Juneteenth Reopening Celebration

Join us for our Juneteenth Reopening Celebration!

• Explore our brand new permanent exhibition honoring Black inventor, artist, and writer Lewis Latimer.
• Participate in hands-on sculpture, collage, painting, and ceramics workshops.
• Join an African drum and dance circle with FANIKE! African Drum and Dance Troupe
• Don't miss a special appearance by Fresh Prince of Bel Air actress Karyn Parsons, who will be reading from her children's book series about famous figures in Black history.

Reserve your free tickets now and be part of this joyous celebration of freedom and Black history!

This program is supported, in part, by Science Sandbox, Matisse Foundation, Queens Borough President, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and by public funds from the New York City Council.

Read Aloud with Karyn Parsons

Join author and actress Karyn Parsons for a read-aloud event of her children’s book at 2 PM, and learn more about her efforts to highlight stories of Black achievement through storytelling, books, and kid-friendly documentaries through her foundation, Sweet Blackberry.

Karyn Parsons is probably best known as "Hilary Banks" on the iconic television show "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air." Today, she is the founder of Sweet Blackberry, an award-winning series of children's animated films and books sharing stories of unsung black heroes in history. Karyn has also authored the Sweet Blackberry picture books Flying Free: How Bessie Coleman's Dreams Took Flight and Saving The Day, which tells the story of how Garrett Morgan invented the traffic signal.

FANIKE! African Drum and Dance Troupe

Get ready to move, sway, and stomp with a joyful dance and drumming workshop in celebration of Juneteenth and Black liberation.

Creative Affirmations with Shanice Figeroux

Join artist Shanice Figeroux for an art therapy-inspired activity to decorate a tote bag featuring meaningful, positive affirmations, then contribute to a collaborative mural that highlights the life and legacy of Lewis Latimer.

Shanice Figeroux is a Queens-based artist born in Jamaica. Her work encourages communities to work together to design innovative alternatives to promote mental wellness systems through public art as a creative process and form of expression. She works to ignite community connections and engage in collective creative practices. She promotes unique and low/no-cost healing innovations that incorporate local businesses and non-profit organizations, public schools, community members, and volunteers.

Masking Tape Sculptures with Gregory Valentine

How might you communicate joy through your movements and expressions? Join artist Gregory Valentine to pinch, twist, and mold masking tape into fun sculptures celebrating the joy of freedom and Juneteenth.

Since 2019, Gregory Valentine and his family have caused an uproar among the NYC Arts community with their stunning tape art creations. From intricate sculptures to organic designs, this talented family has created over 2,000 sculptures.

Slab Poetry with Camille @ the Wheel

Lewis Latimer was an inventor, innovator, and patent expert, but did you know he was also a poet who wrote about his family, his passions, and the world around him? Roll up your sleeves and get creative with the Lewis Latimer House Museum and ceramicist Camille Beckles as we create clay pendants inspired by Latimer's poetry.

Camille @ the Wheel is a collection of handmade, wheel-thrown ceramics with a bent toward beautiful utility. Carving every pot and texture by hand, Camille creates one-of-a-kind pieces out of a shared studio in New York City.

Juneteenth in Focus: A PhotoTransfer Revelation of History with tasha dougé

Explore the magic of photo transfer techniques with artist tasha dougé to create, collage, and illuminate jars inspired by key figures and elements pivotal to the history of Juneteenth. Participants are also welcome to bring a glass or plastic jar from home to decorate.

tasha dougé is a Bronx-based, Haitian-infused artist, artivist & cultural vigilante. Her body of work activates conversations around women, advocacy, sex, education, societal "norms," identity and Black pride. Through conceptual art, teaching, and performance, Dougé devotedly strives to empower and to forge broad understanding of the contributions of Black people, declaring that her "voice is the first tool within my art arsenal.

Explore our brand new permanent exhibition!

Five galleries transport visitors through time as they learn how Latimer’s life, legacy, and family continue to impact modern society.

These new galleries reflect Latimer’s commitment to collaboration—an example of how embracing diversity among inventors, activists, and artists propels society forward. Each part of the museum elevates the learning experience.