With the large number of incredible museums and art galleries in the city, there are many outstanding places for contemporary art in NYC.
New York City is a wonderful city to visit for those that love contemporary art. From paintings to photography to unique art installations, the contemporary art you can see in the city is amazing. You can find works by both local and international artists in the city. Moreover, there are large museums with great contemporary art, but there are also small art galleries where you can admire contemporary works.
In this guide, you can find the best places for contemporary art in New York City.
Places for Contemporary Art in NYC
New Museum
The New Museum, or New Museum of Contemporary Art, is a museum that can be found on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
This museum is focused on showcasing art and ideas by emerging artists, and it is the only museum in Manhattan that is completely focused on contemporary art.
One can see interesting exhibitions by up-and-coming artists at the museum, and there is always something new to discover at the New Museum.
Moreover, the exhibitions that are held at the New Museum are very diverse in the types of art and other objects that are on display. For example, there might be exhibitions with posters, drawings, decorative arts, and other types of objects.
Furthermore, there are often events related to contemporary art at the New Museum which also makes it a perfect museum to check out when looking for places for contemporary art in NYC. For example, you can do tours and attend film screenings here.
Address: 235 Bowery, New York, NY 10002
Gagosian
Gagosian is a network of art galleries at various locations in the world, in total, there are 19 different locations. Many of the locations of Gagosian are located in New York City.
At Gagosian, you can see exhibitions of both modern and contemporary art that showcase art by certain artists or themes. These exhibitions are at the art gallery for a short time, such as a few months.
Many other types of events also take place at Gagosian. For example, there are sometimes panel discussions.
Two of the locations of Gagosian are located on Madison Avenue.
Address: 555 W 24th St, New York, NY 10011
Museum of Arts and Design
The Museum of Arts and Design, located in Manhattan, is a museum that is all about craft, art, and design. Because of this, you can see very diverse exhibitions at the museum.
At the museum, you can attend temporary exhibitions with lots of different types of art, craft, and design. For example, there might be an exhibition at the museum that focuses on fashion during a certain period of time.
Besides that, the Museum of Arts and Design has a permanent collection. This collection consists of drawings, goblets, and much more. It covers a period from the 1950s till the present day.
Also, what’s great is that you can do free docent tours at the museum, which take place two times a day.
Address: 2 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019
Pace Gallery
You can find lots of great contemporary art galleries in New York City, and one of the best galleries is the Pace Gallery.
This is an international art gallery where you can see art by some of the most famous contemporary artists from around the world. In addition to that, you can also find historic works at the gallery.
The gallery was founded in 1960 and holds both historical and contemporary exhibitions.
Besides exhibitions, the art gallery also displays public installations, organizes performances, and focuses on other programs.
Moreover, the gallery has 8 locations worldwide. This includes 2 locations in New York City, one in Palo Alto, one in London, and several others.
Address: 540 W 25th St, New York, NY 10001
Museum of Modern Art
One of the most iconic museums in New York City, the Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA for short, is a great place to see contemporary art in New York City.
This art museum is located on 53rd Street in Midtown Manhattan.
The museum has a large permanent collection that consists of very diverse contemporary art, which includes architecture, paintings, sculptures, design, film, and much more.
Moreover, the collection of the museum includes works by very famous artists from all around the world.
In addition to that, there are also temporary exhibitions that take place at the Museum of Modern Art. Some of the exhibitions focus on contemporary art, including contemporary photography, and are very interesting to see.
Address: 11 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Another very famous museum in New York City, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is the largest art museum in the country, also is a great place for contemporary art.
The museum has a very large collection of works of art from many periods in history, and art in all kinds of styles. In total, the museum’s collection spans a period of over 5,000 years.
A part of the collection consists of works of contemporary art.
Moreover, there are often temporary art exhibitions at The Met, which also include works of contemporary art.
This museum is great if you want to see contemporary art, but also want to discover historic art. Also, you can combine visiting this museum with exploring other things to do on the Upper East Side.
Address: 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
Fotografiska Museum
This next museum is a great museum to check out if you want to see contemporary photography when you are in New York City. You can go to the Fotografiska Museum in New York City, which is a museum dedicated to the best contemporary photography from all over the world.
In addition to that, the museum focuses on other contemporary art and culture.
The exhibitions that you can see at the museum are very good, and there are also many events that take place at the Fotografiska Museum. For example, there are concerts with contemporary music and the museum organizes film screenings.
Address: 281 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10010
Swiss Institute
The Swiss Institute, located in a former bank building in East Village, is an institute dedicated to the promotion of experimental and ‘forward-thinking’ international art. To achieve this, the institute organizes interesting exhibitions throughout the year.
These exhibitions showcase amazing works by the best emerging artists, and what’s great is that these exhibitions can be seen for free.
Moreover, the exhibitions showcase visual arts, design, and architecture, and in addition to that, one can also see performing arts at the Swiss Institute.
Furthermore, the institute organizes classes throughout the year.
Address: 38 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003
MoMA PS1
MoMA PS1 is an art institute that is affiliated with the Museum of Modern Art, which also appears on this list of places for contemporary art in NYC.
MoMA PS1 is dedicated to innovative ideas and experimental art.
You can often attend temporary art exhibitions at MoMA PS1. These exhibitions focus on art around a certain theme and are often solo exhibitions.
Besides that, MoMA PS1 often organizes other types of events such as concerts and talks.
You can find this institution in Queens on Jackson Avenue, and what’s great is that you can visit the museum for free if you are a New York resident.
Also, you can get free admission when you present a ticket to MoMA within 14 days.
Address: 22-25 Jackson Ave, Queens, NY 11101
Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts
The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts is another great place to check out if you want to see contemporary art in New York City.
This is a contemporary art museum that is located at 80 Hanson Place in Brooklyn.
The museum focuses on the diverse art and culture of the African diaspora. At the museum, you can often attend exhibitions that relate to the experiences of people of African descent.
Furthermore, other types of events take place at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Ars. For example, there are lectures and festivals that are held here.
Address: 80 Hanson Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11217
David Zwirner Gallery
The David Zwirner Gallery is an art gallery with various locations throughout the world. You can find 5 of the locations in New York City, and other cities where the gallery has locations include Paris, London, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong.
This is a contemporary art gallery where you can see works by more than 70 different artists.
What’s interesting is that the art exhibitions at the gallery consist of a variety of media and genres. Also, the gallery exhibits works of art by a large group of international artists.
David Zwirner Books also belongs to the gallery. This is a publishing arm of the gallery that publishes high-quality art publications with artist books, collected writings, and much more.
Address: 537 W 20th St, New York, NY 10011
Arcadia Contemporary
Arcadia Contemporary was founded in the year 2001 and is dedicated to exhibiting works by highly-skilled artists who use painting and drawing techniques to create art that focuses on the contemporary world.
Moreover, the gallery focuses on works of art by a diverse group of international artists.
The art at the gallery is very beautiful and interesting to see when you are in New York City.
Address: 421 W Broadway, New York, NY 10012
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is another great museum to visit when you are in New York City and want to see contemporary art.
The Guggenheim, as it is commonly called, is an art museum that is located on the Upper East Side.
This museum focuses on both modern and contemporary art and has an impressive collection, which includes works by famous artists from all around the world.
In addition to that, lots of temporary exhibitions take place at The Guggenheim. These exhibitions focus on sculptures, prints, drawings, paintings, and many other types of art.
What’s also amazing about this museum is its building, which has a unique style and was designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
Address: 1071 5th Ave, New York, NY 10128
Perrotin New York
Perrotin is also great to check out when looking for places for contemporary art in New York City. This is a contemporary art gallery that was founded in Paris in 1990. The contemporary art gallery has several locations worldwide. This includes locations in Tokyo, Shanghai, Paris, and New York City.
The art gallery in New York City, which is located at 130 Orchard Street, organizes temporary art exhibitions throughout the year that focus on specific artists or themes. The exhibition space is a beautiful place that is minimalistic and quiet
In addition to that, the Perrotin Store in New York City can be great to visit. At this store, you can buy stunning books, prints, posters, and other types of objects.
Address: 130 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002
Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney Museum of American Art is a museum that is dedicated to works of American art from the 20th and 21st centuries.
The museum has a permanent collection that is very diverse and consists of thousands of drawings, paintings, prints, photographs, and much more. The collection also includes new media objects.
In addition to that, the museum has exhibitions of contemporary art that are on display for a limited amount of time.
The Whitney also showcases interesting public art installations outside of the building of The Whitney. If you want to see where you can find these public art installations, you can check out the website of the museum.
Address: 99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014
Eden Gallery
The Eden Gallery is another great spot for seeing contemporary art in New York City. This is an international contemporary art gallery that has multiple locations in cities around the world. For example, you can find locations of the art gallery in London, Mykonos, Miami, Aspen, and New York City.
The gallery was founded in 1997 and ever since the gallery showcases incredible art by a group of international artists.
In addition to that, the gallery organizes interesting events with temporary displays.
Address: 470 Broome St, New York, NY 10013
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If you want to have a great time and see a lot of contemporary art, I recommend choosing a few of the places for contemporary art in New York City on this list and checking them out on the same day.
Also, for a great experience, you can check out the websites of the galleries and museums on this list. Many often organize interesting events that you can attend, so I recommend finding out if there’s an event when you are visiting New York City.
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As you see, there are many great places for contemporary art in NYC. I hope I helped you find a museum or art gallery you want to visit!