Museums & Art

Not sure which museum to choose? Start with our NYC museum comparison: interests, family budgets and free-admission rules.
An Egyptian temple, an aircraft carrier or a street full of murals: choose the New York art and museum experience that makes you curious.

Start with your interests. Choose The Met for art across centuries, MoMA for modern art, the Guggenheim for its architecture and exhibitions, or the Whitney for American art. Prefer an intimate setting? Compare the Frick, Morgan and Cloisters.

With curious children. Follow dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum, planes at Intrepid, subway cars at the Transit Museum, or play at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. Compare ages, access and costs in each guide; one main museum is usually enough for a day.

Jewish stories, different perspectives. The Jewish Museum focuses on art and culture; the Museum of Jewish Heritage gives Holocaust history a dedicated visit. The Tenement Museum explores immigration through neighborhood homes.

Let the neighborhood join the visit. Discover museums and waterfront parks in Astoria, Studio Museum and cultural history in Harlem, or outdoor murals on a Bushwick street-art walk.

Browse the guides below for more choices, including science, theater and photography experiences. Leave room for a break and kosher food. For a Shabbat-observant trip, plan paid museum visits on weekdays and leave Friday travel comfortably clear of candle lighting.