Under normal circumstances, the sheer number of museums in The Big Apple can be overwhelming. Sure, the MET and MOMA are all well and good, but you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't take the time to delve deeper into the city's bustling museum culture. In honor of #NationalMuseumDay, here are the best museums the city has to offer.
The Noguchi Museum
A quaint and pristine Long Island City museum built by esteemed American-Japanese artist Isamu Noguchi, The Noguchi Museum is an oasis of abstractionism and eccentricity. Decorated with paper mache lamps across two levels of exhibition space, the museum also offers a secluded overflowing ivy garden. Akin to Noguchi's style, the art is often a collection of minimalist geometric sculptures that transfix the eye with their unique congruity. The works have only gotten more breathtaking as Noguchi's style has evolved over his 70 year career.
The New Museum
For those artsy-fartsy museum goers who require their art to be brash and bold, The New Museum will most definitely scratch that itch. They regularly champion up-and-coming modern artists, with little constraints on what they'll accept. From filmmaker Kahlil Joseph to Australian painter Helen Johnson, The New Museum is great at offering variety. Some exhibits are better than others, but the diverse, creative risks that The New Museum rewards tend to make the viewing experiences unfounded and unforgettable.
The Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Located in a breathtaking 1900's Georgian Mansion, this Upper East Side museum promotes groundbreaking work in technology, architecture and design. From metalwork and sculptures to pottery, furniture, and advanced technology, the sprawling museum usually offers around 200,000 different pieces of captivating design from over the years.
Rubin Museum of Art
The Chelsea-based art museum contains an extensive array of art from the Himalayas and India. With over 38,000 pieces from the past 1,500 years, the sculptures and installations provide a fascinating look at Himalayas rich culture. From photos by legendary photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, to sculptures and renditions from Tibet's Lukhang Temple, The Rubin offers an experience unlike any other.
National Museum of the American Indian New York
National Museum of the American Indian - Photo by Ronin Raw (Unsplash)
The National Museum of American Indian was erected in the middle of a bustling Manhattan intersection to share the stories of over 1,200 indigenous cultures. From authentic ceremonial objects to gorgeous wood carvings and detailed pottery, the groundbreaking museum is one of the most important in the city to helping preserve the legacy of indigenous culture.
The Tenement Museum
Located on the Lower East Side, the Tenement Museum is located in a historical tenement house, and offers authentic tours of the working-class apartments that helped house immigrants. The tour, which recreates each tenement with stirking detail, encompasses the housing evolution of LES, and how its budding immigrant residents shaped it into one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the city.