Weekend Planner: Best Weekend Events for Families (February 15-17)

Shining the spotlight on talented Harlem artists, FACTION Art Projects presents their second annual exhibition highlighting the artwork of locals who live above 110th street. This year the exhibition will be presenting work by a variety of artists who deconstruct history through their art. Each of these artists use their art to explore a personal or political narrative and sings the songs of many untold stories. Art is a great way to expose your growing child to culture and a multitude of perspectives. FACTION Art Projects month long exhibition might just do the trick.

The word of the day is magic! Join Elmo, Abby, Cookie Monster and more as your Sesame Street favorites discover the magical moments in everyday life. 11am February 15; 10:30am, 2pm, 5:30pm; February 16, 17, 23, 24; 11am & 2:30pm; February 18; 11am; and February 21, 22. For all ages. $39 and up. Children under 1 may attend without a ticket.

Shining the spotlight on talented Harlem artists, FACTION Art Projects presents their second annual exhibition highlighting the artwork of locals who live above 110th street. This year the exhibition will be presenting work by a variety of artists who deconstruct history through their art. Each of these artists use their art to explore a personal or political narrative and sings the songs of many untold stories. Art is a great way to expose your growing child to culture and a multitude of perspectives. FACTION Art Projects month long exhibition might just do the trick.

Weekend operation hours vary.

On Essex Street and East Broadway in Seward Park, kids can check out this art installation that features photos of mom-and-pop shops, many of which have closed due to rising rents and gentrification.

The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) is excited to announce MOCA FEST 2019, an 8-week Lunar New Year celebration at MOCA to welcome the Year of the Pig and the start of year 4717 on the Chinese calendar. Festivities will include the launch of MOCA’s new shop in partnership with Pearl River Mart; Lunar New Year-themed programs, speakers, and children’s activities; MOCA’s popular Night Market showcasing cuisine from famed Asian American chefs; a Family Festival; and a glamorous Lunar Soiree. The Museum invites people of all ages to take part in its uniquely designed celebration aimed at providing a genuine and deep understanding of this famed holiday and what it means in American society. All proceeds go towards supporting the Museum of Chinese in America, the largest institution of its kind. Through its critically acclaimed exhibitions and collection of over 65,000 artifacts, the Museum provides an immersive approach to learning about the multi-faceted identity and untold stories of Chinese people in America and their contributions to the American historical and cultural narrative.

Children’s Museum of the Arts (CMA) is pleased to announce A Way With Words: The Power and Art of the Book, an exhibition that presents artworks which draw attention to the long and remarkable history of the book, on view from November 29, 2018 to April 29, 2019. The invention of the printing press in the 1440s launched the book into the industrial age, increasing the production and distribution of the written word, and with it, knowledge and literacy. Today, our libraries are filled with millions of books, and the digital age allows us to access literature instantly in the palm of our hand. Because the book has been produced around the globe, it has become a versatile and creative source of artistic inspiration.

Including works by Cara Barer, Doug Beube, Long-Bin Chen, Casey Curran, Brian Dettmer, Ann Hamilton, Andrew Hayes, Lisa Kokin, Guy Laramée, Mike Stilkey, and Robert The, A Way With Words will show the transformation of everyday books into expressions of identity, community, environmentalism, memory, and reconstructed narratives. Families will see unconventional treatments such as cutting, weaving, tearing, burning, and shredding, as artists transform books into sculptures, animation, drawings, and paintings that capture the book’s significant history and power to inform the public. Children and their families will also create their own artworks inspired by the exhibition.

Bring the kids to this futuristic rock musical set in the world 2211. There are no adults, technology, or running water in this world for Aurora and her friends. Meanwhile, a girl named Claire wonders if there’s anyone else out there on the planet. Runs through February 24: Fridays at 7pm, Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm and 4pm. $15 kids, $30 adults. TADA! Youth Theater, 15 W 28th St. 212-252-1619. tadatheater.com.

X (2019), Reddymade’s winning design for the eleventh annual Times Square Valentine Heart Design Competition, explores how love emerges within communities where difference meets equality. An “X” evokes many expressions of interpersonal and civic love, including the written symbol for a kiss, and even the mark of a vote. People from all backgrounds cross paths in Times Square, and Reddymade’s design offers them a meeting point for further exchange and connection. X takes its titular form with two crossed aluminum planes, creating a passageway through or a snug meeting place within the 18-foot-tall structure. Round openings at the centers of the planes combine into heart shapes when viewed from different angles. X will be up in Times Square throughout the month of February.