The moment we (and countless fans of Beetlejuice, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure and The Nightmare Before Christmas) have been waiting for is finally upon us. The retrospective on the career of macabre filmmaker Tim Burton is set to open at the Museum of Modern Art on Sunday. If you’re planning on braving the crowds, just remember to buy your tickets in advance online. And don’t forget report back here to let us know how you (and your kids!) enjoyed it.

It’s no secret that we at Time Out Kids are big fans of Archie comics. Last spring, in conjunction with Kids Comic Con, we held a contest in which one lucky winner—a girl named Summer—got to appear as a character in an issue of the beloved, long-running series.

It’s not surprising that the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art shares our obsession. Its latest exhibit, “The Art of Archie Comics,” opens tonight and stays on view through February 28. Check out rare and unpublished Archie pages, vintage house ads, news clippings, toys and merchandise spanning 65 years. If your kids have yet to fall for Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and Reggie, this display is an ideal way to introduce them to the teenage crew. Tonight’s opening reception begins at 7pm. $5, kids under 13 free. MoCCA, 594 Broadway between Houston and Prince Sts, , Ste 401 (212-254-3511, moccany.org).

‘Tis the season for the unveiling of holiday windows, so it’s easy to forget that there are other—dare we say, cooler—art exhibits that will get you in the spirit of the season. One you really don’t want to miss is the annual “Canstruction” show in the Winter Garden at the World Financial Center. The installation features giant whimsical sculptures made of canned goods—you’ll see huge mushrooms, a piggy bank, a caterpillar and more. Next week, the works will be deconstructed and the food will be delivered to City Harvest just in time for Thanksgiving. Entry is free, although visitors are encouraged to donate canned goods to be given to NYC’s hungry.

Because there can never be enough offbeat things to see in New York, today the Public Art Fund debuted a brand-new series of fantastical art at the MetroTech Center in Brooklyn. Dubbed Double Take (because that’s exactly what these works will make you and your kids do), the installations are surprising, illusory projects by six emerging artists. Among the oddities on display, you’ll see a ghost, a strange chain-link fence, a flameless bonfire and a very funny lamppost bending into the ground.

You and your brood can check out all the outdoor works from dawn until dusk every day though September of next year. MetroTech Center, Myrtle Ave between Jay St and Flatbush Ave, 718 488 8200.

If you missed last week’s kid-friendly gallery openings, don’t fret. We just got word that Long Island City gallery Matted (46-36 Vernon Blvd between 46th and 47th Aves) will be hosting a child-friendly soiree on November 19 at 7pm. The shindig will celebrate a new exhibition of collages by pop artist Michael Albert. All the works featured are  examples of Albert’s signature “cerealism” technique, which he describes as a cross between Picasso’s Cubism and Warhol’s pop. Albert actually uses pieces of detergent and cereal boxes to create collages with historical, literary, musical and geographical themes. While your tykes browse the playful show, they can sip on beverages from Albert’s other business, Sir Real Juices, an organic juice company that’s headquartered here in New York. There’s also a (semi) educational reason to attend: At 7pm, Albert will honor the 146th anniversary of the Gettysburg address by reciting the famous speech at the exact time Lincoln delivered it back in 1863.  Maybe we’re nerds, but we think that’s pretty cool!

Think gallery parties are just for the chic and childless? Not so! Tonight two Manhattan galleries—the Society of Illustrators on the Upper East and the Clic Gallery on Centre Street—are hosting family-friendly soirees.

At the Society of Illustrators, you’ll see artwork depicting kids’ visions for a better world; think rainbows and lots of sunshine. The show, which will be on view from 5 to 7pm, is the grand finale to a nationwide drawing contest sponsored by Henkel (the company behind Right Guard deodorant, Dial soaps and Purex laundry detergent). The winning submissions (by kids from Florida; North and South Carolina; and Ithaca, New York) will be on display  and the artists will be present. (The tykes were flown to NYC as part of their prize.) Admission to the exhibit is free, and as an added bonus, there will be complimentary snacks and drinks (including non-alcoholic ones).

Meanwhile over at the Clic Gallery, families can peruse the original drawings from author Alex Beard’s upcoming children’s book Monkey See Monkey Draw from 6 to 8pm tonight. The artist himself will also be on hand to sign copies of his previous book, The Jungle Grapevine.

Are coloring books and finger paints too ho-hum for your quickly maturing child? Then treat him to an afternoon of truly inspired art making. The Anonymous Gallery (a Lower East Side display space for cutting-edge contemporary artists) is launching a series of biweekly children’s art workshops this Saturday. Well-known curators, artists and educators will instruct kids ages five to 12 in collage, printmaking, stencil making, cartooning and much more. Of course artistry doesn’t come cheap: The first session, scheduled for Saturday, November 7 from 1–3pm, costs $50. But if you mention Time Out Kids, you’ll receive a 15% discount. Advance registration required. Email workshops@anonymousgallery.com.