Read before you book
What we learned
standing in the queue.
A good evening starts weeks before the curtain. We write down what we learned in the queue so yours goes better.
Ticket mechanics
How to get into a show that is sold out
How to look
Museum fatigue and the ninety-minute rule
What to wear
The dress code myth
Value
Standing room is the best deal in culture
Contemporary art
How to walk into a gallery without feeling stupid
Big exhibitions
How to do a biennale without losing your mind
Money
What a night out costs in sixteen cities
Value
The free museum map
First time
Opera for people who are fairly sure they do not like opera
Money
How festivals actually price themselves
Live music
The art of the late set
Contemporary art
Why Thursday is gallery night in every city
Planning
The booking calendar: when tickets actually drop
Planning
Flying somewhere for one exhibition
Format
The immersive show: spectacle, art, or both
Access
Step-free, relaxed and captioned: what venues actually offer
Service
A rainy afternoon in each of the sixteen cities
Family
Culture with children who did not ask to come
Nightlife