New York Museums And Galleries

Whitney Museum Of American Art

The Whitney Museum has been a beloved NYC institution for modern and contemporary American art since being founded in 1930. The recently relocated museum now spans 50,000 impressive square feet in the Meatpacking District.

Founded by a prominent America socialite, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, this museum is an ode to her dedication and love for art.

Featuring art by Basquiat, Georgia OKeeffe and Richard Avedon. Theres a handful of terraces where you can soak in an epic view of the NYC skyline. Visitors are encouraged to explore the art both indoors and out.

Must see: Georgia OKeeffes work, Edward Hoppers A Woman in the Sun, Robert Bechtles 61 Pontiac and Alexander Calders Circus.

Address: 99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014

Image courtesy: Whitney Museum

The Metropolitan Museum Of Art

Encyclopedic Museum

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, often referred to as The Met, is a world class institution, and for good reason: last year, it was the third most visited museum in the world with more than 6.5 million guests. The Met’s doors first opened in 1872, and, since then, the museum has grown to own an impressive collection with more than two million pieces.

Highlights

Here are some of the “must see” items at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

• Temple of Dendur

The American Folk Art Museum

For those who were born in the 1990s, you must have memories of china dinnerware of vintage patterns, colorful blankets knitted by grandma, etc. If you miss them, you can find them at the American Folk Art Museum, an institution that honors the creative expression of self-taught artists.

Here, you can peruse more than eight thousand works of art from four centuries and nearly every continent, from compelling portraits and dazzling quilts to powerful works by living artists in a variety of mediums.

Despite folk art was more of a documentation of the past culture, the field gets expanded to include artists working in the present. Also, the museum is free to visit.

The American Folk Art Museum.

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New York Public Library Tours

This library is an NYC icon. You will instantly recognize the two lions on the side of the grand staircase up to the entry.

You can explore the librarys exhibits on your own or you can take one of their free tours.

Find out more about their tours here.

The NYPL is a stop on our guided Midtown Manhattan Tour as well as our GPS-led audio tour.

Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience 300 Vesey Street

Through January 2022

Experience one of the worlds most famous artists through this one-of-a-kind immersive experience that will completely blow you away. Observe 360° digital art through several dozen projectors and 15,000 sqft screens that will project the artists most incredible works. Theres even a high-tech VR adventure that will show visitors a Day in the Life of Van Gogh! $16.20-$36. Get your tickets today!

Through December 5, 2021

The Museum of Natural History is getting a lot more colorful. The exhibit consists of five different rooms with different color themes, explores the science of how color is created, the role it plays in our society and different cultures, and color through history and nature. $18-23.Find out more here.

Through February 20, 2022

The Brooklyn Museums dazzling new Dior exhibit is a fashion lovers paradise! Explore over 200 haute couture garments and learn all about the fascinating history of the House of Dior and the world-renowned designer himself, along with his six successors. $25.More info here.

Through December 2021

Journey through 15 immersive rooms at this environmental storytelling exhibit in SoHo. Combining VR, AR, and 360-degree art installations, Arcadia Earth is reinventing the way people can learn about the planets most pressing issues in a fun and interactive way. Travel through underwater worlds and fantasy lands as you learn solutions that will help protect planet Earth. $27-$33. Get your tickets here.

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Museum Of American Finance

Finance impacts everyone. As a socially relevant organization, the Museum of American Finance seeks to educate the public through exhibits, financial literacy programs, and events, so we can all strive toward financial independence.

You dont need to know anything about finance to find interesting facts and objects at this little gem on Wall Street. The museum isnt big but filled with fascinating items, from the 18-karat solid gold Monopoly set, the $100,000 bill to the room of Alexander Hamilton, who is one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.

You are welcome to join in the Lunch and Learn series to learn about modern finance from business leaders of all industries. Also, be sure to rub the horn of the iconic Bull & Bear bronze statue that has been thought to bring luck since it was sculpted over 100 years ago.

• Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, and free for kids 6 years old and younger. Also, please note that the museum no longer offers free admission on Saturdays.

The inside of Museum of American Finance.

List Of Museums In New York City

This is a list of museums in New York City, which is home to hundreds of cultural institutions and historic sites, many of which are internationally known. Also included are non-profit art galleries, arts centers, and cultural centers with galleries.

• See also List of museums in New York for museums in the rest of New York state.

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American Museum Of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History is arguably the best museum in NYC for kids. This incredible science museum is home to 33 million specimens, yet only 3% are on display .

Welcoming 5 million visitors per year and spanning all aspect of the natural world, the American Museum of Natural History in New York City is considered one of the greatest natural history museums in the world.

Guests are welcomed to the museum by two massive dinosaur skeletons housed in the entry hall. From there, you can tour the various permanent and rotating exhibits in this massive museum.

Dont miss the Hall of Ocean Life where youll have an opportunity to see a life-size model of a 94-foot blue whale its an experience you wont soon forget. Also, the taxidermy mammals are remarkable and have been captivating children and adults alike for years.

Must see at the American Museum of Natural History: Hayden Planetarium , the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life , the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs and the Butterfly Conservatory .

For a helpful map of this NYC museum, .

Address: 200 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024

The Rubin Museum Of Art

Art Museum

The Rubin Museum of Art is a neat art museum in NYC with a focus on works that celebrate the cultures from the Himalayas, India, and Tibet. The on-site museum cafe, Cafe Serai, offers top notch dining, making it easy to decide where to eat after visiting the collection. On K2 Friday nights, the Rubin offers free admission.

Highlights

Here are some of the “must see” items at The Rubin Museum of Art.

• The Wish Fulfilling Tree

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Celebrating The City: Recent Acquisitions From The Joy Of Giving Something

• Until Dec 31, 2022

Head to the Museum of the City of New York to see 100 photographs selected from the more than 1,000 images recently gifted to the Museum by the Joy of Giving Something , a non-profit organization dedicated to the photographic arts. Images range from documentary-style to quirky and from architectural to atmospheric. Celebrating the City features works by more than 30 creators new to the MCNY collection, including multiple images from Helen Levitts dynamic and celebrated street photography Sylvia Plachys playful and eccentric examination of the people, animals, and moments of NYC and Michael Spanos slice-of-life city shots spanning the 1990s and 2000s. Other key figures in 20th-century photography are incorporated into the show, including Ilse Bing, Bruce Davidson, Mitch Epstein, Elliott Erwitt, Robert Frank, William Kline, Saul Leiter, Alfred Stieglitz, Rosalind Solomon, and Paul Strand, to name a fewall capturing indelible, sometimes implausible, intimate, and often incredible moments of the city. You’ll even see a llama in Times Square, fireworks over the Brooklyn Bridge, polar bears playing in a pool at the zoo as well as subways, skylines, shadows, and stolen moments.

The Rubin Museum Of Art: Best For Asian And Eurasian Art

This museum in Manhattans Chelsea neighborhood is a true original. Come for an experience dedicated exclusively to the art of Eurasia, Central Asia, India and the Himalayas. The Himalayan collection at the Rubin has a heavy focus on Tibetan culture, and includes thangkas , votive objects, statues and more.

The museum is free every Friday night until 10pm with a ticket booked in advance. Even if you’ve been before, it’s worth a return trip to see the immersive installations that are periodically on display. The recent highlight is the Tibetan shrine room perfect for contemplation, complete with flickering candles and the soothing lull of chanting from Tibetan nuns and monks.

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Free Museums In New York City

This post lists the free museums in NYC, including cultural institutions, memorials, and art galleries. We also include those with free days.

And before we get started, consider joining our NYC Travel Tips + Hacks Facebook group and get ideas from travelers who have visited NYC.

NOTE: Due to pandemic restrictions, some free entry times may be temporarily suspended. Please verify with each institution.

The 9/11 Memorial Museum

History Museum

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum is a space dedicated to remembering the September 11, 2001 attacks, which killed 2,977 people. It also honors the victims of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The memorial is located at the original site where the Twin Towers stood. The 9/11 Memorial Museum opened its doors to the public on May 21, 2014 after a ceremony with President Barack Obama.

Highlights

Here are some of the “must see” items at The 9/11 Memorial Museum.

• The Last Column, the last piece of steel to leave the Twin Towers site
• The North and South pools
• The Survivors’ Staircase

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The Cloisters Museum And Gardens

Serving as a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cloisters is a quiet and beautiful garden located in Fort Tryon Park that features European medieval architecture, sculpture, and decorative arts.

Here, you can roam through about 2,000 artworks, shower in the sun, or linger at Iford Manor for some tranquility. The best times to visit are during late spring, summer, and early fall when the vegetations and flowers thrive.

The admission to the Met Cloisters is included if you have visited the Met, which is pay-what-you-wish at the door. Tickets can also be purchased in advance online at the suggested donation of $25 for adults, $17 for seniors $12 for students. Hours: 10:00 AM – 5:15 PM, daily.

The Cloisters Museum and Gardens.

Alexander Hamilton Grange National Memorial

This house dating from 1802 was the home of Alexander Hamilton, one of Americas Founding Fathers and founder of the U.S. Treasury system.

You can see historically furnished rooms either on a ranger-guided tour and talk or on your own.

See their website for more information.

TIP: To see where he is buried, and hear about his duel with Aaron Burr, you can join our pay-what-you-wish Lower Manhattan Tour or explore on your own with our GPS-led audio tour.

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The American Museum Of Natural History

Natural History Museum

The American Museum of Natural History, also referred to as the “Natural History Museum” or AMNH, is one of the best museums in NYC and the biggest natural history museum in the world. Come check out the Planetarium and the iconic Great Blue Whale hanging from the ceiling. The AMNH has more than 33 million specimens ranging from animals to dinosaurs to meteorites to minerals to humans.

Highlights

Here are some of the “must see” items at The American Museum of Natural History.

• Lucy

The Whitney Museum Of American Art

Art Museum

The Whitney Museum of American Art opened its doors in 1930 thanks to the museum’s namesake, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. The Whitney, as it’s known in many circles, contains more than 23,000 works of art completed by more than 3,400 different artists. The Whitney is famous for hosting its Annual and Biennial exhibits as a means to highlight the work of artists who are just getting established in the industry.

Highlights

Here are some of the “must see” items at The Whitney Museum of American Art.

• Laughing Child

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New York’s Best Museums And Art Galleries

• ,Destination expert

These recommendations, and many more, can be found in thefree Telegraph Travel Guides app. The app features expert guides to destinations including Paris, Rome, New York and Amsterdam.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

“Known simply as The Met, this iconic museum on the eastern side of Central Park is so enormous youll be overwhelmed if you dont narrow your focus. The collection features Greek, Roman, African, ancient Egyptian and Byzantine galleries, as well as modern American art, and paintings and sculptures of the European masters everyone from Rembrandt and Vermeer, to Van Gogh and Picasso. There are also musical instruments, costumes, antique weaponry and body armour. Dont miss the roof garden which has stunning views of the park and city skyline, and in summer a single artist sculpture exhibition. Order a wine from the café here, and pretend you have a home on Fifth Avenue. Weekends and around noon tend to be busiest, so come early morning or late afternoon during the week. Entry is officially free, but most visitors pay a small donation or the full recommended price.

1000 Fifth Ave, 10028 www.metmuseum.org

American Museum of Natural History

Central Park West at 79th St, 10024 Upper West Side www.amnh.org

Ellis Island

A ferry en route to Ellis Island

1 Ellis Island, 10004 New York Bay 001 212 344 0996 £Ferry fees: $17 seniors from age 62, $14 children 4-12, $9 children under 4, free

Frick Collection

Guggenheim Museum

The Cloisters

National Museum Of Mathematics

For parents who want to build a strong mathematical foundation for your kids, spend a day or two at the National Museum of Mathematics, or MoMath by Madison Square Garden. Here, you will learn concepts like pi, kinetics, shapes, hyperboloids, fractals, and parabolas through hand-on interactive exhibits.

Highlights in the museum include a square-wheeled trike, the Twisted Thruway and Hoop Curves!, which is one of our favorites. It asks you to use statistics to help a robotic basketball shooter put a ball into the hoop.

• Admission is $17 for adults, $14 for seniors, students, and children over two.

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The 14 Most Exciting Museums In New York City

September 28, 2021·In: Best of NYC

Home to 83 museums , its safe to say theres no shortage of great museums in New York City to choose from.

Picking the right one to visit during your time in NYC can feel overwhelming, but thats where I come in.

I live in New York City and hold memberships to a handful of the museums I mention below. I love starting Sunday mornings at museums, so you can believe me when I tell you Ive seen so many great exhibits over the years.

But in a sea of options, its nice to have some advice so allow me to share the NYC museums you simply cant miss during your first visit. If helpful, Ill also add some museums you should check out if you have extra time.

Greater New York Moma Ps1

Through April 18, 2020

Back for its fifth edition, Greater New York delves into an intimate representation of art-making throughout history in NYC. See featured works from over 47 artists as each explores the feeling of estrangement and belonging experienced by the art community. $5-$10 . Learn more here.

Through October 31, 2021

Philadelphia-based artist Alex Da Corte was selected to create the ninth site-specific commission for the Mets rooftop. Inspired by the Brazilian version of Sesame Streets Big Bird, Garibaldo, the bird sculpture is 26-ft tall! Alex Da Cortes bold work for the Cantor Roof Garden oscillates between joy and melancholy, and brings a playful message of optimism and reflection, Max Hollein, Marina Kellen French Director of The Met said. $25 . Learn more here.

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The American Museum Of Natural History: Best For Families

This engaging museum has something for anyone with an interest in the natural world, but it’s particularly good for family fun. Adults will marvel right alongside teens and toddlers at the displays of skeletal dinosaurs and other natural wonders in this massive, 2-million sq ft museum, which also includes a stellar planetarium and an extensive library.

The museums impressive manifesto says it all: To discover, interpret, disseminatethrough scientific research and educationknowledge about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe. Admission is pay as you wish which makes a visit affordable for families with smaller budgets. A 200-strong team of scientists is behind the informative displays.