4 Favorite Places For Art and Culture In New York City

There are many things to do and see in the Big Apple, including the usual attractions like Times Square,  Central Park,  and the Statue of Liberty.  However, with over 55 million annual visitors, it’s obvious the city that never sleeps has much more to offer.  New York City is a fabulous destination for art and culture lovers too. 

Updated 2022

The Metropolitan Museum Of Art

For art and culture lovers a visit to  The Met (as it is referred to locally), tops the agenda. The largest art museum in the United States and the fourth largest in the world, the Met’s collection includes over 400,000 works of art spread throughout 633,100 square feet. Be sure to wear your most comfortable walking shoes.

With such a vast collection,  you may want to peruse the suggested itineraries on the museum website to help you make the most of your time there. There are several unique itineraries, as well as tours covering the museum’s most popular collections. Free guided tours are also offered.

From the website:

“The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s earliest roots date back to 1866 in Paris, France, when a group of Americans agreed to create a “national institution and gallery of art” to bring art and art education to the American people.” Clearly, the met has met its goal.

The museum is open from 10 am to 5:30 pm, Sunday through Thursday. Friday and Saturday the museum is open until 9:00 pm.

If you have time you can also visit the Cloisters, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum devoted to Medieval art and architecture, located in northern Manhattan.

For more details, Metmuseum.org

 

The Morgan Library And Museum

Originally the personal library of multimillionaire J.P. Morgan, the extensive collection found here features an original Shakespeare folio, three Gutenberg Bibles, and an autographed copy of a Mozart symphony. Various antiquities line the halls. The museum is a short walk from Penn Station or Grand Central Station.

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday and the hours vary. Tuesday through Sunday there’s a free highlight of the museum tour. Free admission is always a selling point in a venue and this museum is happy to oblige with a complimentary entrance on Friday nights from 5 to 7 pm but you’ll need to book that in advance.

Details at TheMorgan.org

 

 

The High Line.

While it isn’t yet as famous as Central Park, this elevated rail line was recently converted into a public park and exhibition space that showcases over 500 trees and plants. It also has excellent views of the surrounding city. The plants found here typically start blooming in January and stay lush and green until the middle of November. The High Line is free to the public.

Park hours are, 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. December to March. In April the park hours are extended as the weather is warmer and there are more hours of daylight.  To avoid crowds, it is best to visit this park during the middle of the week.

Will your travel to New York City include a visit to the beautiful Hudson Valley? It’s only an hour’s train ride on Amtrak.

Staten Island Ferry.

Visitors to New York City making the obligatory pilgrimage to see the Statue of Liberty, will no doubt board this complimentary ferry to Staten Island. Even for travelers that don’t plan to tour the statue’s interior, the ferry ride is still worth checking out for the excellent city views it offers. If you take the ferry only for the views and not to visit Lady Liberty, you will have to exit the boat when it docks at Staten Island and immediately get in the line to re-board.

The Staten Island Ferry has been a municipal service since 1905 and currently carries over 21 million passengers annually on the five-and-a-half-mile run. The journey takes about twenty-five minutes each way in good weather.

What are some of your favorite places to visit in New York? Please share in the comments section below.