On October 21, 2009, exactly fifty years after the opening of the museum’s historic Fifth Avenue building, the public is invited to celebrate the Guggenheim’s golden anniversary with free admission. Open 10 am–5:45 pm, the museum will offer tours in several languages and a roster of education programs, including many family-friendly activities, throughout the day.

Green Bag Giveaway
The first 50 people in line will receive a 50th Anniversary reusable tote bag, also available for purchase in the Guggenheim Store.

Guggenheim Store Prize Drawing
All on-site visitors can enter a children’s or adult drawing to win items from the Guggenheim Store. Highlights include a necklace and cuff links from the museum’s Restoration Rocks jewelry line and a backpack filled with a LEGO Guggenheim Museum building set and products from the GuggenheimKids line.

The Deutsche Bank Series at the Guggenheim Opens with
Anish Kapoor: Memory
Visitors will be among the first to see the New York presentation of a major site-specific sculptural installation that weighs 24 tons by leading international artist Anish Kapoor. Memory is on view through March 28, 2010. Special exhibitions also on view include Kandinsky; Paired, Gold: Felix Gonzalez-Torres and Roni Horn; and Gabriele Münter and Vasily Kandinsky, 1902–14: A Life in Photographs.

Film Screenings
Art, Architecture and Innovation: Celebrating the Guggenheim Museum
Peter B. Lewis Theater, running time 27 minutes
10:30 am–5:30 pm

Winners Video for the Guggenheim and Google Design It: Shelter Competition
New Media Theater (lower level), runs continuously, 10:30 am–5:30 pm
On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary, the Guggenheim and Google SketchUp invited amateur and professional designers from around the world to submit a 3–D shelter for any location in the world. Watch the video announcing the People’s Prize and Juried Prize winners.  

Anniversary Eye Tours
Interactive tours offered in five languages, verbal imaging (for visitors with vision impairment), and American Sign Language.

All tours are limited to 20 participants; sign up available at the Information Desk on Oct 21; no advance reservations.

10:30 am
American Sign Language, Guthrie Nutter and Emmanuel Shawn
Italian, Raffaele Bedarida

11:30 am
English, Joan Stern
Verbal imaging, Ellen Edelman
 
12:30 pm
Spanish, Amy Rosenblum-Martin

1:30 pm
English, Missy Lipsett

2:30 pm
French, Filip Noterdaeme

3:30 pm
German, Petra Pankow

Story Circle
11 am–3 pm, starting on the hour, Aye Simon Reading Room
Enjoy readings of picture books including I’d Like the Goo-Gen-Heim by A.C. Hollingsworth.

Just Drop In!
1–5 pm
Participate in family-friendly interactive projects at stations throughout the museum. Family Architecture Activity Guides will also be distributed to children ages 12 and under.

Free Guggenheim Cookies
3 pm
Enjoy free cookies, inspired by the new GuggenheimKids product line, while supplies last.

Photo Opportunity
Take your picture in the 50th Anniversary photo booth and upload the images to the museum’s Flickr group.

Live Twitter Tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building
4:30 pm
As part of Guggenheim’s 50th Anniversary celebration, share your thoughts about the Frank Lloyd Wright building on Twitter. The Guggenheim Twitter team, museum visitors, and followers around the world will discuss and post thoughts and observations during a live-tweet conversation. Join us at the museum, from your home or office, or while on the go. Include #GUGG50 in your tweets, and visit twitter.com/guggenheim to follow the Guggenheim on Twitter. Meet at the corner of 88th Street and Fifth Avenue.

Participate Online in the Guggenheim Forum: The Spiritual (Re)Turn
Panel discussion: Mon, Oct 19–Fri, Oct 23
Live chat: Thurs, Oct 22, 2 pm
Join this new online panel focusing on the work of Vasily Kandinsky and spiritual motifs in contemporary art. Contribute to the discussion by submitting comments and taking part in a one–hour live chat. Learn about the forum participants.   

Harry Winston Jewels Inspired by the Guggenheim
For one day only, Guggenheim-inspired diamond jewelry will be on display in the Guggenheim Store.

Museum Mile Festival at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, June 9, 2009. Photo: Duncan Ball