THE LINEAR GUIDE TO NEW YORK DESIGN WEEK
14 tours, talks, exhibitions, and pop-ups we’re checking out in 2026
New York Design Week is back. And, like previous years, Design Week is starting to feel more like Design Month.
Between the gallery openings, studio open houses, and industry mixers, it can also feel like an event that’s still figuring out what it wants to be. As an industry outsider, I find myself less interested in seeing another showroom debut and more interested in the moments that get me into an interesting space, introduce me to a new perspective, or teach me how to see the city differently.
So I pulled together 14 tours, talks, exhibitions, experiences, and pop-ups that feel worth checking out, especially if you’re looking for something a little outside the usual circuit.
TOURS
Art Deco Icons of NYC Tour
May 1–June 30 — Midtown
Untapped New York is hosting a series of walking tours exploring the city’s Art Deco icons, from famous skyscrapers to more overlooked landmarks. If you’ve been looking for an excuse to romanticize Midtown, here it is.
Constantini Townhouse Installations
By request — Upper East Side
Constantini is hosting a series of installations and private events inside a seven-story townhouse listed at a “price on request in the mid-eight figures.” Access is by request, but if you can find your way in, it should be one of the highlights.
Wagner Park Walking Tour
May 19 — 6:00–7:30 PM — Battery Park City
NYCxDESIGN and ASLA New York are hosting a walking tour of the newly redesigned Wagner Park in the Battery. This has been on my list of new spots to check out, and it’s a nice reminder that Design Week doesn’t have to stay indoors.
TALKS
Architectural Photography & Narrative
May 14 — 4:00–6:00 PM — TenBerke
TenBerke is hosting a panel discussion with architectural photographers on how images shape perception, communicate ideas, and construct architectural narratives over time. A good one for thinking about architecture through a different lens.
Suchi Reddy in Conversation with David Graver
May 15 — 4:30–6:00 PM — Calico Wallpaper Showroom
Architect Suchi Reddy joins David Graver of Surface for a conversation on design as a sensory language beyond the visual, rooted in neuroaesthetics and wellbeing.
OBJECTS
One Night Stand: What We Bring to Bed
May 14–20 — citizenM Bowery
The American Design Club is presenting One Night Stand: What We Bring to Bed, an exhibition exploring “the objects, rituals, and identities shaping our space as we prepare for sleep.” Something about small objects tied to rituals feels more personal and attainable than a lot of the furniture collections on view. Plus, I love the citizenM.
Design Hotels: The New York Edit
May 14–20 — 11 Howard
Design Hotels is debuting its first-ever public exhibition, featuring collectible work by NYC-based designers in partnership with Lumens and Simple Flair. I’ve been finding myself more curious about lighting lately, and 11 Howard feels like the right kind of setting for this kind of show.
EXPERIENCES
FRAMA: Mechanics of Scent
May 14–20 — 11:00 AM–6:00 PM — 180 the Store
FRAMA is hosting Mechanics of Scent, a physical installation built around its Apothecary scent and the brand’s broader design principles. This is one of the more atmospheric Design Week entries, and I’ve been into FRAMA for a while so I’m excited to experience the brand’s world IRL.
Simon Hamui: New Works
May 14, May 28, and June 4 — 4:00–6:00 PM — K’ab Juun — RSVP only
K’ab Juun is presenting a solo exhibition of new works by Simon Hamui, including furniture and sculptural pieces centered around a musical console. Listening sessions will take place on select Thursday evenings by RSVP only.
Slash Objects: My Astral Mission
May 14–22 — 11:00 AM–6:00 PM — SoHo
Inside a historic, high-ceilinged SoHo loft, Slash Objects is presenting My Astral Mission, an immersive installation centered on the debut of the X Deck, a dedicated site for DJ equipment and records. The year of the listening room.
Terms & Conditions
May 14 — 6:00-9:00 PM — ThoughtMatter
ThoughtMatter is hosting an open studio party exploring what it means to be a “good neighbor” today. It’s a rare Design Week event that feels focused less on passive viewing and more on participation, asking how design shapes civic imagination, behavior, and the social contract of living together.
Inside~Out
May 18 — 11:00 AM–5:00 PM — Two Trees HQ, DUMBO
Two Trees is hosting Inside~Out, the fifth exhibition of outdoor design curated by Kin & Company on the roof of their DUMBO headquarters. The exhibition explores how rooftops might become more active urban habitats.
BOOKS
Common Things: Book Salon
May 14–21 — 12:00–6:00 PM daily — Common Things
Common Things is hosting a week-long book salon centered on ritual and care as spatial and collective practices. Their open reading room brings together books, zines, and independent journals on domesticity, material culture, and contemporary rituals. I’ve been on the hunt for zine inspiration, so this is high on my list.
Hudson Wilder x Phaidon Design Bookstore
May 14–20 — DUMBO
Hudson Wilder is partnering with Phaidon on a Design Week bookstore in DUMBO. A good stop if you want something more casual and browseable. This is one of my favorite design stores in the city. Hudson Wilder’s founder, Conway, has become something of an evangelist for the DUMBO design scene — worth saying hello if you see him.
I’ll keep updating this as Design Week unfolds, so check back for new additions and send over anything I should have on my radar. I’ll be at the FOR SCALE launch party at the Ace tomorrow, so come say hello.