New York City is an incredible city to visit and one of the reasons for that is that there are amazing museums in NYC.
What’s great about the city is that there are so many kinds of museums. You can visit a museum and see art or learn about history. But you can also go to a museum and learn about Broadway, learn about Mathematics, or see rooms with illusions.
Because of that, there is definitely a great museum in the city for you! But at the same time, it may be hard to choose which one you want to go to. To help you decide, I made this guide with the best museums in New York City that you should definitely check out!
Best Museums in NYC
The Museum of Modern Art
You can go to the Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA for short.
This is one of the best museums in the world and it houses a very large collection of works of art.
Also, the collection of the museum is very diverse in art types. For example, you can see paintings, photographs, prints, and many other types of items here.
Some of the artists whose works are on display at the museum include Francis Bacon, Paul Cézanne, Van Gogh, Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, and Willem de Kooning.
If you like a particular style of modern art, you’ll definitely find it at this museum.
Furthermore, there are often temporary exhibitions at the museum.
Address: 11 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Another amazing museum that you can find in New York City is The Metropolitan Museum of Art or The Met for short.
This is one of the most-visited art museums in the world and the museum has one of the largest permanent collections of works in the world.
In total, there are more than 2 million objects in the collection of The Met.
What’s great is that you can find works of art here from many periods in time. For example, you can go here and see objects that are from ancient Egypt but also works that are more modern.
Also, there are works here from all over the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia, and America.
Address: 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is an art museum that is great to check out as well.
This museum has a collection of modern and contemporary art.
For example, you can go here to see Impressionist works of art that are very beautiful.
Also, there are many very famous works at the museum by world-famous artists.
What’s great about this place as well is the building in which you can find the museum. This is a circular building that is very modern and it was designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
This is also one of the best museums on the Upper East Side.
Address: 1071 5th Ave, New York, NY 10128
Hoboken Historical Museum
The Hoboken Historical Museum is another very good museum in NYC.
This is a museum that is all about the city of Hoboken, which you can find very close to NYC.
At the museum, you can learn about the city’s history, architecture, culture, and much more.
Furthermore, you can learn about the stories of the residents of Hoboken, which can be very interesting to do.
If you want to visit a place where you can learn about local history, this is the perfect place for that.
Address: 1301 Hudson St, Hoboken, NJ 07030
9/11 Memorial & Museum
One of the most impressive ones on this list of museums in NYC is the 9/11 Memorial.
This is a museum where you can learn about what happened on September 11, 2001, the attack that killed close to 3,000 people.
You can find this place at the former location of the Twin Towers.
At the museum, you can find a lot of different objects that together tell the story of the attacks and the people who died during the attacks.
The memorial that you can find here includes the names of all the victims who were killed during the attacks on 9/11 and during the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993.
Going to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum is also one of the best things to do in the Financial District.
Address: 180 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10007
South Street Seaport Museum
Another one of the city’s best museums is the South Street Seaport Museum.
You can find this museum at the South Street Seaport, which is a historic part of Manhattan. In the past, you could find very important piers at this place and a lot of trade took place here.
At the museum, you can learn about the history of the seaport. And you can learn about the people that worked here in the past.
Address: 12 Fulton St, New York, NY 10038
Museum of Chinese in America
The Museum of Chinese in America is another very interesting museum that you can go to when you are in the city.
This is a museum where you can learn about the Chinese American identity and history.
At this place, you can learn about the lives of Chinese Americans through a variety of interesting exhibitions. Also, you can learn about the history of Chinese Americans at this place.
You can find the museum in Chinatown in Manhattan, and the museum covers a period of 160 years of history. Visiting the Museum of Chinese in America is one of the best things to do in Chinatown.
There are permanent exhibitions that are very interesting and that focus on a particular subject.
Also, there are temporary exhibitions that all focus on very specific aspects of Chinese Americans.
Address: 215 Centre St, New York, NY 10013
New Museum
The New Museum is a museum that you can find in Manhattan. This museum is one of the best places for contemporary art in NYC.
At the museum, you can learn about all kinds of new art styles.
It is a non-collecting museum where you can often see great exhibitions of art.
The exhibitions that you can see here showcase art by emerging artists from all around the world. For example, you can see exhibitions of art by European emerging artists at this place.
In the past, many now-famous artists showed their art here.
When you are visiting NYC and want to discover great new art, this is the best place to go for that.
Address: 235 Bowery, New York, NY 10002
New York Transit Museum
Public transportation plays an important role in New York City. That’s why it can be very interesting and fun to learn about public transportation in the New York City metro area.
You can go to the New York Transit Museum for this. This is one of the best museums in Brooklyn.
At this museum, you can learn about the bus, the subway, and other types of public transport of the present day and the past.
You can find the museum inside a former subway station and you can find a lot of different exhibits here.
These exhibits include memorabilia related to the subway, railway, bus, and more things. Furthermore, the objects that you can see here sometimes change.
Also, there is a platform where you can see historic subway cars and equipment, which is very interesting to see.
Address: 99 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Rubin Museum of Art
One of the best NYC museums for art lovers is the Rubin Museum of Art.
At this museum, you can learn about art from the Himalayan region. Also, you can find art here from regions that lie close to the Himalayas.
The museum’s collection includes a variety of works.
For example, you can see paintings, photographs, sculptures, and other objects here. Through these objects, you can learn about the regions’ cultures, and history.
Also, there are sometimes events at the museum that you can go to. These events all relate to the museum’s collection in some way.
Address: 150 W 17th St, New York, NY 10011
Liberty Science Center
Want to learn about science when you are in New York City? Then, the Liberty Science Center is worth checking out for sure.
You can find this science center a bit outside of the city in Liberty State Park.
At the science center, there are a lot of interactive exhibitions.
Each exhibition focuses on a very specific part of science.
For example, there is one permanent exhibition that relates to skyscrapers and the construction of them.
Also, there is an exhibition that is all about communication via various mediums.
Furthermore, there is a planetarium where you can see interesting films about the universe.
What’s great too is that the museum is often home to traveling exhibitions from other institutions.
Address: 222 Jersey City Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 07305
Museum of Jewish Heritage
The Museum of Jewish Heritage is yet another very interesting and impressive museum that you can visit whenever you are in New York City.
This is a museum dedicated to the Holocaust and it also serves as a memorial to the people that were murdered in the Holocaust.
At this place, you can learn about Jewish people who lived in the 20th and 21st centuries. This includes life before and after the Holocaust. Also, you can learn about what life was like during the Holocaust.
There are more than 25,000 objects that relate to Jewish heritage and the Holocaust at this museum.
And you can see these objects through many different permanent exhibitions. Each exhibition focuses on a specific subject. For example, there is one exhibition about Auschwitz.
Visiting the Museum of Jewish Heritage is one of the best things to do in Battery Park City.
Address: 36 Battery Pl, New York, NY 10280
Asia Society and Museum
The Asia Society Museum is a museum that you can find in Manhattan, NYC.
At this place, you can find a collection of Asian art, which is very interesting to see.
The museum has all kinds of exhibitions where you can see objects from the region of Asia. For example, you can go here to see Chinese paintings, Japanese works of art, and much more. You can find objects here from many different countries, which makes the museum’s collection very diverse.
Besides exhibitions of works, you can also go to events at the museum. For example, you can see performances at the museum and there are film screenings as well. All of these events relate to Asia in some way.
Address: 725 Park Ave, New York, NY 10021
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is a museum where you can learn about military and maritime history.
You can find this museum on the Hudson River in Hell’s Kitchen.
The collection of the museum includes various ships. For example, you can find an aircraft carrier at this museum.
Also, there is a submarine, a supersonic plane, and one of the Space Shuttles.
Besides that, you can find a lot of other objects here that relate to the military.
For example, you can see flags here, and many other items.
Also, there are often events at the museum that can be very interesting to attend.
Address: W 46th St, New York, NY 10036
Museum at Eldridge Street
The Museum at Eldridge Street is another interesting museum New York City.
You can find this museum inside the Eldridge Street Synagogue, which is a historic synagogue that was built in the year 1887.
It is a very beautiful building that you can find in Chinatown and it is a National Historic Landmark.
The synagogue is one of the first of its kind in the United States of America.
The building has a lot of beautiful design elements that make visiting the synagogue a very special experience.
Address: 12 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002
The Morgan Library & Museum
The Morgan Library & Museum is a very nice museum that you can find in the Murray Hill neighborhood.
The collection of this place makes it a very special place to visit.
Although the museum is a very small one, its collection includes many very important items.
For example, you can find a lot of very important manuscripts at this place.
Also, you can see historical letters here, original poems, handwritten edits by Charles Dickens, and much more.
Furthermore, there are a lot of rare books and drawings at this place. For example, you can find drawings here by Picasso, Rembrandt, and many others.
Also, the museum’s collection includes works of art, including objects from Ancient Egypt, which is very special.
Address: 225 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016
Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration
Immigration played an important role in the history of New York City, so it can be very interesting to learn about immigration when you are in the city.
You can go to the National Immigration Museum on Ellis Island.
This is a museum that you can find at Ellis Island and it is one of the most popular museums in NYC as millions of people visit the place per year.
You can find this museum inside a former immigration complex.
At this museum, you can learn about the story of American immigration through exhibits with very interesting objects related to it.
For example, you can find photographs, historic records, and many other objects here. Together, these objects tell the history of immigration in NYC.
Whitney Museum of American Art
One of the best art museums in Manhattan is the Whitney Museum of American Art.
This is a museum that you can find in West Village, Manhattan.
The museum dates back to the year 1930 and at this place, you can see a great collection of American art from the 20th and 21st centuries.
What’s interesting is that the collection of this museum is very diverse.
For example, you can find drawings, prints, films, drawings, sculptures, and many other objects here.
Furthermore, what’s rather unique for a museum is that it focuses on works by living artists as well.
Also, what’s great is that there are exhibitions of art during which you can see works by emerging artists at this place.
Address: 99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014
Brooklyn Museum
Here’s one of the best museums in Brooklyn! You can go to the Brooklyn Museum.
This is one of the largest museums in NYC and at this place, you can find a great art collection that consists of more than 450,000 works.
The museum’s collection includes many different objects from all around the world and from many different periods in time.
For example, you can find a significant collection of American Art at the museum. This collection includes a large period in history.
Also, you can find a lot of great works from Europe, Oceania, Japan, and Africa at the museum.
And you can find very interesting objects from Ancient Egypt at this place as well.
Some of the artists whose work you can see here include Max Weber and Edgar Degas.
Also, what’s great is that you can find an interesting sculpture garden at the museum.
Address: 200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11238
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History is one of the highlights of the city in terms of the museums of the city.
This is a museum with a very interesting collection that you can visit almost every day of the year.
At the museum, you can find a collection of more than 30 million specimens. These are specimens of fossils, human remains, rocks, and many other things that relate to the planet.
Furthermore, the museum is very large and has more than 40 different permanent exhibition halls.
Each hall covers a different aspect of science.
For example, there is one hall where you can learn about animals that live and have lived in Africa.
Also, there is a hall where you can learn about the birds of the world.
And there are many more halls where you can learn new things.
Address: 200 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024
The Drawing Center
The Drawing Center is yet another great museum in NYC.
This is a museum where you can see great exhibitions of drawings. And what’s great is that the drawings that you can see here are both historical and contemporary ones.
Throughout the year, you can see great exhibitions at the center, so there’s often something new to discover at the center.
Moreover, you can go here to see works by emerging artists, as well as by well-known artists.
Also, what’s great is that many events take place at the center. For example, you can often attend film screenings here and there are talks by artists as well.
Furthermore, you can go here for great performing arts shows.
Address: 35 Wooster St, New York, NY 10013
Madame Tussauds New York
Madame Tussauds New York is one of the most fun museums to visit in the city.
At this museum, you can find a collection of wax sculptures.
These are wax sculptures of celebrities and other famous historic figures.
For example, you can see sculptures of famous talk show hosts at this place.
Also, there are wax sculptures of models at this place.
And Madame Tussauds also has a collection of wax sculptures of former presidents.
Besides that, you can see sculptures of fictional characters. For example, there are sculptures of superheroes.
Address: 234 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036
Museum of Broadway
Broadway, one of the most iconic places in New York City, is an interesting place.
It is an area in the city where you can enjoy many very good musicals.
If you want to learn about Broadway, you can go to the Museum of Broadway.
This is a very interesting and interactive museum where you can learn about the history of Broadway.
Furthermore, through the various exhibits of the museum, you can get a behind-the-scenes look at this famous place.
In total, this museum covers a period of 300 years, which makes the museum very interesting. The collection of the museum includes costumes and props from a huge number of Broadway productions. So if you have ever seen a Broadway show, there is a large probability that you can see items from it at this museum.
Address: 145 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036
Museum of Illusions
The Museum of Illusions New York is yet another very fun museum that you can find in the city.
This place consists of many different rooms that all contain fun and interesting illusions.
For example, you could go to a room where you appear very small while a friend looks very tall.
Also, there are rooms where it appears you are flying and there are rooms where you can stand on the ceiling.
Each room is a lot of fun and great to check out.
Moreover, each room is perfect if you want to leave this place with very fun photos.
Address: 77 8th Ave, New York, NY 10014
National Museum of Mathematics
If you want to learn about Mathematics, this is the museum to visit in NYC for you.
You can go to the National Museum of Mathematics, which is located in Manhattan.
The museum is completely dedicated to mathematics and a lot of things that relate to that.
You can find a variety of interactive exhibits at this museum. You can interact with these exhibits and learn about math in a fun way through that.
Also, there are interesting events that take place at the museum.
For example, there is a speaker series during which you can attend a lecture and learn new things.
Another unique thing that you can do at the museum is ride a tricycle with squared wheels. This is a fun experience and by doing it you can learn about math at the same time.
Address: 11 E 26th St, New York, NY 10010
National Museum of the American Indian
The National Museum of the American Indian is a museum that you can find in the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House in Manhattan. Another name for this branch of the museum is the George Gustav Heye Center.
At this museum, you can find all kinds of exhibits of art that were made by Native Americans.
Also, you can find a lot of historic objects here that relate to Native Americans.
The museum was founded in the year 1922, and the museum has hundreds of different items.
The variety of items that you can find at this place allows you to learn about the culture and history of Native Americans in the United States.
Also, there are multimedia exhibitions at the museum that are very interesting and that let you learn even more about the subject.
Furthermore, there are often temporary exhibits at the museum that are interesting.
Address: 1 Bowling Green, New York, NY 10004
Spyscape
Another one of the best museums to check out when you are in New York City is Spyscape.
This is a very interactive place where you can feel like a spy.
At this place, you can do all kinds of spy experiences.
For example, you’ll learn to escape, you’ll learn to break codes, and you can do much more at this place.
Besides that, you can find a collection of real spy-related objects at this place. For example, you can see a spy plane camera here, there are enigma machines, and there is much more to see here.
So if you want to have a fun time and learn some new skills at the same time, this is a fun museum to check out when you are in the city.
Address: 928 8th Ave, New York, NY 10019
Tenement Museum
Here’s another museum where you can learn about immigration in NYC.
You can go to the Tenement Museum.
This is a museum where you can learn about working-class people who moved to New York City. To be more specific, it focuses on the people who moved from other parts of the USA and other countries to the city.
What’s great is that you can learn about ordinary people at this place, a topic that other museums often do not cover.
At this place, you can see historic hallways, kitchens, and a variety of other places. Through these places and the exhibits that you can find here, you can learn a lot about these working-class people.
Also, what’s great is that the museum has public programs and a variety of other events that you can attend to learn even more.
Address: 103 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002
Fotografiska Museum
Here’s one of the best museums in New York City if you like photography. You can go to Fotografiska NYC, which is an interesting museum of photography. This is a museum that you can find in Gramercy Park, in Manhattan.
At this museum, you can see great exhibitions of the best photography from all around the world.
Each exhibition at this place focuses on a specific theme or a specific artist. Also, each exhibition is very special to experience as it is very immersive.
Also, there are interesting photo-related events that you can attend at Fotografiska New York.
Address: 281 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10010
The Frick Collection
Another highlight of the city, if you are a lover of art, is The Frick Collection.
This is a very nice museum in NYC where you can find very high-quality works of art that are from a large period of time.
For example, you can go here to see art from the Renaissance or paintings by Old Masters from Europe. But there are also very modern objects here.
Some of the artists whose work you can see here are Rembrandt, Titian, and Goya.
Moreover, the museum is located in a historic building, which makes the experience of going here even more special.
Address: 1 E 70th St, New York, NY 10021
The Skyscraper Museum
The Skyscraper Museum is a very niche museum that can be great to visit when you are in New York City, a city with a huge number of skyscrapers.
You can find this museum in lower Manhattan.
The Skyscraper Museum is a museum that is dedicated to architecture and was created in the year 1996.
At this museum, you can learn about all aspects of skyscrapers.
For example, you can learn about the technology to build them, the different designs of skyscrapers, what it is like to live in a skyscraper, and much more.
Also, what’s great is that you can learn about the history of the skyscraper at this place.
There are interesting permanent exhibitions at this place, and there are great temporary ones as well.
Address: 39 Battery Pl, New York, NY 10280
New York City Fire Museum
Here’s a museum that is about a very specific subject that can be very interesting to learn about.
You can go to the New York City Fire Museum.
This museum is completely focused on the fire department of the city.
At the museum, you can learn about the history of the fire department of the city from the year 1650 till the present day.
The exhibitions of the museum showcase all kinds of objects that relate to this.
For example, you can see old uniforms at this place.
Also, you can see tools, lanterns, helmets, and a variety of other objects at the museum.
There are several permanent exhibitions that all focus on a specific part of the fire department.
Address: 278 Spring St, New York, NY 10013
The Museum at FIT
The Museum at the Fashion Insitute of Technology is another great museum to visit when you are in the city
The Fashion Insitute of Technology is a college that is part of the State University of New York. This college is all about art, design, business, and technology which relates to the fashion industry.
At the museum of the institute, you can find interesting exhibitions that relate to fashion.
The objects that you can see here are objects from the permanent collection of the museum. This collection consists of about 50,000 items of clothing. And what’s great is that this includes historic pieces by some of the most important designers, such as Chanel and Dior.
Moreover, you can find all kinds of garments at this place, which means the museum’s collection is very diverse.
Address: 227 W 27th St, New York, NY 10001
American Folk Art Museum
The American Folk Art Museum is also one of the museums in NYC you should definitely check out.
This museum is all about folk art and art by self-taught artists. This is a very interesting type of art to learn about.
At the museum, you can find a collection of more than 8,000 objects that span a large period of time. You can see works of art from the 18th century till the present day at the museum.
Besides that, what’s great is that the museum’s collection covers works from both the United States of America and other countries.
Also, there are often interesting events at the museum that you can attend. For example, there are temporary exhibitions and educational events.
Address: 2 Lincoln Square, New York, NY 10023
ARTECHOUSE NYC
ARTECHOUSE NYC is a very fun museum that you can find on West 15th Street.
This is a museum that offers amazing immersive art experiences.
At ARTECHOUSE NYC, you can find a room where the floor and ceiling display beautiful digital works of art.
These works of art move around and are very colorful and what’s amazing is that you can see them all around you.
Because the works are all around you, you become part of the art, which is very spectacular.
Address: 439 W 15th St, New York, NY 10011
Merchant’s House Museum
The Merchant’s House Museum is a very interesting place to visit when you are in New York City and like to learn about history.
You can find this museum at East Fourth Street in Manhattan.
This is a historic house museum where you can learn about what life was like in the 19th century.
The house that you can find here dates back to the year 1832. At that time, a merchant from the city owned the house and lived there.
What’s great is that you can see old furniture and many other objects here.
The interior shows great Greek Revival design elements. And the outside of the home features another beautiful architectural style.
Although the house was renovated throughout the year, it is still an amazing place to learn about history.
Address: 29 E 4th St, New York, NY 10003
Neue Galerie New York
The Neue Galerie NY is a museum that you can find on Fifth Avenue.
it is a museum that you can find on the Museum Mile.
At this place, you can find an interesting collection of art and design by German and Austrian artists.
Moreover, the museum’s collection houses objects from the beginning of the 20th century.
You can find many rare works at the museum that are very interesting to see.
Besides that, the Neue Galerie NY often showcases temporary art exhibitions that are very interesting.
Also, you can find a cafe at the museum that has a historic interior. You can have a drink here when you are visiting the museum.
Address: 1048 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art
The Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art is a museum that is all about visual art created by LGTBQ+ artists. And you can also see art here with themes that relate to the LGBTQ+ community.
In total, the museum has a collection that consists of more than 20,000 different objects.
These objects are very diverse and include prints, paintings, photography, sculptures, and many other items. You can see a selection of this collection on display at the museum.
Besides seeing art, you can do much more at the museum.
For example, you can attend interesting talks, lectures, and many other events here.
Furthermore, in the past many famous LGBTQ+ artists showcased their art at the gallery.
Address: 26 Wooster St, New York, NY 10013
Museum of Arts and Design
The last museum on this list of incredible museums in New York City is the Museum of Arts and Design.
This is a museum that is based in Manhattan. At this museum, you can learn about craft, design, and art.
Moreover, the museum covers everything that relates to these topics. For example, you can learn about the materials and techniques used in these principles at the museum as well.
Furthermore, what’s great is that the museum covers both historical and contemporary works. So the collection is very diverse.
Also, what’s great is that there are often events at the museum that relate to art and design.
Address: 2 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019
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There are so many great museums in New York City to choose from and there may be many that you want to go to, but it may be difficult to decide which one you are going to visit next.
There are some things to consider. For example, you need to consider if you want to learn something new or if you want to go to one of the fun museums. Also, some museums are family-friendly so that’s important to consider if you’re in the city with kids. Furthermore, some museums are free so this can be great if you’re in the city on a budget!
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Thanks for reading my guide to the best museums in NYC! As you see, the city is home to many amazing museums you can go to.