New York City museums cover a broad spectrum of cultures and humanities, from history to visual arts to life sciences. Spread out over the city and suburbs, such as Brooklyn and Queens, hundreds of establishments offer a variety of opportunities to cultivate knowledge and understanding. While visiting every one of the New York City museums extends beyond practical or even feasible, visiting a few, perhaps one in each discipline, is essential to a comprehensive New York vacation experience.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Informally known as The Met, the Metropolitan Museum of Art sits on the east edge of Central Park, in an area known as Manhattan’s Museum Mile. Extending a quarter of a mile, this art museum unfolds over more than 2 million square feet, and it is home to a vast selection of artwork from all over the world, as well as books and other material relevant to the study and history of art. The Met is sectioned into nineteen divisions, covering arts from all over the world, arms and armor, libraries, musical instruments, photographs, roof gardens, modern art, and special exhibits. In addition to the main building in Manhattan, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has a division located at The Cloisters, which was originally established by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., displaying a collection of medieval art.

Museum of Modern Art

Known as the most influential modern arts establishment in the world, the Museum of Modern Art, also called MoMA, has been unmatched in the expanse of its modern and contemporary art, from 2D art to architecture and sculpture to film and illustrated books. When it initially opened in 1929, MoMA was the first American museum devoted to modern art, as well as the first in the city to display European modern art.

American Museum of Natural History

Among the largest and most well known museum of its type is the American Museum of Natural History, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, across the street from Central Park. Consisting of 25 buildings, interconnected and housing 46 exhibition halls, labs, and a distinguished and celebrated library, the museum collection is displayed in cycles as it is composed of over 32 million artifacts. Additionally, this is one of the New York City museums that employs a vast number of scientific personnel and sponsors field expeditions around the globe, numbering into the hundreds each year.

Guggenheim Museum

Originally established by Solomon Guggenheim in 1937, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, was envisioned as an effort of “promotion and encouragement and education in art and the enlightenment of the public.”  The collection was first displayed in Guggenheim’s apartment, and as the collection and foundation grew, necessity compelled him to commission the construction of a permanent museum, several years later; Frank Lloyd Wright was the chosen architect. Today, the Guggenheim Museum remains one of the most unique and celebrated New York City museums.

Other Museums

In addition to the aforementioned museums, New York offers a plethora of notable establishments that beckon visitors to enjoy a comprehensive vacation in the city, including Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, both must-see sites, and museums like Madame Tussauds, a novelty wax museum with famed wax impressions of well known people.