Show Way The Musical BAM Fisher 321 Ashland Place, Brooklyn
This stirring historical musical—adapted from Jacqueline Woodson’s acclaimed children’s book—pays tribute to the women in Woodson’s own family whose strength and knowledge have illuminated their daughters’ lives over seven generations. Soonie shares the story of how her great-grandma was just seven years old when she was sold to a big plantation without her parents. With…
🎟 $23.50
Guggenheim Family Open House: Unexpected Materials Guggenheim 1071 5th Avenue at 89th Street,
Investigate how artists use unexpected materials in the exhibitions Going Dark: The Contemporary Figure at the Edge of Visibility and By Way Of: Material and Motion in the Guggenheim Collection. Come to the open house for artistic explorations for all ages, playful story time for younger art lovers, and more technique-focused, sketching and studio sessions for teens…
Family Activity: Fun and Feedback Brooklyn Museum 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn
Families with neurodivergent children ages 8–20 are invited to try out and offer feedback on a newly developed family-looking activity. Test an activity sheet with specially designed activities in one or more galleries. Every family that participates and answers a few reflective questions will receive a small gift of appreciation. Free; registration is required.
Magnificently Awesome Animations: Four Shorts Museum of the Moving Image 36-01 35 Avenue at 37 Street, Astoria
These four well-crafted animated shorts by autistic creators are perfect for kids of all ages, taking viewers into fantastical, vibrant worlds: a young princess seeks danger, a cat eagerly pursues his next meal, an Easter egg spends a fun day with a new babysitter, and a salamander struggles with making art. After the screening, there…
Aanika’s Elephants The New Victory Theater 209 W 42nd St,
Adventure into the African savanna with Aanika, a Kenyan girl who befriends a baby elephant she names Little. Their bond of sisterhood shows that a family can be anything—an animal orphanage, a widowed father and daughter, a herd of hunted elephants. With music, a variety of puppets and gentle humor, this stirring story by Annie…
🎟 $28-$49
Solar Eclipse Viewing Party Flatiron Plaza 23rd St & Broadway,
Flatiron Nomad hosts an afternoon full of science and fun. Participate in a family-friendly activity led by the National Museum of Mathematics: can a pea eclipse a beachball, or a grain of sand eclipse the sun? Experiment with eclipsing spheres of different sizes. Scientists and staff from the Simons Foundation in the Flatiron North Plaza…
UMCA Spring Sensory Festival Bethany Baptist Church 460 Marcus Garvey Blvd, Brookyln
Join spring-themed, sensory-focused creative arts for children to create and take home with them, along with raffles, food, giveaways, and a celebration of spring for the special needs community in New York City. Health and special needs vendors discuss and provide free resources to families. Register online in advance.
Aṣẹ: Afro Frequencies Sensory Friendly Sessions Artechouse 439 W 15th St,
Step into a vibrant immersive Afrosurrealist exhibition, in a safe and accepting environment. Artechouse provides social stories and other resources resources to plan the visit, lowered sound in the Immersion Gallery anda “take-a-break” space for those who need to rest from the experience. Inside Chelsea Market, also home many delicious food options.
🎟 $42/ages 15-54, $31/ages 4-15, $20/students & seniors, free/ages 3 & under
Pinocchio Theatre Row 410 W 42nd Street,
A dance theater piece puts a modern twist on Pinocchio, the timeless tale of growth, transformation, and the magic of believing in oneself. Carlo Collodi's classic tale comes to life with a fun and modern twist using dance, puppets, original music, and narration. Lady Blue narrates the story and interacts with the audience throughout the…
🎟 $17.50-$54.50
Big Umbrella Festival Lincoln Center W 65th Street & Broadway,
Lincoln Center welcome kids, teens, and young adults for a weekend of programming, designed with and for neurodiverse audiences. Join multi-sensory, interactive, and engaging artistic experiences with thoughtful accommodations. Build your own festival experience by booking individual, accessible events including Playful Tiger, a thrilling interactive dance piece with music,; Motus' TREE, A World in Itself, a multi-sensory,…
🎟 Choose-what-you-pay
Sensory Friendly Hour at Sloomoo Sloomoo Institute 475 Broadway between Broome & Grand Streets,
Explore slime wonderland Sloomoo during a Sensory Friendly hour, with a limited guest count and lower noise low for those who are more sensitive. Noise canceling headphones and nose plugs always available to borrow. Sloomoo is committed to ensuring that at least 10% of their workforce is neurodiverse by 2025.
🎟 $48
Carnegie Hall Family Day: Spring Fest Carnegie Hall W 57th Street & Seventh Ave,
Enjoy free, interactive, and fun musical activities and performances in Carnegie Hall’s Resnick Education Wing. Join a celebration of all things spring. Stop by for a quick visit or stay for the whole afternoon; activities are ongoing. All are welcome; a Quiet Zone is designed for families seeking a quiet area, and a social story…
Discovery Squad Tours American Museum of Natural History 200 Central Park West at W 79th Street,
On select Sunday mornings, autistic children and their families can attend a 40-minute tour led by specially trained tour guides, then spend some time exploring activities related to the Museum halls, before the Museum opens to the public. Families are invited to stay after the tour and enjoy the Museum when it opens to the…
I’mPossible The New Victory Theater 209 W 42nd St,
Run away and join the circus with young Johnny as he finds himself among an awe-inspiring, inclusive ensemble featuring a Deaf ringmaster, an award-winning gymnast who uses a wheelchair and an aerialist born without legs. Accessible to all, every performance incorporates American Sign Language, audio description, open captioning, sensory-friendly lighting and sound, and a relaxed…
🎟 $24-$49
Music for Autism Concert with Los Cuatro Amigos Sunset Park Library 4201 Fourth Avenue, Brookyln
See an autism-friendly, interactive concert developed specifically for autistic individuals and their families. Los Cuatro Amigos, vibrant band blending diverse musical talents into a captivating fusion of Latin alternative sounds, performs bilingual songs in English and Español. Mexican-American singer/songwriter Marilyn Castillo’s forthcoming debut album, “Chicana en Nueva York,” reflects Castillo’s personal journey in the city,…
Access Mornings at MoMI Museum of the Moving Image 36-01 35 Avenue at 37 Street, Astoria
On the first Saturday of each month, families with autistic children can explore exhibitions and participate in workshops that begin before public hours begin. Activities range from hands-on craft-making to digital video workshops facilitated by trained Museum educators and local puppeteers. To reduce overstimulation in the galleries the volume is reduced or turned off and…
Music for Autism Concert with Flutist Adam Sadberry & Pianist Lucy Yao Brooklyn Heights Library 286 Cadman Plaza West, Brooklyn
See an autism-friendly, interactive concert developed specifically for autistic individuals and their families. Download a social story with photos from previous concerts to get a sense of what to expect at the concert. Also see a guide for caregivers with more information on social stories and how to use this tool.
NYCB Autism-Friendly Access Workshops Lincoln Center W 65th Street & Broadway,
Join New York City Ballet teaching artists in movement workshops designed especially for autistic children and their families. During these one-hour events, children will be guided in a ballet-based warm-up and choreography inspired by a featured ballet being performed this season. Workshops feature live piano accompaniment. A designated quiet space will be available and a…
🎟 $8/child
Create Ability: Making Moves Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) 4 W 53rd Street,
Join MoMA’s monthly program welcoming individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with their families and friends, to explore works on view and create artwork together. In each session, participants focus on a different theme during interactive activities in the Museum’s galleries and classrooms. Space is limited and preregistration is required. Registration opens one month before…
Aladdin Autism Friendly Performances New Amsterdam Theatre 214 W 42nd Street,
Based on the 1992 animated film, the Disney Theatrical Productions musical tells the story of a street-smart commoner whose life changes when he meets a magical genie that can grant him three wishes. Hear all the classic songs, plus new ones that deepen the main character’s stories. Abu has been replaced by a trio of…
🎟 $40-$79