Museums in New York City
Museums in New York City
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, or "The Met", is one of the largest and most visited museums in America. I've been there several times and I still haven't seen the same pieces or even most of the museum! I really like the American Wing Period Rooms, where every room is from a different time in American history and includes one for the architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It is super easy to get lost and spend the whole day wandering the halls. If you are short on time, it is better to check out what's on display before heading to the museum. There is a revolving door of exhibitions so a visit is never the same.
Zac Posen, 2012
Ralph Rucci, 2004
Halston, 1974
Rubin Museum of Art
The Rubin is a museum full of Tibetan, Bhutanese, and other Asian art located in Chelsea. Many of the textiles, paintings, and sculptures are from the Himalayas and there are numerous religious artifacts on display.
New York Botanical Garden
Over a million plants call the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) home. It is located in the northern part of NYC in the Bronx. The NYBG has two highly-anticipated shows, the Holiday Train Show in the Winter and the Orchid Show in the Spring. There are other shows held throughout the year, as well as workshops and events. The current exhibit of Yayoi Kusama will be on display until October 31, 2021. Nearby is Bronx's Little Italy on Arthur Avenue where numerous restaurants and stores offer Italian delicacies and sweets.
New York Transit Museum
Located in downtown Brooklyn, the New York Transit Museum has a couple of antique subway cars. It is so interesting to see the different kinds of cars that were used back in the day. Also on display are vintage turnstiles and subway tokens. It is definitely worth a visit to Brooklyn!
Whitney Museum
The Meatpacking District has been the home of the Whitney Museum since 2015. The museum is dedicated to the promotion of modern art from American artists from the 20th and 21st century. Their signature event is the Whitney Biennial, it features work from artists created two years before the exhibit.
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
The aircraft carrier Intrepid served in World War II, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War. It was decommissioned in 1974 and became part of the military and maritime museum in 1982. Visitors cane see numerous aircraft, the submarine Growler, and the space shuttle Enterprise up close and learn about their history.
Museum of the Moving Image
The Museum of the Moving Image is a museum in Queens that promotes film, television, and digital media. Its main exhibit, Behind the Screen, has over 1,400 artifacts on display and it is a real treat for film lovers to see. Their Jim Henson exhibit features the beloved puppets, artwork, and rare footage.
Guggenheim Museum
The Guggenheim Museum is a contemporary art museum that is probably best known for its Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building. The circular building is striking and one of the museums along Fifth Avenue's museum mile. Once inside, visitors walk into the atrium and are immediately drawn to look at its glass dome. On a sunny day, people shoot more pictures of the atrium than the art! Wright designed the space such that visitors have to go up to the top level and then walk down to enjoy the art.
Neue Galerie
The Neue Galerie is one of the stops in the Upper East Side's museums. It is small compared to its neighbors but it houses Gustav Klimt's Woman in Gold. It is worth a visit just to see that art piece alone! But the security guards watch the art works like a hawk and it is hard to get a photo of anything in the galleries.
Cafe Sabarsky is also a great place for Austrian dishes and especially the dessert!
American Museum of Natural History
The Natural History Museum, also known as the American Museum of Natural History, is one of the largest and most comprehensive natural history museums in the world. The museum has an extensive collection of dinosaur fossils, including the famous Tyrannosaurus Rex and Apatosaurus skeletons. The recently renovated Halls of Gems and Minerals is one of the largest in the world, with over 500,000 specimens. And the museum's Butterfly Conservatory is a tropical paradise filled with live butterflies and exotic plants.
New York Historical Society
The New York Historical Society is the City's first museum. Its permanent collection is full of artifacts and art that chronicles the city over the years. One of the galleries houses numerous Tiffany lamps and features the women who helped create the intricate glass designs. Try to join a guided tour where docents share trivia and the interesting stories behind the collections. They also have a replica of the Oval Office where you can sit at the presidential desk for a photo op!