Teen Programs

A photograph of a group of teenagers and an adult are sitting around a circular table and talking. The light- brown skinned adult who wears a colorful striped button down is smiling and in conversation with the light-brown skinned teenager with short brown hair sitting on their right. On the table is a small lamp, and books titled ‘ DapperQ Style’, and many key rings. Behind them are other circular tables that have small groups of adults sitting and talking.

Teen Programs

Interested in design and looking for a place to start? Cooper Hewitt teen programs provide high school students with opportunities to meet working designers, engage in hands-on workshops, and see themselves in the future of design.

Teen Workshops

A photograph of a light-skinned teenager with short brown hair and wearing a red and blue floral shirt is hammering a leather strap on the table. Across the table, a dark-skinned adult who has their hair tied in a bun and wears large gold earrings holds the leather strap in place for the teenager. In the background more teenagers are working.
Build your design toolkit! Our Teen Drop-In program is a series of free monthly workshops exploring techniques, strategies, and careers in design. No prior experience required—just bring yourself and a creative mindset.

Design Hive

A photograph of two teenagers sitting at a table and making a leather accessory. Materials are scattered around the table such as hole punchers, leather pieces, scissors, threads, and cardboard boxes. The medium skin toned teenager sitting on the right with dark curly short hair is threading a flat piece of black leather.
Design Hive is an application-based paid, youth-led internship program at Cooper Hewitt. High school juniors and seniors dive deep into design objects and processes to develop their own collaborative projects. Along the way, they will learn how designers move from an initial idea to final design.

Design Career Fair

A photograph of a group of teenagers and an adult are sitting around a circular table and talking. The dark-skinned with closely shaved hair is talking to medium-skin toned teenager sitting beside them and referencing a slide on their laptop. Behind them are other circular tables that have small groups of adults sitting and talking.
Cooper Hewitt hosts an annual Design Career Fair, where teens are invited to talk with top designers working in the fields of fashion, product design, architecture, graphic design, and more.

National High School Competition

A grid of bright blue, red, yellow, and pink tiles with black silhouette illustrations of design-related objects and symbols that include tools, furniture, clothing, architecture, and graphic design. In the center, bold text reads: “NATIONAL HIGHS SCHOOL DESIGN COMPETITION” and “What would you design for your community’s future?”
Taking place annually, the National High School Design Competition invites students from around the country to design a solution to a unique scenario, inspired by Cooper Hewitt’s rich collection and stimulating exhibitions.

Upcoming Teen Programs

To see programs for all age levels, view our Calendar.

Upcoming Events

03/26
Thursday
Thu. March 26, 2026
4:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET
Calling all high school students! Join multi‑disciplinary artist Devon Turnbull in a hands-on workshop to experiment with the building blocks of audio and create your own working speaker. Turnbull’s immersive sound installation, HiFi Pursuit Listening Room Dream No. 3, is currently on view at Cooper Hewitt.  In this hands‑on workshop, explore how a speaker is constructed and what makes it function. Working with individual components—the... .
Event Address:
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
2 East 91st Street
New York, NY 10128
03/30
Monday
Mon. March 30, 2026
12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET
High school students, thinking about a career in design and wondering where to start? Join us for the Design Career Fair at Microsoft Garage! This annual event welcomes 9th-12th grade students to speak with National Design Award winners, guest designers, and colleges on the many pathways toward design. Designers from every discipline including fashion, architecture, product design, graphic design, UX, and more will be available to discuss everything from mentorship and college to the future of the field. Creative careers are growing fast to meet the needs of our changing world. See how these jobs fit into different industries and make an impact!  .
Event Address:
This program will take place offsite at Microsoft Garage, located at 300 Lafayette Street in Soho. The nearest subway station is Broadway-Lafayette/Bleecker Street (B,D,F,M or 6 trains).
Free, Registration Required
04/25
Saturday
Sat. April 25, 2026
12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET
Join Cooper Hewitt for hands-on experiences and creative play in celebration of Art of Noise Tune in to gallery tours, experience Devon Turnbull’s listening room, pull your own letterpress concert poster, or try your luck at music bingo. All ages are invited to drop in throughout the day—no registration required.   DETAILS Print Your Dream Concert Poster   12:00-5:00 PM   Create a poster inspired by your... .
Event Address:
Cooper Hewitt
2 East 91st Street
New York, NY 10128
Free with museum admission

 

Check out our online resources

Explore design activities, videos, and a Design Career Toolkit for advice on design careers, networking, and portfolio tips.

Teen Resources →