Statistics show the number of foreigners who flood New York every year to visit the biggest and most important art museums, many of which are available on the NYC Pass. This is not surprising, really; we all know that the Big Apple is a cultural hub, making a lot of sense that it is home to the most influential art museums. If you are going to visit New York soon and you are not sure which museums to go to, then we encourage you to read this article for some suggestions.Â
Whitney Museum of American Art
If you want to familiarize yourself with American art more, then consider visiting this American art hub. It’s mainly dedicated to showcasing American art; you’re most likely to see work done by American artists such as Louise Nevelson, Willem de Kooning, Claes Oldenburg, Alexander Calder, Jasper Johns, Edward Hopper, and Georgia O’Keeffe. That’s only the tip of the iceberg; the Whitney Museum has about 2000 artists and around 15000 art pieces.
MoMA
Contemporary art reflects on the late 20th and 21st century; humanity has gone through drastic life-changing events in these two centuries, which show through these art pieces. If you’re interested in delving into the minds of different artists from that time or even during these years, then visit the MoMa museum for a better understanding of how artists communicate their feelings about these years through their work. You’re likely to come across electronic art, illustrated books, prints, paintings, and sculptures.Â
New Museum of Contemporary Art
Another great museum that’s home to a lot of contemporary art pieces is the New Museum. This building gets its name from an idea that Marcia Tucker, the founder of the museum, had. She decided to buy and sell art pieces every 10 years, and as a result, the place would consistently contain new art. This museum is famously known for displaying famous works of art made by contemporary artists. If you are interested in nontraditional art that has a bit of a shock factor, then consider visiting this amazing building.Â
Neue Galerie New York
The Neue Galerie is known for demonstrating German and Austrian art; it has famous pieces made by the most influential artists such as Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, and Oskar Kokoschka. You’re going to see different pieces made in movements like the Bridge and the Blue Rider. These pieces will teach you so much about the art scene in Germany and Austria during the time of Klimt and Kokoschka, so brace yourself for a very entertaining learning experience.Â
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
If you’re more into modern art, then the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is the right place for you. People who have visited claim that the building itself is a work of art. You also need to know that you won’t be able to finish visiting every section of this amazing building in only one day. This is why you should plan to stay for a couple of days to ensure that you get to take it all in.
The Frick Collection
A long time ago, during the late 19th century, the industrialist Henry Frick started collecting pieces of art. He placed them in his mansion with the intention of it becoming a museum one day, which it did. His collection mainly contains European art made by famous European artists such as Johannes Vermeer, Hans Holbein the Younger, Bronzino, and other brilliant artists from the 18th century. The mansion also includes old french furniture and beautiful sculptures from that time.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
You can’t visit NYC and not head to the Metropolitan Museum of art; it’s known as one of the biggest museums in the world. It contains about 5000 years of art from different movements and countries. If you want to be transported back to the time when classic paintings were being created, then you need to go to the Met. Visiting this museum is not only about paintings from different centuries, but you’ll also see Greek and Roman statues, Egyptian mummies, Asian art, paintings from Europe’s golden age, and so much more.
There are a lot of things to do and see in New York City, but you can’t be there and not visit some of the best art museums. If you’re not staying for long and you’re not sure which museum to visit first, then consider visiting one that has different art pieces from various centuries and cultures. However, if you have a very specific taste, you might want to visit the Neue Galerie for German art or other ones that only demonstrate contemporary art.Â