An Insider Look at What to Do in NYC This Holiday Season

Year-round, The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers tourists and locals alike a bridge into centuries of culture. During the holiday season, The Met embraces history in the context of a number of holidays. The Met will showcase their stunning Christmas tree adorned with an 18th-century Neapolitan Nativity scene. View this showstopping and historical tree from November 22 to January 8. The museum will also display the Moldovan Family Collection's Hanukkah menorah. The piece's stunning craftsmanship and dazzling silver color only add to the deep history behind the menorah. At The Met Cloisters, the museum will pay homage to medieval Christmas decorations with decorated archways using an array of fresh plant materials. 

Starting December 7, The Met will also open its Women Dressing Women exhibition, featuring an array of female designers. Women have long changed the fashion world but have not been given the same recognition as many male designers. This holiday season, explore the world of famed and lesser-known female designers from Pia Davis and Autumn Randolph to Gabriela Hearst to Rei Kawakubo as the exhibition explores ways fashion has provided creative liberation to women. 

Women Dressing Women is open at The Met from December 7, 2023 until March 3, 2024. 

Local artisans and vendors will gather at the Brooklyn Museum for their annual Winter Pop-Up Market every Saturday and Sunday from December 2 to December 10. Open from 11 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., explore the jewelry, clothing, artwork, and other handmade options before the sun sets and brings the cold. Grab a warm cup of coffee or cocoa to accompany your one-of-a-kind holiday shopping experience. 

Hoping to visit NYC for the holidays? The Virgin Hotels New York City has all the fixings to make your holiday trip a magical one you'll never forget. Not only will the hotel be decked out as a holiday wonderland with the special Everdene Holiday Tree, but there will also be plenty of special holiday activities. Stop by the hotel's Winter Wonderland Pop Up where you'll find your choice of festive hot or cold cocktails while taking in the cozy cabin-like chalets. The hotel also offers events like holiday-themed paint and sips, a Mrs. Claus Candy Bar, and tons of live entertainment. Everdene will also serve pre-fixe menus on December 24 and 25 and will host a New Year's Eve celebration. 

After taking in the beauty of the one and only Rockefeller Christmas Tree, mosey on over to Coach's collaboration with Rockefeller Center. For another year, the holiday gift shop has a selection of Coach products that make a perfect gift for your loved ones as well as the option to customize any coach product, old or new. Enjoy holiday treats at the hospitality cart next to the shop to top off your day. 

The pop-up is open from December 2 to December 31 from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. 

The annual Brooklyn Lightscape returns to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden this year. This brilliant, gleaming light show exceeds the suburban ones you may have frequented during your childhood. The immersive exhibition transcends traditional holiday lights into art, sure to add sparkle to your holiday plans. Festive treats and music will top off your chilly winter night. 

The Brooklyn Lightscape is open from November 17, 2023 until January 1, 2024. 

Balletcore doesn't seem to be dying even as we approach another holiday season. Why not embrace it and explore the reality of ballet for Black dancers at Karon Davis' Beauty Must Suffer installation? Salon 94 showcases a powerful visualization of the not-so-glitz and glamour side of ballet: the deep-rooted racism and the long history of pain surrounding the art form. Karon Davis mixes mediums, from sculpture to paint, to explore the dancer's body in a new way. 

Beauty Must Suffer is open from October 12 to December 23.

On November 10, the RH Guesthouse's Champagne & Caviar Bar officially opened its doors. How much more luxury can it get? The menu stars their premier caviar selections: caviar cones, caviar rolls, caviar tartare, caviar potatoes, caviar chips and dip, and classic caviar. Equipped with a 32-seat lounge, the menu also includes champagne, vodka, cocktails, and desserts. Gold-marble tables, handblown-glass chandeliers, and Italian marble-mosaic floors will accompany your luxury meal. 

Through December 22, the Pace Gallery shows 14 of Picasso's sketchbooks in Memorium of the 50th anniversary of the famed artist's death. Alongside his sketches view Picasso's other paintings, photos, and even ceramic pieces. Pace has showcased a number of Picasso's works in the past, and this exhibit marks the 30th one. Take a walk through Picasso's iconic career from 1900-1959, getting an inside look at his process. The exhibit aims to "[trace] the evolution of his observations and ideas into plans for his compositions across painting and sculpture," according to Pace's website. This holiday season immerse yourself in the world of Picasso. 

Opening December 6, Genesis House combines design and technology in an immersive holiday experience. Along the High Line, Genesis House will put on its Winter Lights display with two interactive LED screens where guests can discover their own meaning in the installation. Also on display is the Innovation Playlab with Boston Dynamics, an interactive exploration of robotics in collaboration with Boston Dynamics. Additionally, Genesis House partnered with the CFDA on their Street Style Showroom installation, which features designers including Carolina Herrera, Christopher John Rodgers, and Rosie Assoulin. Vehicles spread through the showroom, each one showcasing a different designer's vision.