Looking for a fun new cultural activity but not sure what to check out next? We’ve rounded up some of the highlights that you can experience for free this month with Culture Pass, from new exhibition openings to limited-run live performances. Check back each month for a new set of recommendations!
You can learn more about individual exhibitions and events by clicking the links in the blurbs below, but if you want to book a Culture Pass, click here to return to the homepage and log in with your library card to make a reservation.
May 2026
All offers listed below are subject to availability.
PERFORMANCE: Look Back on 25 Years of Shyne at the Kings Theatre
Date: 5/2
Shyne, the legendary Belizean-born rapper who rose to prominence on Bad Boy Records with hits like "Bad Boyz" and "Bonnie & Shyne," makes his homecoming return to the stage at Brooklyn's Kings Theatre this month in celebration of 25 years of his self-titled debut album. A limited number of Culture Passes are now available for this very special performance!
PERFORMANCE: Enjoy an Evening (or Afternoon) of Violin & Piano with PSC
Date: 5/2
One of today’s most acclaimed violinists, Randall Goosby, and piano collaborator Zhu Wang play Beethoven’s Spring Sonata plus works by Harry Burleigh, Dvorak, Debussy, and Amy Beach in their People's Symphony Concerts debut this month. If you're unable to make the evening performance, which begins at 7:30 PM, Culture Passes are also available for a very special open rehearsal earlier that day, which will provide a sneak peak behind the music.
PERFORMANCE: Take in a Springtime Opera in the Bronx
Dates: 5/7, 5/9, 5/10
The Bronx Opera Company returns to the Lovinger Theater stage this month for three performances of Ariadne auf Naxos. The opera takes place in two parts: the prologue, which shows the backstage circumstances leading up to the second part—an opera within an opera—which begins with the princess Ariadne abandoned on the island of Naxos by her lover Theseus. But when the god Bacchus arrives, could it be a new chance for love?
EXHIBITION: Catch the Costume Institute's Latest Blockbuster at The Met
Date: Opening 5/10
The Costume Institute’s spring 2026 exhibition explores depictions of the dressed body across The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s vast collection, pairing garments with artworks to reveal the inherent relationship between clothing and the body. Focusing primarily on Western art from prehistory to the present, Costume Art presents connections between garments from The Costume Institute and objects from the Museum’s other collecting areas.
PERFORMANCE: Groove Along to Latin Rhythms at KCA
Date: 5/15
From the creative team behind Migguel Anggelo’s acclaimed ICONS series comes a dynamic new episode: ICONS: Latin Rhythms. This upcoming concert at the Kupferberg Center for the Arts celebrates the heartbeat of Latin culture around the world, featuring songs made famous by Juan Luis Guerra, Buena Vista Social Club, Oscar D’León, La Lupe, La India, Olga Tañón, Iris Chacón, alongside Migguel Anggelo’s original music.
EVENT: Celebrate Nuyorican Culture at El Museo del Barrio
Date: 5/16
SUPER SÁBADO: Nuyorican Life is a free, all-ages afternoon at El Museo del Barrio celebrating art, community, and everyday life. This cultural gathering invites families and visitors to engage with the groundbreaking photography of Sophie Rivera through hands-on, participatory experiences. Guided gallery conversations, art-making activities, movement workshops, and storytelling sessions encourage participants to explore Nuyorican visual culture.