New York is a miniature world. One of the reasons is the multinationality of the city: migrants from different countries have brought something of their own to the culture, art and traditions of the Big Apple. There are sights here at every turn, and museums are no exception. Fans of this kind of leisure should first visit the Museum Mile, where 10 museums are concentrated in a relatively small area, including the Metropolitan and the New Gallery.
Another significant place is the memorial in memory of the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Of the unusual museums, spy museums are worth noting: one is dedicated to the KGB, the second - to all the intelligence services of the planet and is more entertaining. Film fans will definitely not pass by the American Museum of Natural History - a natural setting for the painting "Night at the Museum".
The most interesting museums in New York
List, photos with names and descriptions of museums worth visiting.
Metropolitan Museum
Even those who have never been to New York know about this museum. Its history began in 1870 with the initiative of patrons who decided to create an art gallery. More than 2 million works of art are stored in the architectural complex on 5th Avenue. An important part of the museum is occupied by the Costume Institute. Every year, under his patronage, the Met Gala is held - a show where celebrities show off shocking outfits on specific topics.
Address: 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York
Website: metmuseum.org
American Museum of Natural History
The museum building is located opposite the Central Park. There are exhibits from all over the world, from Egyptian mummies to Native American weapons and costumes, from huge dinosaur skeletons to rare precious metals. The local library shelves contain 450,000 books on natural history and related sciences. A planetarium and a cinema are also available to visitors. Movie fans know this attraction from the comedy Night at the Museum.
Address: 79th Street Central Park West, New York
Website: amnh.org
National 9/11 Memorial and Museum
The attack on the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001 changed a lot not only in New York, but also in the world. The authorities did not build up the site of the tragedy: when the rubble was cleared, the territory was turned into a memorial complex in memory of the victims of the terrorist attack. The complex is built below ground level. Trees were planted next to the two monuments-pools, and under them a museum was opened in 2014. The project cost exceeded half a billion dollars.
Address: 180 Greenwich Street, New York
Website: 911memorial.org
Modern Art Museum
Opened in Manhattan in 1928. The museum exhibits include samples of different styles and genres of contemporary art from the beginning of the last century to the present day. It was originally planned that the masterpieces and MoMA, after a certain time, would become the property of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. However, later the contract was broken so as not to break up the collections that had developed over the decades.
Address: 11 West 53 Street, Manhattan, New York
Website: moma.org
Solomon Guggenheim Museum
Another contemporary art museum is located on the 5th Avenue. Everything in it is unusual, starting with a futuristic building. The exhibits are dated from the end of the nineteenth century to the present day. Visitors are invited to take the elevator to the last floor, and from there, passing through all the halls and levels, go to the exit. The museum got its name in honor of the gold miner, who stood at its origins.
Address: 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York
Website: guggenheim.org
Frick Collection
The Art Museum, founded by Henry Clay Frick, is a unique collection of Western European painting. The collection is housed in a private mansion, but anyone can get access to it. Among the exhibits there are originals of Chardin, Vermeer, Titian, Rembrandt, El Greco. There is a souvenir shop nearby, selling both small items with paraphernalia and reproductions.
Address: 1 East 70th Street, New York
Website: frick.org
Morgan Library and Museum
Tycoon John Morgan collected rare books, manuscripts, valuable autographs and manuscripts all his life. In 1906, a separate building was built for the collection. Some of the exhibits had to be sold due to the difficult economic situation in the country in the 30s of the last century. Access to the museum was opened to the public after the death of the founder. In the 2000s, the facade and roof of the library were significantly updated, giving them a more modern look.
Address: 225 Madison Avenue, New York
Website: themorgan.org
Rubin Art Museum
The central theme of this collection is the art of the Himalayas and neighboring regions. The premises for the museum were chosen for the former "Barney" store. The building was reconstructed and given the features of the Buddhist style, but historically important details have also been preserved. In addition to paintings, figurines and sculptures, the museum offers to get acquainted with textile products. It has a cafe serving exotic and ethnic dishes.
Address: 150 West 17th Street, New York
Website: rubinmuseum.org
Gulliver's Gate
In 2017, Times Square has its own cozy mini-world. More than 300 miniatures have been created on the impressive square. They copy world sights from a reduced form, or recreate iconic scenes. For example, the Egyptian pyramids and the Beatles with their famous zebra crossing may well be nearby. The authors pride themselves on the accuracy of their work and the attention to detail.
Address: 216 W 44th Street, New York
Website: gulliversgate.com
Madame Tussauds museum
The New York branch of the world's most famous wax museum is considered one of the best. It opened in central Manhattan in 2000. In addition to wax celebrities that can be seen in other cities, there is a separate hall dedicated to the Big Apple, as well as a room with horrors. Visitors are allowed to take photos and touch the sculptures within reason.
Address: 234 W. 42nd Street, New York
Website: madametussauds.com
KGB espionage museum
Oddly enough, the best exhibition about the KGB is not in the former USSR, but in New York. Exhibits - spy equipment, paraphernalia, rare photos. The offices of the committee members have been recreated; mannequins dressed in uniforms sit at the tables. An important component of the museum is the oppressive atmosphere that allows you to travel back in time. During the tour, historical information is given, although you can look around the premises yourself.
Address: 245 West 14th Street, New York
Website: kgbespionagemuseum.org
Cloisters
This museum can be called the younger brother of the Metropolitan. It is dedicated to medieval art objects - jewelry, manuscripts, statuettes of saints, sarcophagi, religious paraphernalia. The collection is located in a building on the site of a former monastery. The territory belongs to Fort Tryon Park, and the Hudson coast is just a stone's throw away. Since 1938, the Cloisters has been open to the public on an ongoing basis.
Address: 99 Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort Tryon Park, New York
Website: metmuseum.org
Museum of Sea, Air and Space "Intrepid"
In 1982, the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid (CV-11) docked at pier 86 on the Hudson. He gave the name to the museum, which contains ships, aircraft of different generations and countries, as well as the space training shuttle previously used by NASA. Visitors have access to the technical rooms of the decommissioned ship. Several simulators are running, allowing you to feel like a pilot or captain.
Address: 12th Avenue & 46th Street Pier 86, New York
Website: intrepidmuseum.org
Museum of the City of New York
Writer Henry Collins Brown was keen to preserve the history of the city for posterity. In 1923 he founded a museum like a local history museum. 7 years later, a special building was built for the collection. This architectural complex was later recognized as a full-fledged landmark of New York. In the middle of the 2000s, reconstruction was carried out: new exhibition areas and premises for scientific research were added.
Address: 1220 5th Ave at 103rd Street, New York
Website: mcny.org
New gallery
One of the museums of the so-called New York Museum Mile. In the history of the New Gallery, opened in 1968, there was one move. The current building made it possible to conveniently distribute the collection across floors. The first level is reserved for Austrian art, the second for German art. The predominant period of the creation of the paintings stored here is the beginning of the 20th century.The price of a number of paintings exceeds $ 100 million.
Address: 1048 Fifth Avenue, New York
Website: neuegalerie.org
Brooklyn museum
Museum of Art from the United States National Register of Historic Places. The snow-white building with columns, stucco molding and a portico is an attraction in itself. Wide geographic coverage is an important feature of the collection. On an area of 5 thousand square meters, exhibits covering 3 millennia of human history are presented. The Egyptian department and exhibitions on African themes stand out against the general background.
Address: 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York
Website: brooklynmuseum.org
Cooper Hewitt Design Museum
It is one of the attractions of the Museum Mile. In the museum's archives, you can study the history of design from the inception of the concept and the industry as a whole to the present day. Anyone can get access to the library. But inspection of some collections is available only by prior arrangement. The total number of exhibits has long exceeded 250 thousand, and there is no practical opportunity to exhibit everything.
Address: 2 East 91st Street, New York
Website: cooperhewitt.org
Whitney Museum of American Art
Gertrude Whitney visited Europe at the beginning of the 20th century, after which she became interested in art. She took lessons from Rodin and became a successful sculptor herself. In parallel with this, the wealthy heiress collected the works of American masters and supported young artists. Her collection became a full-fledged museum and moved to a new building in Manhattan. Among other things, the Whitney Biennale is held there every couple of years.
Address: 99 Gansevoort Street, New York
Website: whitney.org
Merchant House Museum
The family of a local merchant bought land in the suburbs in 1835. New York gradually expanded, so their mansion eventually became part of Manhattan. Three floors, a large basement and an attic have preserved the atmosphere of the middle of the century before last. The last heiress of Siburi Treadwell died in 1933. Her distant relative decided to “preserve” the house, and a couple of years later he opened its doors as a museum.
Address: 29 East Fourth Street, New York
Website: merchantshouse.org
Lower East Side Housing Museum
New York treats migrants in a special way and promotes tolerance. The renovated tenement apartments tell the story of the settlers since the second half of the century before last. All kinds of shops work right there, also emphasize the way of the area. It is believed that people from more than 20 countries of the world managed to live in two adjacent houses. And in total there were about 15 thousand guests.
Address: 103 Orchard Street, New York
Website: tenement.org
Museum of Art and Design
The initiative to create the museum belongs to Eileen Osborne Webb. Since 1950, she has been collecting items that tell about global trends and design history from different countries. The sight was renamed more than once, and the exposition was transported until in our century it settled on the current place of registration. Side by side with exhibition halls in the building designed by architect Brad Cloepfil, there are lecture halls for seminars.
Address: 2 Columbus Circle, New York
Website: madmuseum.org
Immigration Museum
Ellis Island was a transit point for tens of thousands of migrants of the past before entering the mainland of the United States. The reception center was closed in 1954. Two decades later, it was reformed into a museum. The walls of the complex tell the story of many descendants of today's Americans. For those who are not interested in a visit, but want to see the island, a free ferry is in charge.
Address: 1 Ellis Island, New York
Website: libertyellisfoundation.org
Gagosian Gallery
Larry Gagosian is one of the best art dealers in the world. He represents the interests of many contemporary artists and opens exhibitions in various countries. The New York Gallery is a kind of headquarters. The best works are presented here, meetings with authors and public events are arranged. Off-site exhibitions are also frequent, for which there is always a place if the canvases interest the owner.
Address: 980 Madison Avenue, New York
Site: gagosian.com
New York City Transportation Museum
The Court Street subway station operated for only 10 years until 1936. It was closed due to lack of demand, and in the mid-70s it was transformed into a transport museum. Buses, carriages, advertising posters, maps, models of bridges and tunnels, a control room - all these exhibits are located both on the platforms and at the mezzanine level. In its thematic niche, the museum is one of the largest in the world.
Address: 99 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn, New York
Website: nytransitmuseum.org
New York Historical Society
The oldest museum in the city. It covers the history of the last 300 years. Visitors can access not only photographs and rare things, but also multimedia installations. One of the sections was created especially for children. In 2011, the museum was reconstructed. Not only the building has changed, but the interior design. For example, touch screens have appeared that "come to life" when people pass by.
Address: 170 Central Park West, New York
Website: nyhistory.org
Espionage museum
Before creating the museum, its founders consulted with real FBI and CIA agents. An area of 5 thousand square meters in a Manhattan skyscraper was allocated for the exposition. The tour includes a role-playing game where each visitor is given a specialization, for example, a hacker or an analyst. The functions of the players are distributed in accordance with this. The decor is designed in a simple style with the use of advanced technologies.
Address: 928 8th Ave, New York
Site: spyscape.com
Francis Tavern Museum
The corner building, seemingly inconspicuous, is fraught with many stories. The tavern was built before the American Revolution. However, it has been burned and rebuilt more than once, so it is very different from the original. Negotiations were held here, first the army headquarters were quartered, and then the ministries. The interior is now reminiscent of the past, from the decoration of the hall to the beer served according to old recipes.
Address: 54 Pearl Street, 2nd Floor, New York
Website: frauncestavernmuseum.org
House Museum where Theodore Roosevelt was born
The childhood of the 26th President of the United States passed in this place. The original house was demolished in 1916 and the area was given over to commercial development. Several years later, after Roosevelt's death, his ancestral home was rebuilt and turned into a museum. The exposition consists of rare furniture, personal belongings and interior design features typical for that time. Broadway is nearby.
Address: 28 East 20th Street, New York
Website: nps.gov
Museum of the moving image
The abstract name hides familiar concepts: cinema, video, television, computer games. The museum has occupied the building of a former film studio since 1988. For almost 4 years, until 2011, its reconstruction took place. This made it possible to double the exhibition area. The rare tapes of the Marx brothers are of particular value. Gamers are interested in the other side of the collection - equipment for video games.
Address: 36-01 35th Ave, New York
Website: movingimage.us
National Museum of Mathematics
Organized by a group of activists in 2011, because the country's only state museum of mathematics was previously closed. Visitors will find entertainment for all tastes: riding bicycles with square wheels, solving puzzles, games, both interactive and ordinary. Although most of the exhibits are aimed at children, adults are quickly forgotten and plunge headlong into the playful atmosphere.
Address: 11 East 26th Street, New York
Website: momath.org
National Museum of the American Indian
It is under the patronage of the Smithsonian Institution and consists of three branches in different cities. New York is officially called the George Gustav Hay Foundation. The founder has been collecting exhibits related to the history of Native Americans, as well as Indians from South America, for 54 years. More than 800 thousand exhibits and tens of thousands of photographs have been available to the public since 1922.
Address: 1 Bowling Grn, New York
Website: americanindian.si.edu
Museum of American Finance
It's hard to imagine that a museum with that name could be located in New York somewhere other than Wall Street. However, it was originally opened on Broadway in 1988, and then moved to its current premises. Among the exhibits, visitors most often remember bonds signed by presidents or famous people, gold bars, Indian money and a banknote of 10 thousand dollars.
Address: 48 Wall Street, New York
Website: moaf.org
Museum N. Roerich
The oldest of the museums in the world, where the works of Nicholas Roerich are collected. The artist's first exhibition was held in New York in the 1920s. He also tried to create an art institute, but the economic situation in the country failed. However, the masters remembered, as well as his efforts. Therefore, in 1949, the Roerich Museum was opened in Manhattan. At the moment, the exposition consists of more than 200 paintings.
Address: 319 West 107th Street, New York
Website: roerich.org
Museum of Sex
Since 2002, the Museum of Sex has been operating on 5th Avenue. Its name is abbreviated as "MoSex". Thanks to the exhibits, one can trace the history of attitudes towards intimate life in society: from puritanical sentiments to complete openness. This place is also a sex education center. Seminars and lectures are held on its basis. Minors are not allowed to enter.
Address: 233 5th Ave, New York
Website: museumofsex.com
Hayden Planetarium
Founded in 1935. At the beginning of the 2000s, there was a reconstruction. Pluto was removed from the design at the same time, which is no longer considered a planet. There is a huge sphere inside the building. The complex is divided into halls, each with its own unique program. For example, a simulation of the Big Bang or a walk along the Space Trail. The planetarium gained additional fame with the arrival of Neil Tyson, an astrophysicist and popularizer of science, as its head.
Address: 200 Central Park West, New York
Website: amnh.org
