Drawing Center

Here since 1977, this is the only nonprofit institute in the country to focus solely on drawings, using work by masters as well as unknowns to show the juxtaposition of various styles. Historical exhibitions have included work by Michelangelo, James Ensor and Marcel Duchamp, while contemporary shows have focused on Richard Serra, Ellsworth Kelly and Richard Tuttle; exhibits can range from the whimsical to the politically controversial. Artist lectures and performance-art programs are hot tickets here – as is the new Big Draw event (usually in summer), which invites folks of all ages to bring a sketchpad to any of several artist-led, hands-on happenings at locations around the city.