Fifteen Fabulous Art Museums to Explore in New York City

New York ranks among the top cities in the world for its art museums: from the expansive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the modern and contemporary wonders of the Guggenheim or the New Museum, art lovers are in for a treat when it comes to museum-hopping. 

The beauty of the Big Apple’s art museums is that each institution is impressive, inside and out. With many housed inside architecturally iconic buildings, these museums begin the visitor experience before you even make it to the entrance. At the same time, each tells a chapter in the story of city’s the art museum scene. The story begins in 1870 when the Metropolitan Museum of Art first opened its doors. Today, nearly 40 art museums specializing in different fields can be found across the city, but which are the best ones to visit? Take a look at our top list below. 

Metropolitan Museum of Art (aka “The Met”)

The Met Museum, New York

The Met Museum. Image courtesy of Hugo Schneider via Flickr.

MUSEUM Metropolitan Museum of Art
URL metmuseum.org
ADDRESS 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
HOURS Monday – 10am–5pm
Tuesday – 10am–5pm
Wednesday – Closed
Thursday – 10am–5pm
Friday – 10am–9pm
Saturday – 10am–9pm
Sunday – 10am–5pm
ENTRY FEE Regular admission – $30
Seniors – $22
Students – $17

One of the world’s most encyclopaedic art collections, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s main Fifth Avenue campus consumes more than two million square feet of exhibition space. Across this expansive footprint stretches the global history of art for the past five millennia. Travel back to ancient Egypt, for example, with a visit to the reconstructed first century BCE Temple of Dendur, or imagine strolling the streets of fin-de-siècle Paris as you view the multitude of striking French Impressionist works all part of the permanent collection. If what the Fifth Avenue location offers isn’t enough, you can travel a bit further to experience the Romanesque and Gothic marvels of the Met Cloisters in Washington Heights. 

Museum of Modern Art (aka “MoMA”)

MoMA, New York.

MoMA, New York. Image courtesy of Colin W via Wikimedia Commons.

MUSEUM The Museum of Modern Art
URL moma.org
ADDRESS 11 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019
HOURS Monday – 10:30am–5:30pm
Tuesday – 10:30am–5:30pm
Wednesday – 10:30am–5:30pm
Thursday – 10:30am–5:30pm
Friday – 10:30am–5:30pm
Saturday – 10:30am–7pm
Sunday – 10:30am–5:30pm
ENTRY FEE Regular admission – $25
Seniors & persons with disabilities – $18
Students – $14

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is one of the most iconic locales in all of Midtown Manhattan, and for good reason: its galleries hold some of the most celebrated examples of international modern and contemporary art the world has to offer. Fans often flock to Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night and Pablo Picasso’s Demoiselles d’Avignon, but the depth of the collection is remarkably profound, crossing into media that ranges from photography to design. Renovations to the museum’s campus in 2019 have only strengthened the visitor experience of this impressive collection. 

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (aka “The Guggenheim”) 

The Guggenheim, New York

The Guggenheim, New York. Image courtesy of Sam Valadi via Flickr.

MUSEUM The Guggenheim
URL guggenheim.org
ADDRESS 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10128 (between 88th and 89th Streets)
HOURS Monday – 11am–6pm
Tuesday – Closed
Wednesday – 11am–6pm
Thursday – 11am–6pm
Friday – 11am–6pm
Saturday – 11am–8pm
Sunday – 11am–6pm
ENTRY FEE Regular admission – $25
Seniors, students & persons with disabilities – $18

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on Fifth Avenue is a work of art itself: housed in a structure developed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1959, the Guggenheim recalls an era of innovative design that complements the innovative voices of modern and contemporary art on display inside. The exhibition calendar is consistently stocked with major names from Wassily Kandinsky to Nick Cave, making the Guggenheim a great choice for those with an affinity for avant-garde expression. 

Whitney Museum of American Art (aka “The Whitney”)

MUSEUM Whitney Museum of American Art
URL whitney.org
ADDRESS 99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014
HOURS Monday – 10:30am-6pm
Tuesday – Closed
Wednesday – 10:30am-6pm
Thursday – 10:30am-6pm
Friday – 10:30am-6pm
Saturday – 11am–6pm
Sunday – 11am–6pm
ENTRY FEE Regular admission – $25
Seniors, students & persons with disabilities – $18
Fridays 7pm-10pm – Pay-what-you-wish
The Whitney, New York.

The Whitney, New York. Image courtesy of Ajay Suresh via Wikimedia Commons.

The Whitney Museum of American Art has been enjoying a renaissance after having moved in 2015 into a new, cutting-edge museum campus featuring more than 70,000 feet of indoor and outdoor exhibition space designed by celebrated Italian architect Renzo Piano. Originally founded by Gertrude Vanderbilt with a mission to promote American artists, the Whitney has stayed true to its aim and now boasts holdings of nearly 15,000 works by figures like Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Alexander Calder. Beyond these permanent holdings, the museum also hosts the Whitney Biennial, an invitational exhibition of artwork created in the two years preceding the exhibition, which strives to showcase the key voices in contemporary American art. 

Brooklyn Museum

The Brooklyn Museum, New York.

The Brooklyn Museum, New York. Image courtesy of PaladinHero1 via Wikimedia Commons.

MUSEUM Brooklyn Museum
URL brooklynmuseum.org
ADDRESS 200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11238
HOURS Monday – Closed
Tuesday – 11am-6pm
Wednesday – 11am-6pm
Thursday – 11am–6pm
Friday – 11am–6pm
Saturday – 11am–6pm
Sunday – Closed
ENTRY FEE Regular admission – $16
Seniors, students & persons with disabilities – $10

A short trip to Brooklyn means gaining access to the Brooklyn Museum, a prime stop in Prospect Park for art lovers. The holdings are refreshingly varied – visitors can enjoy ancient artifacts as well as work from contemporary icons like Judy Chicago and Kehinde Wiley. Plus the vibe is a little more relaxed given the smaller crowds than those typically experienced in spaces like the Met in Manhattan. 

The Frick Collection (aka “The Frick”)

The Frick Madison, the temporary home of the Frick Collection.

The Frick Madison, the temporary home of the Frick Collection, currently residing at the former home of The Whitney. Image courtesy of Brecht Bug via Flickr.

MUSEUM The Frick
URL frick.org
ADDRESS The Frick Collection’s historic buildings are closed for renovation, but the collection is available at a temporary Address, The Frick Madison: 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street New York, NY 10021
The Frick Collection usual address: 1 E 70th St, New York, NY 10021
HOURS Monday – Closed
Tuesday – Closed
Wednesday – Closed
Thursday – 10am-6pm
Friday – 10am-6pm
Saturday – 10am-6pm
Sunday – 10am-6pm
ENTRY FEE Regular admission – $22
Seniors & persons with disabilities – $12
Students – $12
Thursdays 4pm-6pm – Pay-what-you-wish

No museum space is more evocative of Gilded Age New York than The Frick Collection on E 70th Street. The collection is housed in the early twentieth-century mansion that was built for business titan and art collector Henry Clay Frick (1849-1919). Frick’s will stipulated that his home and his expansive art collection should become a public museum upon his death; after his demise in 1919 the home was modified into a museum, which officially opened its doors in 1935. Frick fans visit for the incredible selection of Old Masters, such as Vermeer or Rembrandt, but the museum also holds treats from other eras well. These selections, combined with the sheer majesty of the late 19th/early 20th century home, make a visit to the Frick an essential one. 

New Museum of Contemporary Art (aka “The New Museum”)

MUSEUM The New Museum of Contemporary Art
URL newmuseum.org
ADDRESS 235 Bowery, New York, NY 10002
HOURS Monday – Closed
Tuesday – 11am-6pm
Wednesday – 11am-6pm
Thursday – 11am–9pm
Friday – 11am–6pm
Saturday – 11am–6pm
Sunday – 11am–6pm
ENTRY FEE Regular admission – $18
Seniors & persons with disabilities – $15
Student – $12
The New Museum, New York.

The New Museum, New York. Image courtesy of Maciek Lulko via Flickr.

Nolita’s New Museum is a fantastic space to gain exposure to some of the rising artists of the current generation. The vision for this museum stemmed from the work of former Whitney Museum curator Marcia Tucker. She realized that conventional museum formats made entry by emerging artists difficult, so she established New Museum to make space for such voices. Past shoes featuring important voices like Faith Ringgold and Robert Colescott are just some of the draws of the museum. 

The Jewish Museum

MUSEUM The Jewish Museum
URL thejewishmuseum.org
ADDRESS 1109 5th Ave &, E 92nd St, New York, 10128
HOURS Monday – 11am–6pm
Tuesday – Closed
Wednesday – Closed
Thursday – 11am–8pm
Friday – 11am–6pm
Saturday – 11am–6pm
Sunday – 11am–6pm
ENTRY FEE Regular admission – $18
Senior – $12
Student – $8
The Jewish Museum, New York.

The Jewish Museum, New York. Image courtesy of Ajay Suresh via Wikimedia Commons.

The Jewish Museum offers a compelling look at Jewish history and culture through the lens of artistic expression in their striking Warburg Mansion campus along Fifth Avenue. In addition to Judaica and a strong permanent collection of modern art, the Jewish Museum also offers temporary/traveling showcases as well as an exhibition tailored specifically to children. 

Neue Galerie

The Neue Galerie, New York.

The Neue Galerie, New York. Image courtesy of Ajay Suresh via Wikimedia Commons.

MUSEUM Neue Galerie
URL neuegalerie.org
ADDRESS 1048 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
HOURS Monday – 11am–5pm
Tuesday – Closed
Wednesday – Closed
Thursday – 11am–5pm
Friday – 11am–5pm
Saturday – 11am–5pm
Sunday – 11am–5pm
ENTRY FEE Regular admission – $25
Senior – $16
Students, educators and persons with disabilities – $12
Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, Gustav Klimt. Housed at the Neue Galerie, New York

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, Gustav Klimt. Housed at the Neue Galerie, New York. Image courtesy of Lluís Ribes Mateu via Flickr.

One of the newer Manhattan museums, the Neue Galerie, New York first opened its doors in 2001. Now, more than twenty years later, it has become a fixture for art fans as it offers a breathtaking array of modern German Austrian works of art and design. Many come to lay eyes on the striking works by Vienna Secessionist, Gustav Klimt, and his Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, but the Neue Galerie also holds an enticing collection of work by other innovators like Egon Schiele and Oskar Kokoschka. Beyond the art, you can make a day of your visit with a stop in the associated shops or for lunch in the Bavarian bespoke Café Sabarsky. 

Studio Museum

The Studio Museum, New York.

The Studio Museum, New York. Image courtesy of Beyond My Ken via Wikimedia Commons.

MUSEUM Studio Museum
URL studiomuseum.org
ADDRESS 144 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027
HOURS Studio Museum is temporarily closed for construction work. 
ENTRY FEE Free to enter; Complementary tickets may need to be booked through the website

Groundbreaking from its very inception in the late 1960s, the Studio Museum in Harlem is dedicated to the work of African-American artists. Current director Thelma Golden – who has worked with the Studio Museum since the late 1980s – has cultivated a museum that celebrates and exalts major African-American artists while also giving support to rising figures on both a national and international level.

Rubin Museum of Art (aka “The Rubin”)

The Rubin, New York.

The Rubin, New York. Image courtesy of Ajay Suresh via Wikimedia Commons.

MUSEUM The Rubin Museum of Art
URL rubinmuseum.org
ADDRESS 150 W 17th St, New York, NY 10011
HOURS Monday – Closed
Tuesday – Closed
Wednesday – Closed
Thursday – 11am–5pm
Friday – 11am–10pm
Saturday – 11am–5pm
Sunday – 11am–5pm
ENTRY FEE Regular admission – $19
Seniors, students & persons with disabilities – $14

The Rubin specializes in the art of the Himalayas. The core of its holdings is derived from the private collection of Donald and Shelley Rubin, avid collectors of Himalayan art. Spreading across six floors on W 17th Street, the Rubin also caters to temporary and traveling exhibitions that illustrate the diverse cultural traditions of Asia. Visitors can envelop themselves in the rich craftsmanship of pan-Asian artistic traditions or participate in one of the many learning initiatives – from gallery itineraries to lectures – about the art and craft of the Himalayas. 

The Morgan Library and Museum (aka “The Morgan”)

The Morgan Library and Museum, New York.

The Morgan Library and Museum, New York. Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net).

MUSEUM The Morgan Library and Museum
URL themorgan.org
ADDRESS 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016
HOURS Monday – Closed
Tuesday – 10:30am-5pm
Wednesday – 10:30am-5pm
Thursday – 10:30am-5pm
Friday – 10:30am-7pm
Saturday – 10:30am-5pm
Sunday – 10:30am-5pm
ENTRY FEE Regular admission – $22
Seniors – $14
Students & persons with disabilities – $13

The Morgan is a great art museum to add to your list if you are a fan of works on paper. Holding drawings by some of history’s most significant artistic figures – including Michelangelo and Picasso – the Morgan also includes an incredible selection of rare books, like the Gutenberg Bible, and musical scores from the hands of Mozart. Renovated in 2006, thanks to the architectural innovations of Renzo Piano, the Morgan Library and Museum is a worthy stop on your best art museum list. 

El Museo del Barrio

El Museo del Barrio, New York.

El Museo del Barrio, New York. Image courtesy of The Fixers (Wikis Take Manhattan 2009 participant).

MUSEUM El Museo del Barrio
URL elmuseo.org
ADDRESS 1230 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029
HOURS Monday – Closed
Tuesday – Closed
Wednesday – Closed
Thursday – 11am-5pm
Friday – 11am-5pm
Saturday – 11am-5pm
Sunday – 11am-5pm
ENTRY FEE Pay-what-you-wish suggested fees:
Regular admission – $9
Students & seniors – $5

Spanish Harlem’s El Museo del Barrio caters its collections to major figures of Latin American art. Its holdings span history: visitors can enjoy works from the Pre-Columbian era to contemporary showcases. The museum also works to transform the museum experience by promoting unsurpassed diversity in its collections, as part of its mission is to support women artists, self-taught or non-traditional artists, or other creative endeavors within the Latinx community.

The Noguchi Museum

 Noguchi Museum, New York.

Noguchi Museum, New York. Image courtesy of Wally Gobetz via Flickr.

MUSEUM The Noguchi Museum
URL noguchi.org
ADDRESS 9-01 33rd Rd, Queens, NY 11106
HOURS Monday – Closed
Tuesday – Closed
Wednesday – 11am-6pm
Thursday – 11am-6pm
Friday – 11am-6pm
Saturday – 11am-6pm
Sunday – 11am-6pm
ENTRY FEE Regular admission – $12
Seniors & students – $6

Distinct from the others on this list as it is a collection devoted to a singular artist, the Noguchi Museum nevertheless ranks in the top art museums in New York for its status as a compelling and contemplative oasis in Queens. Created in 1985 by Japanese-American contemporary artist Isamu Noguchi shortly before his death, the museum was envisioned as a space to showcase his work while also supporting the work of others. This dedication to the artistic community lives on via the Isamu Noguchi Foundation (that oversees the museum campus), but many visitors to the Noguchi Museum are as dazzled by the art as they are by the striking gardens designed following traditional Japanese landscaping principles. Visitors who make the trek to Queens to enjoy Noguchi’s work can tack on to their trip a stop at the Socrates Sculpture Park, just down the street from the Noguchi Museum.

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum (aka “Cooper Hewitt”) 

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Image courtesy of Ajay Suresh via Wikimedia Commons.

MUSEUM Cooper Hewitt
URL cooperhewitt.org
ADDRESS 2 E 91st St, New York, NY 10128
HOURS Monday – 10am-6pm
Tuesday – Closed
Wednesday – 10am-6pm
Thursday – 10am-6pm
Friday – 10am-6pm
Saturday – 10am-6pm
Sunday – 10am-6pm
ENTRY FEE Regular admission – $18
Seniors – $12
Persons with disabilities – $10
Students – $9

A treat for the design fan visiting New York City, the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum is the country’s leading museum dedicated to the history of design, and its transformative role on civilization. Its permanent collection, which tops 200,000 artifacts, provides visitors an irresistible journey through techniques and approaches. 

Planning Your Visit to our Favorite Fifteen

These fifteen art museums offer a compelling survey of the rich variety and caliber of art held in New York City’s institutions. If learning a bit more about them has motivated you to plan your visit, here are some concluding tips to ensure that you make the most of your experience.  

Be Reasonable

It is not realistic to tackle too many locations in one day. Depending on your time in the city and your level of interest, aim for at most two collections a day. This gives you the chance to really explore each collection in depth (and take a healthy break for lunch or coffee). 

Map Your Route

Take a look at the specific location of each art museum you plan to visit. While many of these locations are within Manhattan, some, like the Brooklyn Museum, will require a bit more transportation time. Even those museums within Manhattan are spread out, so plan accordingly so that you don’t miss your entry window.

Find Free Entry

One of the major hurdles to visiting New York City’s art museums – particularly big collections like the Met or MoMA – is the high ticket prices. Before this causes concern, there is one caveat: many museums offer special perks that might reduce your ticket price or waive it altogether. The Frick Collection, for example, offers First Fridays, held the first Friday of the month where admission is free to all who care to attend. Check the websites or call ahead at the art museums you wish to visit to see what options might be available to save you on entry costs. 

Ready to start exploring? Whether it’s international gems or local diamonds in the rough you want to enjoy, this list will get you going on a great tour of the best art museums in New York City.