Past Meets Poetry: museum tour / poetry writing workshop

For as long as there has been poetry, there have been poems inspired by the past. Ancestral callings, revolutions shaping people and land, places with heartbeats all their own, objects telling stories. Whether you are an art and history lover, or looking to add new verve to your verse, Past Meets Poetry is sure to inspire.

The Exhibition:

Named for the 1969 Pulitzer-winning, poetry-inspired novel House Made of Dawn by N. Scott Momaday (Kiowa), the exhibition presents work by 64 artists of diverse Indigenous heritage, several of whom are poets themselves, while also telling remarkable stories of self-reliance, resolve, grief, and hope across generations.

You will be introduced to the poetry of those featured in the exhibition, as well as work by contemporary poets writing about the time, followed by a Docent-led tour of the exhibition, and an opportunity to generate your own work in response.

This is an all-levels, generative poetry workshop. Your ticket includes a 10% off coupon at the NYHistory Store, and admission to all other exhibitions during museum hours (until 5pm), including the short films, New York Story and We Rise.

Instructor (or Poetry Docent, if you will): Sullivan Summer is an independent scholar, critic, poet, and Docent at the New York Historical. Her work across genres is published and forthcoming in various trade, literary, and academic journals. She is a 2025 “Best of the Net” Anthology nominee.

Event venue & nearby stays

The New York Historical, 170 Central Park West, New York, United States

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