Public Programs

Every Wednesday, join us in the historic Carnegie Library for At the Hearth, a drop-in program held from 5:00-6:00 p.m. during the museum’s Pay What You Wish hour. Hosted by Cooper Hewitt curators, educators, conservators, and librarians come sit by the fireplace for intimate conversations and fresh perspectives from makers, designers, thinkers, and writers deeply engaged in design. Come celebrate the museum’s 50th anniversary in the Carnegie Mansion with a look at a piece of our history. During this At the Hearth, drop in to take a closer view of designer Helena Hernmarck’s extraordinary tapestry titled Carnegie’s Dream and meet Susan Brown, Cooper Hewitt’s Associate Curator of Textiles, and Mae Colburn, a weaver and writer who works closely with Hernmarck. View full event details here.

In conjunction with Frederic Church in Jamaica, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist Victoria Johnson shares the dramatic and consequential life of the artist Frederic Church, whose footsteps she followed around the globe for her new biography of Church, Glorious Country. Church’s curiosity, bravery, and passion for nature drove him to explore the world,... View full event details here.

Join Cooper Hewitt for a talk with Emerging Designer winner Mattaforma—the latest program in a new series spotlighting the 2026 National Design Award winners in conversation with Director Maria Nicanor. Mattaforma is a New York–based architecture and research studio founded by Lindsey Wikstrom that is redefining sustainable design through mass-timber innovation and healthy materials. Through writing, teaching, and advocacy, the studio invites policymakers, schoolchildren, and neighbors to co-author plant-based futures where climate action is tangible, communal, and joyful. View full event details here.

Come with us to the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library for a visual description and tactile tour and workshop. View full event details here.

Join Cooper Hewitt for a talk with Fashion Design winner Josh Tafoya—an intimate series spotlighting the 2026 National Design Award winners in conversation with Director Maria Nicanor. Josh Tafoya is a textile artist redefining the "Southwestern" aesthetic and American fashion from an Indigenous perspective. Drawing on his Genízaro, Spanish, and Chicano heritage, Tafoya blends ancestral knowledge of Rio Grande Valley weaving with contemporary fashion innovation to ensure the traditional cultural crafts of New Mexico live on in a contemporary world. Selections from Josh Tafoya's work will be on view before and after the conversation, giving guests a chance to see the garments up close. The evening closes with a short performance featuring an excerpt from his September New York Indigenous Fashion Week show. View full event details here.