Did you know there are more than 35,000 museums in the United States? Are you headed to a new city and want to visit a popular attraction or do you need a day date idea? Museums are a great place to start. I love to visit museums within each, you’ll gain a breadth of knowledge. Whether you’re out with family, friends, or a romantic partner visiting a museum is one of the best experiences. The best part is it can be an inexpensive experience. With so many options it can be hard to choose which one to see check out my list of museums that I’ve personally visited and suggest you must visit at least once.
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is the third largest museum in New York City. At the Brooklyn Museum, you can explore an extensive and comprehensive permanent collection that includes ancient Egyptian masterpieces, African art, European painting, decorative arts, period rooms. The museum is known for its First Saturdays which is currently on hold due to the pandemic. This past summer I had the chance to view the Brooklyn-based artist Kaws: What Party exhibit. While your in the area I encourage you to check out the Brooklyn Botanic Garden which is located right next door. There is currently a illuminated spectacular trail Lightscape for the holidays on view. More details can be found here.
Current ticketed exhibitions: Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams through February 20th 2022
Andy Warhol: Revelation though June 19th 2022
Whitney Museum of Art
The Whitney Museum of American Art is located in the Meatpacking District and West Village neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City. It is located steps away from the Hudson River and the Westside Highway. The Whitney is dedicated to presenting the work of 20th and 21st-century American artists. I finally had the chance to visit the Whitney this past summer and view the Dawoud Bey: An American Project exhibit. Bey chronicles communities and histories that have been largely unrepresented or even unseen, and his work lends renewed urgency to an enduring conversation about what it means to represent America with a camera. The other exhibit that caught my eye Making Knowing: Craft in Art, 1950–2019
I suggest visiting the museum towards the warmer months to take advantage of the outdoor terraces from the 5th to 8th floor and the rooftop Studio Bar where you can view the panorama of NY.
On Fridays from 7-10 pm the museum is Pay – What – You Wish.
Modern Art Museum of Forth Worth
The Modern Art Museum of Forth Worth which is also known as The Modern is one of the most popular and oldest museums in Texas. It is located in Fort Worth’s celebrated Cultural District, directly opposite the Kimbell Art Museum. The Modern consists of nearly 3,000 significant works of modern and contemporary international art. The architecture of the building is what caught my eye. The building has forty-foot-high transparent walls of glass framed in metal surrounding the concrete envelope, providing magnificent public circulation areas from which to view the surrounding building.
The Modern features 53,000 square feet of light-filled gallery space and landscaped grounds with outdoor sculptures, the museum features a reflecting pond, theater, education center, gift shop, and café.I had the pleasure of going back to Texas this past summer and I was blown away by how big The Modern was. My favorite piece was of course the Clean Slate bronze sculpture by KAWS, 2018 that looks out over the pond. (pictured below). The Seated III, 2019 sculpture was also a beautiful sight to see. This sculpture is also displayed at the NOLA sculpture garden.
The Museum offers half-price tickets on Sundays and free admission on Fridays.
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
The MoMa is located in the heart of midtown Manhattan it is the first museum devoted to the modern era. The varied collection offers an overview of modern and contemporary art along. MoMA’s collection includes painting, sculpture, drawings, prints, photography, film, architecture, and design. In addition to its many galleries, the museum has an outdoor gallery the sculpture garden, The Modern, Cafe 2, and the Terrace Cafe you can grab some food and drinks. There is also a Garden Bar in the Sculpture Garden. (Weather Permitting).
I got the chance to visit the MoMa last winter and to my luck, it was quite empty. I plan on going back in the next few weeks to view the Adam Pendelton: Who is Queen exhibition and the Automania exhibition. If you plan on visiting I suggest planning out your visit and reserving tickets for the early morning to maximize your visit.
The Museum of Modern Art provides free admission every Friday night from 5:30 pm – 9 pm.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the country’s oldest public art museums. The iconic museum is located in the city’s famous Benjamin Franklin Parkway. I got the chance to visit the museum a few weeks ago and I think this is the only museum on the east coast that gives The Met some competition. So much to see and so little time. I definitively suggest carving out at least two days to get through the museum.
The museum’s holdings encompass more than 240,000 works spanning 2,000 years, including pieces from the ancient world, medieval times, the Renaissance, the Impressionist movement, and the modern-day. On the same trip, visitors can check out paintings by Renoir, van Gogh, and Picasso; a collection of suits of armor; a one-acre outdoor sculpture garden; a complete 14th-century Buddhist temple. Be sure to stop by the infamous Rocky Statute and Rocky Steps located at the bottom of the stairs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art before you leave the area.
The museum is pay as you wish on the first Sunday of the month (10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.) and every Friday night (5:00–8:45 p.m.), pay whatever amount you’d like.
The museum also offers free admission for 4 adults with your PA ACCESS card or EBT card and photo ID.
The Getty Villa Museum
A few years ago while planning my birthday trip to California. My friend suggested I check out this beautiful museum. It is most definitely one of California’s hidden gems. The Getty Villa is at the easterly end of the Malibu coast in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The museum is at the intersection of Tuscany and Ancient Rome. It’s a one-of-a-kind destination offering ancient Greek and Roman art, tranquil gardens, and ocean breezes. There are approximately 44,000 works of art from the extensive collection of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities, of which over 1,200 are on view. One of my favorite parts of the museum is the reflection pool (pictured below). Admission to the museum is free but parking is $20.00.
If time allows I encourage you to check out The Getty Center. The Getty Museum at the Getty Center in Los Angeles houses European paintings, drawings, sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts, and photography from its beginnings to the present, gathered internationally. Unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to visit The Getty Museum but I plan to in the future along with The Broad.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Last but certainly not least the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art. This is the first museum that I’ve ever visited in NYC and it was for a class assignment. The Met is located located on the border of Central Park on Museum Mile. It is one of the largest and most comprehensive art museums in the world. This museum can be a bit overwhelming and because it’s always packed it’s my least favorite if were being honest. There are over 2 million pieces of art. My favorite exhibit is The Temple of Dendur. The Egyptian art collection includes over 26,000 items spanning 39 rooms. A reconstructed tomb of an Egyptian courtier, Perneb, is one of the most visually stunning parts of this collection.
Although it can be a little overwhelming at this museum I still suggest you visit at some point but during the week and early morning. One of my highlights of my most recent trip was the rooftop. The views overlooking central [ark are breathtaking.I highly suggest that you plan your visit beforehand and review the collections on the MET’s website before you go so that you can focus on the sections that really interest you.
For New York State residents and NY, NJ, and CT students, the amount you pay for your admission ticket is up to you. If you wish to pay less than the general admission ticket prices, you may purchase your ticket at one of The Met’s locations with a valid ID. Entry to the Museum is by timed ticket or reservation only and capacity is limited.
Is there any museum you’ve recently visited that you suggest I check out?
