New York City Astoria And Long Island City

P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, 22-25 Jackson Ave., at 46th Ave. (www.ps1.org), Located within what was once a school building, P.S.1 is now an exhibition for the newest, hottest, and weirdest in contemporary art. Installation pieces on the stairwells and top floor, including works by William Kentridge and James Turrell, form the center's only “permanent collection.” The exhibitions throughout the rest of the gallery, featuring everything from video to installation art to performance art, change roughly every four months. Note: hanging out at P.S. 1 is a sure-fire way to increase your hipster street cred. Suggested contribution adults $10, students and seniors $5. Open M, Th-Su noon-6pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access.
American Museum of the Moving Image, 35th Ave., at 36th St., Astoria (www.movingimage.us), An entire museum dedicated to the material culture of moving images. That means they have the fur coat Renée Zellweger wore in Chicago and the Gumby costume Eddie Murphy wore on Saturday Night Live. They have old cameras and kinetoscopes and functioning theaters that mimic the movie palaces of the 1920s. They even have an assortment of classic video game machines that you can play (4 tokens for $1). In early 2011, the museum will finish an expansion project designed by architect Thomas Leeser that will double its previous size. New features will include a 264-seat theater, a 68-seat screening room, more gallery space for interactive art, and classrooms. $7. Open Tu-F 10am-3pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access.
Socrates Sculpture Park, At the end of Broadway, across the Vernon Blvd. Intersection. (www.socratessculpturepark.org), A public park and installation space which also hosts a series of educational events to inform the public on useful themes such as how to make paper and how to properly decorate your bicycle. The Summer Solstice Celebration (June 21) is popular, as is the Outdoor Cinema series (W at 7pm). A complete listing of events, festivals, and markets can be found on the website. All events are free. Free. Open daily 10am-dusk. Wheelchair access.