Thursday Night's At MoMA: The New Date Night

One of the most common New Year's Resolutions for New Yorkers (besides the smoke less, drink less, spend less trifecta) is to take better advantage of the city's cultural institutions. Lucky for us, MoMA has decided to make going there easier, with their brand new First Thursday of the Month program.-

MoMA, which houses what is arguably the world's best collection of modern art, is the jewel in the crown of Manhattan's museums. Unfortunately for Manhattanites with, you know, jobs, the hours (10:30-5:30) aren't very condusive to frequent visiting, and no one in their right mind wants to go on a weekend when the place is absolutely swamped.

Beginning this Thursday (tomorrow!) the museum will stay open until 8:45 pm on the first Thursday of every month. Each month, Gallery talks, Audio tours, and film screenings will be free with the price of admission. Additionally, Cafe 2, the European style restaurant on the museum's second floor will be offerning a Prix Fixe dinner created by chef Lynn Bound for only $25.

The main atrium will have a cash bar, which is great news for contemporary art novices, as pieces like this one are much easier to understand with the aid of alcohol.

And lest the halls and open spaces of the museum sound too quiet, DJ AJ Slim will be providing the music.

This is pretty much the perfect location for a first date: the alcohol gives you a false sense of confidence, the art gives you a false sense of sophistication, and if things go well you can head out to dinner when the museum closes.

So if you've been waiting to check out the Tim Burton exhibit, now is your chance!

Future Dates: Feb 4, March 4, April 1, May 6, and June 3.