us everything.
From the top: Marguerite Thompson Zorach. Cocktail Party in Brooklyn Heights. Watercolor. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Sidney Hook, 76.121. © The Zorach Collection LLC. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Claude Monet. Venice, Palazzo Dario, 1908. Oil on canvas. The Art Institute of Chicago, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Larned Coburn Memorial Collection, 1933.446. (Photo: The Art Institute of Chicago / Art Resource, NY); A photograph by Ernest Cole, from Ernest Cole: Lost and Found, a Magnolia Pictures release. © Ernest Cole. (Photo: courtesy of Magnolia Pictures); Share the Toy, 2024. (Photo: courtesy of Kinnect Foundation); Stroller Tours, 2025. (Photo: Elena Olivo); First Saturday, 2025. (Photo: Kolin Mendez); Robert Sefcik. New York City (Party after fashion show at 79th Street Rotunda, Riverside Park), 1976. Gelatin silver print. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Cynthia K. Yanowitz, 85.94.4. © Robert Sefcik
