10 Essential Museums to Explore in New York City

New York City truly lives up to its reputation as the Capital of the World, especially as a hub of culture. With over 170 museums in NYC, you'll find everything from exhibits on rural farm life (yes, it exists!) to groundbreaking, avant-garde art.

Whether you're eager to catch a planetarium show or want to spend hours exploring one of the largest art museums in the world, there's a museum for every type of visitor. Here are 10 essential museums you shouldn't miss in New York City.

1. The Museum of Modern Art

• Location: 11 W. 53rd St. | View on Google Maps
• Hours: Sunday–Thursday 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; Saturday 10:30 a.m.–7 p.m.
• Admission: $30 per person

Is any trip to New York City truly complete without experiencing the Museum of Modern Art? Situated in Midtown Manhattan, MoMA was the first museum in the city dedicated to modern art and has grown to become one of the largest and most renowned cultural institutions worldwide. With over 150,000 pieces in its collection, you can find iconic works like Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans, Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night, self-portraits by Frida Kahlo, and photographs by Cindy Sherman. The museum also boasts an impressive film collection with 30,000 films and 1.5 million film stills, frequently hosting on-site screenings often paired with discussions featuring notable directors and stars. After hours of exploration, unwind in the museum's serene courtyard, which includes a soothing fountain. The gift shop is a top spot in the city for design-centric home goods.

2. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

• Location: 1000 Fifth Ave. | View on Google Maps
• Hours: Sunday–Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.–9 p.m.
• Admission: New York residents pay what they wish; nonresidents pay $30.

Welcome to New York City’s art powerhouse: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the most visited museum in NYC and the largest art museum in the Western Hemisphere. With over 1.5 million pieces in its collection, The Met covers thousands of years of history, featuring everything from prehistoric artifacts to masterpieces by Old Masters and contemporary artists like Mary Sully. The museum hosts a variety of rotating exhibitions, a dedicated wing for Islamic art, and the renowned Costume Institute, which kicks off its annual exhibition with the famous Met Gala. The Met's stunning architecture—with grand windows, Gothic revival details, and its iconic steps—makes visiting just to see the building worthwhile. Don’t forget to check out the rooftop, which features a seasonal bar, sculpture displays, and panoramic views of Central Park. Additionally, The Met has a second location, the Met Cloisters, which focuses on medieval art and is situated in the Washington Heights neighborhood of upper Manhattan.

3. The Noguchi Museum

• Location: 9-01 33rd Rd., Queens | View on Google Maps
• Hours: Wednesday–Sunday 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Admission: $16 per person; free on the first Friday of each month.

Isamu Noguchi, born in New York City in 1904 to an Irish American mother and a Japanese father, is regarded as one of the most significant sculptors of the last century. While he worked with various materials like marble, stainless steel, and cast iron, he’s perhaps most famous for his iconic Noguchi tables, which feature elegant wooden bases and freeform glass tops, as well as his Akari light sculptures—washi paper and bamboo lamps that have become symbols of modern design. The Noguchi Museum in Long Island City was both designed and built by Noguchi himself, showcasing his abstract sculptures across 27,000 square feet of tranquil exhibition space. Don’t miss the outdoor sculpture garden, inspired by traditional Japanese garden design, offering a serene spot for quiet reflection amid the city bustle.

4. Brooklyn Museum

• Location: 200 Eastern Pkwy., Brooklyn | View on Google Maps
• Hours: Wednesday–Sunday 11 a.m.–6 p.m.; First Saturday in February–June, August, and October until 11 p.m.
• Admission: $20 per person; $25 for special exhibitions; free on the first Saturday of the month (as noted above).

Established in 1898, the Brooklyn Museum resides in a stunning Beaux-Arts building from 1897 and competes with Manhattan’s Met in terms of its historic collection and evening events. Its extensive collection spans 3,000 years, offering a diverse range of artifacts from every era of human history. Visitors can explore galleries dedicated to African art, one of the largest collections of ancient Egyptian artifacts in the USA, and contemporary art, featuring modern and often provocative exhibitions by renowned figures like Spike Lee and David Bowie. A standout piece is The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago, a groundbreaking work of feminist art created in the 1970s that honors influential women throughout history.

5. The Tenement Museum

• Location: 103 Orchard St. | View on Google Maps
• Hours: Sunday–Thursday 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday until 6 p.m.
• Admission: $30 per person

Today, the Lower East Side is a fashionable area brimming with stylish bars, restaurants, and hotels, but it was once the most densely populated neighborhood in Manhattan—filled with tenement buildings where immigrants lived and worked in cramped quarters shared by several families. The Tenement Museum focuses on the period from 1869 to 1935, allowing visitors to experience the lives of immigrants who came to New York City in search of a better future. Spanning two restored 19th-century tenement buildings that once accommodated 15,000 residents, the museum offers walking tours and authentically restored rooms from that era.

6. American Museum of Natural History

• Location: 200 Central Park West | View on Google Maps
• Hours: Daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Admission: Pay what you wish for New York residents; $30 for nonresidents

The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), situated directly opposite Central Park, is one of the most renowned museums in the city, if not globally. Housing over 30 million specimens, its exhibitions cover an extensive range from the Big Bang to contemporary times. You could easily spend an entire day at the AMNH. Notable features include a 94-foot-long blue whale model in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life, a vast array of taxidermied creatures, numerous dinosaur relics, the Hayden Planetarium (currently led by celebrity astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson), and the newly opened Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation, which debuted in May 2023 and features an insectarium, including a live butterfly exhibit.

7. The Morgan Library & Museum

• Location: 225 Madison Ave. | View on Google Maps
• Hours: Tuesday–Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Admission: $25 per person; access to the library's historic rooms is complimentary on Tuesday and Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m.; the museum is free on Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m. (reservations required)

Who can resist the allure of a magnificent library, especially one as exquisite as the Morgan Library & Museum? Established in 1906 to hold the collection of banker J.P. Morgan (yes, that J.P. Morgan), the library opened to the public shortly after his passing in 1924, as stipulated in his will. The current complex features the library, an annex, a garden court, and a stunning glass structure created by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano in 2006 that seamlessly connects the spaces. Inside, visitors are greeted by an ornate interior adorned with murals and plasterwork influenced by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael. The library boasts an impressive collection of rare books and manuscripts, including annotated and signed musical scores by Beethoven, Brahms, and Chopin; three Gutenberg Bibles; illuminated manuscripts; and ancient letters dating back to Babylon. The property also houses an annex built in 1928 at the corner of Madison Avenue and 36th Street, alongside the former residence of J.P. Morgan, a striking mid-19th-century brownstone.

8. Queens County Farm Museum

• Location: 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy., Queens | View on Google Maps
• Hours: Daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Admission: Free, except on designated special admission days

For a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, consider a trip to the Queens County Farm Museum. Nestled on 47 serene acres in Floral Park, this museum is the largest remaining patch of untouched farmland in the city and boasts over 300 years of continuous cultivation. Today, it showcases more than 200 varieties of crops, alongside animals like sheep, goats, alpacas, and chickens. Visitors can explore various replica historic buildings and vintage farming equipment. The museum offers hayrides for $6 per person and hosts an array of seasonal events, including an annual holiday market.

9. The Whitney Museum of American Art

• Location: 99 Gansevoort St. | View on Google Maps
• Hours: Saturday to Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; closed on Tuesdays
• Admission: $30 per person; Free Fridays from 5 to 10 p.m. and on the second Sunday of each month (reservations required)

In 2015, the iconic Whitney Museum of American Art relocated to a cutting-edge building designed by Renzo Piano in the Meatpacking District. Spanning 63,000 square feet, this architectural marvel offers stunning views of the Hudson River and the High Line, featuring four outdoor exhibition areas. Renowned for its collection of American art, the Whitney houses around 26,000 pieces by modern artists, including Georgia O’Keeffe, Mark Rothko, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Kara Walker, with a particular emphasis on BIPOC artists. One of its major highlights is the Whitney Biennial, an expansive survey of work across all media created over the past two years.

10. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

• Location: 1071 Fifth Ave. | View on Google Maps
• Hours: Sunday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Admission: $30 per person; pay-what-you-wish on Mondays and Saturdays from 4 to 5:30 p.m. (reservations advised)

Inaugurated in 1939 and designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum stands out as one of the most architecturally unique museums globally, earning UNESCO World Heritage site status in 2019. The Guggenheim defies conventional design with its cylindrical structure, allowing guests to spiral through the exhibits rather than transitioning between rectangular rooms. Home to 7,000 artworks, the collection features pieces by renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso and Wassily Kandinsky.

This article was initially published in 2023 and most recently revised on September 17, 2024, with up-to-date information.