New York City is home to myriad things to do and numerous must-visit museums. These venues showcase everything from incredible art to the city’s fascinating history. In fact, some of the world’s best museums are here, from The Met and MoMA to more underrated destinations like the New York Historical Society and Queens County Farm Museum.
No matter when you visit, you’ll likely include a museum or two in your itinerary. And that’s an especially good idea during the colder months; Fora travel advisor Nicole Canal notes that museum visits “make great activities since they’re not weather-dependent.” Without further ado, here’s our list of the best museums in New York City, featuring spots in all five boroughs.
The 20 must-visit museums in New York City
Tenement Museum
“Immigration is such a rich part of our history, especially in New York City,” says Fora co-founder Henley Vazquez. “For an intimate and immersive lesson, head to the Lower East Side’s Tenement Museum, where you’ll see restored tenement apartments and gain insight into immigration, both past and present.” The museum is spread across two 19th-century-era tenement houses and tells the story of the people who once lived here.
MoMA PS1
Housed in an old public school building in Long Island City, this contemporary art museum is an offshoot of the main MoMA in Manhattan and displays bold, experimental works with “a strong focus on community,” says Vazquez. You can easily spend an entire afternoon here perusing an abundance of art, be it paintings, sculptures, photographs, or murals. The museum also hosts live music performances, plus a handful of community-oriented events.
The Met Cloisters
Established in 1938 as a branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (more on that further down), The Met Cloisters is considered the country’s only museum dedicated to Middle Ages art and architecture; Fora travel advisor Deb Swacker says not to miss the collection of unicorn tapestries. And while the artefact-filled interiors are incredible, you should carve out enough time to stroll through the enchanting gardens, too. Planted in reconstructed Romanesque and Gothic cloisters, the greenery-filled, well-manicured grounds look (and feel) as if they’ve been pulled straight out of a beautiful European village.
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New York Transit Museum
“The New York Transit Museum is great fun for all ages,” says Swacker. Located in a decommissioned subway station in the heart of downtown Brooklyn, this interactive museum is well-suited for families. “You can walk through old subway cars and sit behind the wheel of a bus,” Swacker shares. Prepare to be dazzled by the museum’s impressive collection of nostalgia-inducing vintage subway cars.
Historic Richmond town
A visit to Historic Richmond Town on Staten Island takes you back in time. Known as New York City’s only living history museum, it offers a first-hand look at what life was like here hundreds of years ago. “There are interactive exhibits and people dressed up and ready to answer all the questions,” says Swacker. Check out demonstrations in blacksmithing, broom making, basket making, carpentry, and open-hearth cooking.
Louis Armstrong House Museum
Jazz enthusiasts will not want to not miss the Louis Armstrong House Museum. Located in the Corona neighbourhood of Queens, the home “has been kept as it was when the Armstrongs (Louis and his wife, Lucille) lived here,” says Fora travel advisor Julia Flood. You’ll find a spectacular collection of 1,600 recordings, 650 home-recorded tapes in hand-decorated boxes, 5,000 photographs, five trumpets, 120 awards and plaques and more in the museum.
The Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is 560,000 square feet in size, making it one of the city’s largest museums. You can easily spend an entire morning or afternoon exploring its collection of half a million objects. Check the website prior to your visit to know what temporary exhibitions will be open upon your arrival.
American Museum of Natural History
For a fun-filled experience that’s great for multiple generations of travellers, head to the American Museum of Natural History. According to Fora advisor Amna Ismail, the museum entertains guests of all ages with its collection of approximately 32 million specimens and artefacts. Highlights include the massive blue whale model, mind-boggling dinosaur exhibits, and the Richard Gilder Center, which features an insectarium and butterfly vivarium.
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Whitney Museum of American Art
“The Whitney is perfect for art lovers and non-art lovers alike,” says Fora travel advisor Michelle Zelena. The 220,000-square-foot space houses a permanent collection of over 25,000 works from the 20th and 21st centuries, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, photos, films, and more. The pieces were made by 3,500-plus artists, including American icons Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol. Don’t leave without checking out the rooftop cafe, which offers incredible city views.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
New York City’s largest museum contains millions of pieces of art, some dating back thousands of years. “No matter how many times you’ve been to The Met, you’ll see something new,” says Fora travel advisor Elise Cocozzo. Since the venue’s sprawling size and seemingly endless assortment of awe-inspiring works can be overwhelming, Cocozzo recommends taking one of several free tours, which are led daily. “They’re quick (one hour), the guides are predictably wonderful, and it’s a great way to learn a bit, see a bunch, and not get lost,” she adds.
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is housed in an eye-catching, Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building that is a masterpiece in and of itself. The fun continues inside, where you’ll find more than 1,700 works by artists like Jackson Pollock, Degas, and Van Gogh. “They also have performances, such as musicals and ballets, so check the calendar of events,” suggests Canal.
New-York Historical Society
Founded in 1804, the New York Historical Society is the city’s oldest museum. Visitors and locals learn more about the history of both the city and our nation as they stroll the venue. Don’t miss the fascinating Frederick Douglass exhibit, the Center for Women’s History, or the iconic Waldorf Astoria lobby clock, which dates back to 1893. On the ground floor of the space is the DiMenna Children’s History Museum, which offers something fun for younger guests.
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Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration
Ellis Island welcomed more than 12 million immigrants to America between 1892 and 1954, and you can learn more about the site’s significance — and immigration overall — by visiting Ellis Island’s National Immigration Museum. In addition to browsing photographs and artefacts, you might retrace your familial heritage. Head to the second floor to visit the Registry Room (also known as the Great Hall), where some 5,000 people once filed each day for legal and medical examinations.
The Bronx Museum of the Arts
This contemporary art museum highlights 20th-century works from American artists. The robust, 2,000-plus-piece collection includes everything from photographs by Jamel Shabazz and sculptures by John Ahearn to portraits painted by Henry Taylor. And don’t miss the newest exhibit, “Michael Richards: Are You Down?,” which features a collection of sculptures, drawings, installations, and more by the late artist; works showcased were made between 1990 to 2001, when Richards died in the September 11 attacks. The museum also hosts events like film screenings and panels.
Staten Island Children’s Museum
Located on the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens, the Staten Island Children’s Museum offers 12 indoor and outdoor exhibits, dance and art workshops, science and story times, and many other hands-on experiences for children ages one and up. Kids can build block houses, send video postcards, climb a rock wall, and crawl through a human-sized ant hill while observing the museum’s collection of insects, millipedes and tarantulas included.
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Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Design lovers are sure to marvel at this magnificent museum inside the elaborate, 64-room Andrew Carnegie Mansion on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The venue has a permanent collection of more than 215,000 design objects, some dating back 30 centuries. Visitors will find everything from ancient Roman marble and Renaissance drawings to more contemporary works like 3D-printed glass here. Spend time on the Arthur Ross Terrace and Garden, too.
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum
Open since May 2014, The National September 11 Memorial & Museum features 60,000 artefacts — a mix of physical evidence, first-person testimonies, and historical records — from the September 11, 2001, and February 28, 1993, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Archaeological remnants are also on display, including the “Survivors’ Stairs” (which, at the time of the 9/11 attacks, were located at the edge of the World Trade Center Plaza) and the “Last Column,” the final piece of steel from the World Trade Center to be removed from Ground Zero. After spending a few hours inside the museum, head outside to the memorial, which is free and open to the public. The name of every person who died in these two attacks is inscribed on the edge of the two reflecting pools.
Statue of Liberty Museum
The Statue of Liberty has been synonymous with freedom, equality, and democracy since its 1886 unveiling. You can visit Lady Liberty’s crown, and you can also check out the 26,000-square-foot museum that opened in 2019. The venue highlights the national monument’s creation, significance, and history, and the postcard-worthy skyline views from the venue are icing on the cake.
Fotografiska Museum NYC
If you’re fascinated by photography, visit Fotografiska Museum NYC. The New York City branch of the famed Swedish photography museum is housed in a spectacular 19th-century, 45,000-square-foot Renaissance Revival building. Don’t miss the adorable pet-themed exhibit, aptly named “Best in Show.” And before you leave, pop into the ritzy Veronika bar and restaurant on the second floor, or the effortlessly cool Chapel Bar, housed inside a 19th-century chapel.
Queens County Farm Museum
Think of this 47-acre museum as one part interactive museum and one part farm. Dating back over 300 years, it’s one of the state’s longest continually farmed sites; today, it grows 200 varieties of crops, including veggies, flowers, herbs, and more. Explore the growing fields, pastures, and wooded areas via scenic hay rides. You might also pay a visit to the farm’s resident animals, which include sheep, goats, alpacas, pigs, and hens. The on-site apiary, home to more than two million honeybees, is the largest in the city; honey is available for purchase in the farm store, as are fresh eggs. The museum also hosts fun-filled seasonal events.
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This story first appeared on travelandleisure.com
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