Have you ever wanted to recreate the movie Night at the Museum and watch the displays come to life after hours?
As someone who loves education – ancient history, outer space, animal biology, etc. – I have always wished to be able to connect more deeply with eras gone by and creatures and cultures from the other side of the planet.
The trend of weekend parties held at museums admittedly can’t help us with time and space travel, but it can add an element of fun into what is typically academic. Plus it gets more people interested in museums than ever before!
Target First Saturdays
My first experience at a museum party was Target First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum on a trip to NYC this fall. It was a short weekend jaunt from Toronto to visit family friends. We headed to the free Saturday night party to wander around the museum displays and dance in the foyer.
The theme was Latin and Caribbean rhythms and there were some incredibly talented groups like Grammy-nominated Locos. Many of the museum displays engaged with incredibly important themes in America such as race relations.
As the name of the event suggests, Target First Saturdays are held at the Brooklyn Museum on the first Saturday of every month. If you live in New York or take a trip there, make sure to check out one of these incredible (free!) parties that bring the museum’s themes to life!
Friday Night Live
Closer to home, in Toronto, the Royal Ontario Museum hosts themed parties every Friday night. Friday Night Live events aren’t free as in the case of the Brooklyn museum, and if you want to buy drinks or food, it’ll set you back $6 per item. You also must be of drinking age to attend (most people are in their 20s or 30s). Still it’s an incredibly fun time!
Almost the entire museum is open, including the dinosaur gallery, gemstone rooms, animal sciences, and kids play areas (you can see me digging for dinosaur bones in the video below!)
On Friday, May 11th, my cousin Victoria and I partied at the super hero themed event which featured DJs, a drag show, colouring, and cupcakes!
On top of that, there were educational displays such as the real-life equivalents of superhero stones (like Kryptonite!)
Friday Night Live events are a really unique way to explore the ROM. The building itself is gorgeous, making a lovely backdrop for the whole scene. The museum houses some great items and exhibits, and the parties add a whole new layer of fun and social interaction.
The trend of parties at museums is spreading across North America. It’s a great way to pique people’s interest in the riches of our cities. The parties can also help raise funds for their educational efforts, and provide a safe, fun environment for weekends.
If you can incorporate one of these events on your travels, I promise it’ll elevate your connection with the city, its roots, and its people.
Keep exploring and stay brave folks!
