NYC Must-See Week from January 20-February 12, 2026 offers 2-for-1 tickets to museums & attractions across the five boroughs. Mercer Labs is participating in NYC Must-See Week. My friend and I originally booked our tickets for January 25, but due to the winter storm Mercer Labs offered additional flexibility even though they were open as scheduled for visits. We decided to reschedule for Sunday, February 8, 2026 and it was easy process.
On Sunday, my friend and I arrived at Mercer Labs located on Dey St in New York, NY at 1:00pm. It is very close to World Trade Center and Freedom Tower. It is highly accessible via NYC subways (A, C, E, J, Z, R, W, 2, 3, 4, 5 trains) to Fulton Street or World Trade Center stations, as well as the PATH train. There is a waiting room when you arrive. After going through the metal detectors, tickets are scanned, and then you are in the first exhibit called The Window where a brief intro and disposable shoe covers booties were given. The Window acts as the transition space between the outside world and the world within the walls of Mercer Labs.
The Map is a vast 360° world of light and sound where art comes alive. Masterpieces transform from Monet to Hokusai to visions of the future, blending past and present in a dreamlike flow. There are also 4 swings that you can sit on to enjoy the art. This was one of my favorite rooms. The 4D sound room was my probably my least favorite since it wasn't interactive. The Dragon is the world's largest volumetric lighting installation with thousands of LED neurons creating a dreamlike space where light becomes art in constant motion. This was the coolest room! The Cave was made entirely of pink hydrangeas. At the Drawing Station, characters and creatures can be colored in on the paper provided and then spawn inside the portal and come to life to live in the ecosystem. I colored in a fish and this was so cool to see it come alive and swim. Next was jumping into the ball pond. Then, in Freedom, guests can control a robotic arm playing an electric cello. In Archetype, a colossal robot recreates masterpieces in sand. There were sand for guests to play with as well. The last exhibit was Music box. Nachum's Crown Kid's are immortalized as robots turning the mechanism to activate the music box representing the intricate connection between sound and perception, the boundaries between languages become non-existent.
Mercer Labs transforms the museum experience across 36,000 sq ft with 15 experimental exhibition spaces, interactive encounters, and immersive installations. Maestros and the Machines is conceived and directed by artist Roy Nachum. This is a living, breathing dialogue between past and future, reimagining what classic art can be in a world where technology is a tool for the creative process. His work -- often incorporating Braille and the iconic imagery of a child wearing a gold crown -- invites audiences to reflect on themes of humility, equality, and interconnectedness. Nachum's work is rooted in human connection, communication, equality and diversity. I really liked the meaning behind Roy Nachum's art, the crown symbolizes the blinding nature of power, success, and desire. It suggests that in the constant pursuit of achievements, people often lose sight of their true, authentic values and "important things in life".
Mercer Labs is similar in some ways to Arte Museum in terms of interactive encounters and immersive installations, but both are still worth visiting. Mercer Labs shows how art and technology converge to transform the way you see, feel, and interact. Definitely worth checking out! My friend and I spent an hour and 1/2 here. read more