The 10 Best Art Museums in the U.S.
Some art museums rank among the world’s most intentionally crafted structures. Unique architecture and inviting outdoor areas are often among these establishments’ most attractive elements – providing the perfect backdrop for enjoying the art inside, even if the gallery spaces themselves are a traditional white box setup.
Among the many museums in the U.S., a notable few have become distinct symbols of artistic development, enjoyment, and appreciation. Cities such as New York, San Francisco, and Chicago boast some of the most magnificent, extensive collections of art from centuries past and the contemporary era. A visit to an art museum has the potential to make both artists and admirers feel inspired to learn, create, and explore.
If you’re planning to expand your artistic horizons with a trip to explore an art museum you can use the below list of the best art museums in the U.S. to guide your journey. In these museums you can discover work by artists from around the world and pieces by artists who have planted their roots in this country.
The 10 Best Art Museums in the U.S.
The U.S. is home to some of the largest, most renowned museums in the world. You may find these spaces appealing if you’re an art connoisseur. You may also admire them if you enjoy the architecture and atmosphere of art museums’ open, decorated spaces. Below are the 10 best art museums the U.S. has to offer.
The Getty Center
The Getty Center. Image courtesy of Slices of Light via Flickr.
Located in Los Angeles, the Getty Center is one of the two campuses of the J. Paul Getty Museum. The Getty Center sits on a hilltop that overlooks the city and comprises five gallery pavilions clad in Italian stone. A variety of European art pieces, from the Medieval (300–1400) to Modern (1860–1975) art periods, are on display. Vincent van Gogh’s oil painting Irises is one of the center’s most renowned pieces.
The center’s collections of both rotating and permanent exhibitions are housed in scenic buildings, alongside contemporary sculptures. The campus also features an open courtyard with fountains and lush greenery.
| MUSEUM | The Getty Center |
| URL | getty.edu |
| ADDRESS | 1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90049 |
| ADMISSION | Free admission |
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art. Image courtesy of Peter Miller via Flickr.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is a monument of the Fairmount neighborhood. Film buffs might recognize the 72 steps that lead to the building’s east entrance as the stone stairs from the 1976 sports drama film Rocky. The bronze statue of the fictional boxer at the bottom of the steps has become a tourist attraction in and of itself. However, the museum boasts a vast collection of other art pieces.
Rogier van der Weyden’s The Crucifixion, with the Virgin and Saint John the Evangelist Mourning is one of the most famous pieces of artwork in the museum. Three Musicians by Pablo Picasso is also on display.
| MUSEUM | The Philadelphia Museum of Art |
| URL | philamuseum.org |
| ADDRESS | 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19130 |
| ADMISSION | Pay what you wish on the first Sunday of each month
Adults $25 |
The Met
The Met Museum. Image courtesy of Hugo Schneider via Flickr.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, often known simply as the Met, is one of the largest and most popular museums in the United States. Located in New York’s Central Park, the museum has often received between six and seven million visitors per year.
Originally, the Met comprised solely Gothic structures. Since then, the museum has added nine wings in different architectural styles. The museum houses art collections from around the world, including Europe, Africa, and Asia, that span more than 5,000 years. Van Gogh’s Self Portrait with a Straw Hat and The Death of Socrates by Jacques Louis-David are on display at the museum. These works of art are just two of the over two million on display.
| MUSEUM | The Metropolitan Museum of Art |
| URL | metmuseum.org |
| ADDRESS |
1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028
|
| ADMISSION | Pay what you wish for New York residents
Adults $30 |
Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago. Image via Wikimedia Commons, courtesy of Ajay Suresh.
The Art Institute of Chicago is among the key attractions in the Windy City’s Grant Park. This museum is home to the world’s second-largest collection of art from the Impressionist (1867–1886) and Post-Impressionist (1886–1905) periods. The museum was founded in 1879 as both a museum and a school for fine arts.
Visitors to the museum have access to revered artwork such as Picasso’s The Old Guitarist and Georges Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte. You can also get clear views of Millenium Park and downtown Chicago from inside the museum, which regularly hosts events and special exhibits.
| MUSEUM | The Art Institute of Chicago |
| URL | artic.edu |
| ADDRESS |
1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028
|
| ADMISSION | Adults $25 |
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art. Image courtesy of barnyz via Flickr.
Located in Washington D.C. on the National Mall, the National Gallery of Art was established in 1937 and houses a collection of fine artwork. The architecture of the museum’s west building is modeled on the Roman Pantheon, and its east building features Modernist architecture.
With a primary focus on American and European artwork, the museum features pieces by Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Picasso. Claude Monet’s The Willows, which features a color palette of cool spring tones, is also on display.
| MUSEUM | The National Gallery of Art |
| URL | nga.gov |
| ADDRESS |
6th and Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20565
|
| ADMISSION | Free admission |
Guggenheim Museum
The Guggenheim, New York. Image courtesy of Sam valadi via Flickr.
The Guggenheim Museum was opened in New York City in 1959 . Named after American art collector Solomon R. Guggenheim, the museum features a vast collection of Modern and Contemporary artwork with pieces from a variety of styles. The building was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the Moderniststyle, with spirals, arches, and triangles all throughout the structure. The upward walkway connecting the museum’s many spaces traverses the structure’s periphery in a stunning spiral.
Pop Art (1950s–1960s), Impressionism, and Surrealism (1924–1966) are among the art movements represented in this museum. Picasso’s Woman with Yellow Hair and Marc Chagall’s Paris Through the Window exhibits in the Guggenheim’s collection. The museum also houses a gallery dedicated exclusively to the abstract artist, Vasily Kandinsky.
| MUSEUM | The Guggenheim Museum |
| URL | guggenheim.org |
| ADDRESS |
1071 5th Ave, New York, NY 10128
|
| ADMISSION | Adults $25 |
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Smithsonian Museum of American Art. Image courtesy of Thomas Hawk via Flickr.
An elegant landmark of Washington D.C., the Smithsonian American Art Museum is home to one of the world’s largest art collections. The artwork on display spans periods from the early 17th century through to today. Pieces from the Gilded Age (1865–1898), American Impressionist (1880–1920), and New Deal (1933-1934) periods are especially abundant.
The museum celebrates centuries of art across the many cultures and styles in which American artists work. Art by Asian American, Latinx, and African American artists are among the paintings, photographs, and sculptures on display. Particularly reputed pieces include Among the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California by Albert Bierstadt and works such as Hibiscus with Plumeria by Georgia O’Keeffe.
| MUSEUM | Smithsonian American Art Museum |
| URL | si.edu |
| ADDRESS |
G Street Northwest &, 8th St NW, Washington, DC 20004
|
| ADMISSION | Free admission |
De Young Museum
de Young Museum. Image courtesy of Rollence Patugan via Flickr.
The de Young Museum is one of two museums in the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF) group. Located in Golden Gate Park, the museum takes its name from American journalist Michael Henry de Young. The twisting tower bears a faint resemblance to the city’s skyline. The museum is the world’s largest copper building that has, over the years, oxidized from its original copper tone to its current green color.
The de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor, the other member institution of the FAMSF, comprise the city’s largest public arts institution. Pieces by artists including Frederic Edwin Church and Claude Monet are on display.
| MUSEUM | de Young Museum |
| URL | deyoung.famsf.org |
| ADDRESS |
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118
|
| ADMISSION | Adults $15 |
The Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney, New York. Image courtesy of Ajay Suresh via Wikimedia Commons.
New York City’s Whitney Museum of American Art displays numerous twentieth-century and Contemporary (1970s–present) artworks. With an emphasis on living artists, the museum primarily highlights recent contributions to American artistic developments. Among the more than 21,000 paintings featured in the museum’s permanent collection are Edward Hopper’s “Early Sunday Morning” and George Tooker’s “The Subway.”
| MUSEUM | TheWhitney Museum of American Art |
| URL | whitney.org/ |
| ADDRESS |
99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014
|
| ADMISSION | Adults $25 |
Museum of Modern Art
MoMA, New York. Image courtesy of Colin W via Wikimedia Commons.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City features a vast collection of modern and contemporary art. Paintings, photographs, films, and fashion are among the many mediums that express elements of pop culture throughout the museum.
On display are some of the world’s most widely renowned pieces such as Picasso’s “The Young Ladies of Avignon” and van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” Works by Claude Monet, Andy Warhol, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau have been displayed at the museum.
| MUSEUM | Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) |
| URL | moma.org/ |
| ADDRESS |
11 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019
|
| ADMISSION | Adults $25 |
Planning a trip to the best museums in the U.S.
A visit to a museum can serve as an activity on your vacation itinerary or a local adventure. In fact, many of the best art museums in the U.S. are within walking distance of major landmarks or attractions. The National Gallery of Art, for example, is located less than 15 minutes from the Capitol Building.
Since these museums are located in major cities, accessing them is relatively easy. In most cases, public transportation is accessible, convenient, and commonplace.
Several museums, such as the Getty and Smithsonian, regularly offer free admission. Others, including the Met and MoMA, have pay-what-you-wish policies. With these programs, you can access the museums upon contributing as small or large of a donation as you’d like. Some museums, such as the Guggenheim, offer a hybrid ticketing policy. In the Guggenheim’s case, you can pay as you wish on Saturday evenings and purchase a ticket at regular price on others.
Experience the monuments holding art in its most visual form
Each of the best art museums in the U.S. offers a unique atmosphere and collection of art that delivers a captivating experience. These buildings are marvels of creative design and works of art in and of themselves. A step inside reveals many collections of masterpieces that are portals to periods and cultures around the world. Whether you’re seeking education or entertainment, a visit to one of the nation’s best museums can certainly prove memorable and awe-inspiring.
