Teens Take the Rubin: Tours, Food, Art Making, and More

High-school students from across the city explored both the galleries and the self during a day of mask making, poetry, photography, music, and dance at the Rubin. The Unmasked event was the culmination of the diligent work of the Museum’s Teen Guide Council, a group of students who have engaged with artworks in the collection through research, meetings with museum professionals, and teen-hosted tours. Below is a recap of the day’s events.

The event's atmosphere was a flurry of sound and activity. There was music in the spiral, performed by Max ZT, who has been hailed as the — The event’s atmosphere was a flurry of sound and activity. There was music in the spiral, performed by Max ZT, who has been hailed as the “Jimi Hendrix of the hammered dulcimer”. His music traveled up and down the museum, filling the galleries with a beautiful melody.

Teen Guide Council members Georgia and Rose (seen here) led hourly tours through the main galleries. They had planned their routes around the themes of Mystery and Motion, with specific focus on making personal reflections and encouraging explorations of both the galleries and of the self.

After spending some time in the galleries collecting inspiration from the mask exhibition, teens headed down the street to the Education Center to decorate their own masks.

They were provided with the supplies they needed to achieve their artistic visions.

Teens were treated to free henna tattoos.

Katie, a member of the Teen Guide Council, invited her dance troupe, the East Village Dance Project Teen Company, to perform in the theater. The dancers moved gracefully across the stage during this elegant, vibrant performance.

Before leaving, teens were invited to share highlights from their day on a community poster in the Art Center.

For more information on our opportunities for teens, visit our website