Updated July 13th, 2023

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There are so many cool things to do in New York City. Trust me, I know it can be hard to decide what to do in NYC. The museums in NYC are some of the finest and most unique in the world. You are missing out if you don’t make time to see some of the art, history, science, and specialty museums throughout the five boroughs of the city. 

Maybe you are looking for the most popular art museums in New York City? Perhaps you are hoping to find the lesser known museums in NYC. This New York City museums map and list has them all!

My list of NYC museums that I have personally visited, is organized by museum type. With directions, the best way to buy tickets, and insider tips, this New York City museums map and list has everything you need to know about visiting all the cool museums in NYC. 

The Ultimate New York City Museums Map & List

Speciality Museums

Perhaps it is a little strange to start my NYC museum list with the most unspecific category, but these are some of my favorite museums! These specialty museums are about a unique topic or concept. They may fit in with art or history, but they seem a little extra special and need their own category! If you usually aren’t a museum lover, try one of these out and you may be surprised!

The New York Transit Museum 

The NY Transit Museum, which was built inside of an old subway station, makes it into my top five favorite NYC museums for sure! This is a great one for the whole family. Children love running through the historic subway cars on the no longer used subway tracks on the lower level. Adults will enjoy the detailed information and memorabilia about how the subway system was built, the changes in the fare system over the years, and the other parts of the transportation system that keeps New Yorkers moving. In a past exhibit I was touched by the stories of how transportation workers helped and responded in times of crisis. You will have a whole new appreciation for the MTA after this visit!

Where: 99 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Neighborhood & Borough: Downtown Brooklyn – Brooklyn

Getting There: Take the 2/3 to Hoyt St, or the A/C/F/R to Jay St-Metro Tech or the 2/3/4/5 to Borough Hall.

Tickets: General admission $10.

Food: Cafeteria for school groups only

Nearby: DO: The Brooklyn Historical Society. EAT: Bijan’s (Mediterranean) I couldn’t get enough of their fries and I typically don’t even like fries! Dekalb Market Hall at CityPoint (Food hall with a diverse range of international choices)

The Museum of the Moving Image

I wouldn’t say I am a huge movie buff, but I found The Museum of the Moving Image very engaging. There are a lot of interactive exhibits and cool facts about the world of movie making. Learning the technique of everything from sound to costuming was fascinating!

Where: 36-01 35th Ave, Astoria, NY 11106

Neighborhood & Borough: Astoria – Queens

Getting There: Take the R/M to Steinway St or the N/W to 36th Ave

Tickets: General Admission is $20. Thursdays 2 – 6pm there is free admission.

Food: Cafe

Nearby: EAT: in Astoria – Queens Comfort (American Comfort Food)

FIT: Fashion Institute of Technology

In a city like NYC, there needs to be a fashion museum and there is one! FIT is a smaller museum with at least two or three unique exhibits on display at a time. You would never believe the range of possible exhibits all revolving around fashion. I have seen everything from an exhibit on fairy tale fashion to the history of lingerie. One of my favorite exhibits was on dance and fashion.

Where: 227 W 27th St, New York, NY 10001

Neighborhood & Borough: Chelsea – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the 1 or the N/R to the 28th St Station or the A/C/E or F/M to the 23rd St Station.

Tickets: Free!

Food: None

Nearby: DO: Madison Square Gardens, Macy’s, The Empire State Building.

Staten Island Museum

The Staten Island Museum never makes the list of top museums in NYC, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit. It is a general interest museum that covers natural science, history, art, and more. From our visit my mom remembers an exhibit on the Staten Island Ferry, but I remember a giant mastodon! My 5 day NYC itinerary will help you plan a full day in Staten Island and each borough.

Where: Building A, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301

Neighborhood & Borough: Staten Island

Getting There: Take the Staten Island ferry to the Staten Island terminal and then take the S40 bus on Ramp D to the Snug Harbor stop.

Tickets: Suggested admission of $8. Receive free admission with the NY Pass.

Food: None

Nearby: DO: Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden. Historic Richmond Town – an hour by public transportation, so it is not particularly nearby, but if you make the trek to Staten Island you may as well check it out if you have time. EAT: Beso (Spanish) near the ferry terminal.

National Museum of Mathematics 

The National Museum of Mathematics is a great option for children. Well I think it is primarily designed for children, but if you want to go without any children, I won’t judge! When we went here on a field trip, my students loved all the activities. It is like an indoor playground, with an extra amount of learning potential added in.

Where: 11 E 26th St, New York, NY 10010

Neighborhood & Borough: NoMad – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the N/R/W to 23rd or 28th St, or the 6 to 23rd or 28th St. You can also take the F/M to 23rd.

Tickets: General admission is $25.

Food: None

Nearby: DO: Madison Square Park. EAT: Eataly (Italian market and restaurants), Pippali (one of the many Indian restaurants in Curry Hill)

Brooklyn Children’s Museum 

The Brooklyn Children’s Museum holds the title of the world’s oldest children’s museum! It is geared towards infants to eight year olds. I will admit that I was intrigued by some of the exhibits when I visited on a field trip with my students! There is a kid sized Brooklyn that mimics the real Brooklyn and allows youngsters to take on the roles of a diverse range of people in the borough.

Where: 145 Brooklyn Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11213

Neighborhood & Borough: Crown Heights – Brooklyn

Getting There: Take the 3 to Kingston Avenue, the A/C to Nostrand Avenue or the C to Kingston/Throop Ave.

Tickets: General admission is $13. Buy tickets ahead of time. Free admission on Thursdays from 2 – 5pm.

Food: One Four Five café. You can also bring your own food to eat in the cafe or the roof terrace.

Nearby: DO: Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Prospect Park, Prospect Park Zoo. EAT: Walk about 20 min to Franklin Avenue area for a lot of eating options: Chavela’s (Mexican), Cent’Anni (Italian), Barboncino (Pizza)

 Museum of Broadway

NYC has many claims to fame, including being one of the best cities for museums. Broadway shows are also one of the biggest draws to the city. They are so popular that even non theater goers add a Broadway show to their NYC itinerary. It’s surprising that it wasn’t until 2022 that a Broadway Museum was created.

Broadway shows have been a big part of NYC since the late 1800s. This museum celebrates the history of theater in Manhattan and the start of what we know as a Broadway play or musical today. The one way flow of the museum takes you through a timeline that is interspersed with immersive exhibits focused on a particular show. Popular shows are highlighted in chronological order with descriptions and interesting written tidbits alongside the artifacts and curated displays to match the shows’ themes. Then it is on to backstage Broadway to learn about the people who make a Broadway show happen. Your visit will end in the temporary exhibit space if one is open.

Where: 145 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036

Neighborhood & Borough: Times Square – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the N, Q, R, W, S, 1, 2, 3, or 7 to Times Square – 42nd St.

Tickets: General admission is $43. Discount tickets on Wednesdays. Buy tickets ahead of time. Receive free admission with the NYC Sightseeing Pass.

Food: None

Nearby: DO: Times Square. Broadway Shows. EAT: Junior’s (for cheesecake)

History Museums

I could take or leave history during school, but I love it when I am visiting a museum or reading historical fiction. There are numerous historical fiction books set in New York City. NYC also has some of the best history museums in the US. While many focus on a particular time, place or people in history, others cover a wide range of general New York or American history.

Museum of the City of New York 

Let’s start the history museums off with my favorite, the Museum of the City of New York. It is the perfect place to gain an in-depth knowledge about how the city came to be through their main on-going exhibit. They also have a lot of changing exhibits on un-known and well-known people and causes and events that have been a part of the city. Check out my full review on the museum here.

Where: 1220 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029

Neighborhood & Borough: Upper East Side – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the 6 to 103rd St or the 2/3 to Central Park North – 110th St.

Tickets: Suggested admission is $20. Receive free admission with the Go City Pass and the NY Pass.

Food: Chalsty’s Café, which offers Amy’s Bread (a delicious NYC bread company)

Nearby: DO: Northern end of Central Park, Museo del Barrio. EAT: 20min away in Harlem Amy Ruth’s (American comfort food), get the chicken and waffles or the catfish and waffles!

The New York Historical Society

Even though I have visited the New York Historical Society a couple of times, I still want to visit again.  This American history museum collections use paintings, sculptures, drawings, and a huge selection of historical artifacts to present everything from Harry Potter to the Life of John F Kennedy. There is also a children’s museum that focuses on the history of NY children! For more information read my full post on the museum.

Where: 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024

Neighborhood & Borough: Upper West Side – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the B/C to the 72nd or 81st St – Museum of Natural History Station

Tickets: General Admission is $22. Buy tickets ahead of time. On Fridays from 6 – 8pm you can pay as you wish. Receive free admission with the NY Pass.

Food: Coffee bar and restaurant

Nearby: DO: Central Park EAT: So many options along Amsterdam Ave & Columbus Ave (the avenues that run parallel to Central Park West) including the southern restaurant Jacob’s Pickles.

Center for Brooklyn History

Another museum that makes it into my top five favorites is the Center for Brooklyn History. Here you can learn about a variety of aspects of Brooklyn’s history. When I visited I remember seeing a photo exhibit on Truman Capote’s Brooklyn, an exhibit on slavery in Brooklyn, and a display on the sewage system. The sewage system wasn’t my favorite exhibit, but it was more interesting than you would think! Keep reading all my museum descriptions and you will see that waste is a recurring topic of study!

Where: 128 Pierrepont St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Neighborhood & Borough: Brooklyn Heights – Brooklyn

Getting There: Take the 2/3/4/5 to Borough Hall, the A/C or F to Jay St/Borough Hall or the R to Court Street.

Tickets: Recommended general admission is $10. Food: None

Nearby: DO: The Brooklyn Bridge Park for views of Manhattan, a nice walk or a variety of sports including kayaking. The New York Transit Museum. EAT: Along Montague St – Lantern restaurant (Thai),. ~15min walk away: Dekalb Market Hall at CityPoint (Food hall with a diverse range of international choices)

Tenement Museum 

NYC is known as a melting pot. You can learn about the fascinating history of the immigrants that started this melting pot in the city at the Tenement Museum. From sweatshop workers to Irish outsiders, you choose a topic that interests you and go on a guided tour to visit the museum. Ideally avoid visiting on a a really hot day, because you will feel just like the immigrants did years ago, hot and cramped together.

Where: 1103 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002

Neighborhood & Borough: Lower East Side – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the J/Z to Bowery St or the F to Delancey St

Tickets: Prices vary by tour. Reserve tickets ahead of time.

Food: No food available, but they do offer food tours

Nearby: DO: The Museum of Chinese in America. This lower east side free food tour. EAT:  Katz’s Delicatessen (an iconic NYC eatery) 

Museum at Eldridge Street

A Jewish synagogue is included in this New York City museums list because it is now home to Museum at Eldridge Street. Located on the Lower East Side (LES) the synagogue was built in 1887 to serve the Jewish immigrants arriving from Eastern Europe. It was the first synagogue built in America by Eastern European Jews.

Your visit will begin in the lower level with the exhibit covering the arrival of the Jewish immigrants, their lives in the LES, building the synagogue, and the restoration process. A temporary exhibit covers topics related to Jewish history or culture. The two floors of the impressive synagogue above showcase many original features of the original building including almost 80% of the original stained glass.

Visit the museum on a self guided or docent guided tour. You’re able to see everything both ways, but a guided tour provides more information.

Where: 12 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002

Neighborhood & Borough: Lower East Side – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the F to East Broadway.

Tickets: General Admission is $15. Pay what you wish on Mondays and Fridays. Receive free admission with the NY Pass and the Go City Pass.

Food: None

Nearby: DO: The Museum of Chinese in America & The Tenement Museum. EAT: Chinatown (Joe’s Shanghai, Nom Wah Tea Parlor)

Museum of Chinese in America 

This is another one of my favorites on this list of NYC museums. The Museum of Chinese in America has  an on-going exhibit about Chinese in America and the challenges they have faced, along with the contributions they have provided to society. Other exhibits on more focused topics are always changing in the museum. There was an interesting exhibit one time when I visited about Chinese food and identity in America.

Where: 215 Centre St, New York, NY 10013

Neighborhood & Borough: Little Italy – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the N/Q/R/W, the J/Z or the 6 to the Canal Street station.

Tickets: General Admission is $12. Receive free admission with the NY Pass and the Go City Pass.

Food: None

Nearby: DO: The museum offers public walking tours in the area for an additional cost or do this free Chinatown walking tour. EAT: Little Italy (Lombardi’s is great for pizza, but there are really so many good choices) or Chinatown (Joe’s Shanghai). Dessert at Ferrara Bakery & Cafe in Little Italy.

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site

The Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace is a national historic site that is part of the national park service. If you collect stamps make sure to bring your passport book! It was the home of Theodore Roosevelt Jr for the first 14 years of his life. Within the home is a small exhibit on the Roosevelt family members’ and Teddy’s life. On a guided tour you can visit the upstairs floors that are restored to the time period when Teddy’s family lived in the home. If you are a fan of the 26th president, you’ll love learning more about him and where he grew up.

Where: 28 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003

Neighborhood & Borough: Flatiron – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the 6 to 23rd street station or the R/W to 23rd street station.

Tickets: Free!

Food: None

Nearby: DO: Union Square, Madison Square Park, National Museum of Mathematics. EAT: Eataly (Italian market and restaurants)

National Museum of the American Indian 

The National Museum of the American Indian has a location in NYC and DC. The museums are dedicated to preserving the culture of American Indians and showcasing their history. There was an interesting presentation of Native American fashions in the NYC location when I visited.

Where: 1 Bowling Green, New York, NY 10004

Neighborhood & Borough: Financial District – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the 4/5 to Bowling Green (closest). You can also take the 1 to Rector St or South Ferry, the R/W to Whitehall Street, the J/Z to Broad Street or the 2/3 to Wall Street.

Tickets: Free!

Food: None

Nearby: DO: Wall St, 9/11 Memorial & Museum, One World Trade Center, Battery Park, Ferries to Staten Island, Ellis Island and Liberty Island. EAT: One of the restaurants along Stone St or Fraunces Tavern (pub fare)

Historic Richmond Town 

Historic Richmond Town is an open air museum that presents Americans’ lives from different time periods and backgrounds in an authentic setting. You can participate in themed tours where a costumed guide leads you through the streets, homes, and stores of the town.

Where: 441 Clarke Ave, Staten Island, NY 10306

Neighborhood & Borough: Staten Island

Getting There: Take the Staten Island ferry to the Staten Island terminal and then walk to Bay St/Victory Blvd and take the S74 bus to Arthur Kill Rd/Cemetery 1 Gate. Other bus options are available, so make sure to check with google maps or the MTA trip planner for the best option depending on where you are coming from and the time of day. You can also take buses directly from Brooklyn.

Tickets: General admission is $10, with free admission on Thursdays.

Food: The M. Bennett Café – a bed and breakfast style cafe

Nearby: DO: Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Gardens and the Staten Island Museum are about an hour away by bus.

Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration (& the Statue of Liberty)

Combine a visit to the museum on Ellis Island with a tour of the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island. At Ellis Island you learn about the history of immigration in NYC through a self-guided audio tour. It’s estimated that half of the American people today are descendants of people who came through Ellis Island. With 120 hours of audio content, there is so much to learn here.

Be aware that you will need to go through a mandatory airport like security screening prior to boarding the ferry. You can’t take any food with you, only water in a clear bottle. Large bags are also not allowed. There are lockers you can pay to use if you need to leave any belongings behind.

Where: Ellis Island

Neighborhood & Borough: Staten Island

Getting There: Take the 4/5 to Bowling Green (closest). You can also take the 1 to Rector St or South Ferry, the R/W to Whitehall Street, the J/Z to Broad Street or the 2/3 to Wall Street. Take a ferry from Castle Clinton at Battery Park (ferry is included in your ticket).

Tickets: You need to buy tickets in advance. Tickets include the cruise to both islands (Liberty Island & Ellis Island) and entrance to the Statue of Liberty and the museum on Ellis Island. Make sure if you want to go inside the Statue of Liberty you buy a ticket with pedestal or crown access. Those tickets sell out quickly, so the further in advance you buy them the better.

Food: Cafe at both Ellis Island and Liberty Island

Nearby: Both islands usually take most of the day, so don’t plan too many other activities. DO: Wall St, 9/11 Memorial & Museum, One World Trade Center, Battery Park, The National Museum of the American Indian. EAT: One of the restaurants along Stone St or Fraunces Tavern (pub fare)

Science Museums

This New York City museums map and list also includes science museums. Just like the history museums in the city, NYC makes science come alive at these science museums.

American Museum of Natural History

I have visited The American Museum of Natural History three times and I don’t think I have even seen half of it. It covers a huge range of topics. From dinosaurs to meteorites you can be immersed in so many different worlds. My favorite areas are the human and culture halls full of displays of people from different time periods and regions around the world.

Where: Central Park West & 79th St, New York, NY 10024

Neighborhood & Borough: Upper West Side – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the B/C to 81st St – Museum of Natural History Station or the 1 to the 79th St Station.

Tickets: General admission is $28. Pay what you wish is available for NY, NJ, and CT residents. Save time at this busy museum and buy tickets ahead of time. Receive free admission with the NY City Pass, the NY Pass, NYC Sightseeing Pass, and the Go City Pass.

Food: Sit down restaurant, food court, and two cafes

Nearby: DO: Central Park (central Western part), EAT: Gina La Fornarina (pizza/Italian), Bellini (pizza/Italian)

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum 

If you love things that go zoom, check this New York City museum out! The Intrepid, Sea, Air & Space Museum is full of interactive exhibits and different modes of transportation that you can go inside. Climbing around in a real submarine was the most memorable part for me.

Where: Pier 86, W 46th St, New York, NY 10036

Neighborhood & Borough: Hell’s Kitchen – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the C/E to the 50th St station.

Tickets: General admission is $36. Buy online and skip the line. Receive free admission with the NY City Pass, Go City Pass and the NY Pass.

Food: Family friendly grill and a marketplace

Nearby: EAT: 10th Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen is full of restaurants.

Art Museums

As you can tell from the museums in NYC map you don’t need to travel abroad to see world class art. NYC is full of impressive art museums of all types that showcase a variety of art from around the world. Many of the best art museums in the USA are within the five boroughs of NYC. 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art 

Don’t get the MET, the art museum, confused with the MET, the opera house, or the Mets, the New York Baseball team. The MET, the art museum, is one of the largest museums in the world. This is another museum I have been to three times, but still feel like I haven’t seen it all.  What can you see at the main location of this gigantic art museum? Well a better question would be what can’t you see! The museum collection seems to contain art from every corner of the world. My favorite part was the area of the American Wing that had period rooms.

Where: 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028

Neighborhood & Borough: Upper East Side – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the 4/5/6 to the 86th street station.

Tickets: General Admission is $30 and includes The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters for three consecutive days. NY, NJ, and CT residents can pay as they wish. Save time and buy online.

Food: Several cafes

Nearby: DO: Central Park, The Neue Gallery, The Guggenheim, Cooper Hewitt – Smithsonian Design Museum

The Cloisters 

The Cloisters is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This museum branch is dedicated to the architecture, art, and gardens of medieval Europe. It’s nowhere near the size of the MET, but the castle like setting provides a uniqueness to the museum.

Where: 99 Margaret Corbin Dr, New York, NY 10040

Neighborhood & Borough: Washington Heights – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the A to 190th Street.

Tickets: General Admission is $30 and includes The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art for three consecutive days. NY residents can pay as they wish. Buy tickets online today.

Food: King John’s Tavern, an outdoor cafe, that is open seasonally.

Nearby: DO: Within Fort Tryon Park, about 35min subway ride away from the Bronx zoo and about 45min from the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx (if you plan to visit the Bronx you might want to combine a visit with The Cloisters when you are in the northern end of Manhattan)

The Brooklyn Museum 

The Brooklyn Museum is another gigantic art museum with works of art from around the world. The first Saturday of most months is free. It took me almost two years before I got a chance to go on a Target First Saturday, but it is worth it! There are a range of special exhibits and events, anything from dance performances to hands on art workshops to author talks.

Where: 200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Neighborhood & Borough: Prospect Heights – Brooklyn

Getting There: Take the 2/3 to the Eastern Parkway – Brooklyn Museum stop.

Tickets: Suggested general admission is $16. There is an additional cost for special exhibitions. For $28 you can gain admission to both the museum and the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. The first Saturday night of most months is free.

Food: Cafe and The Norm Restaurant, with an international menu.

Nearby: DO: Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Prospect Park, Prospect Park Zoo. Brooklyn children’s museum 25min walk away. EAT: Cheryl’s Global Soul (soul food). Ample Hills Creamery (ice cream). The Islands (Caribbean). Franklin Avenue area for a lot of eating options: Chavela’s (Mexican), Cent’Anni (Italian), Barboncino (Pizza)

Museum of Modern Art

Photo by Leah from Leah Little Travel Fashion

The Museum of Modern Art or MoMa is your top choice if you want to visit a large modern art museum. Throughout the six floors of the museum you can see some classics like Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” along with pieces by Frida Kahlo and Pablo Picasso.

Where: 11 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019

Neighborhood & Borough: Midtown – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the N/Q/R/W to the 57th street station or the E to the 5th Ave – 53rd St Station or the 4/5/6 to the 59 St-Lexington Ave Station.

Tickets: General admission is $25. Buy online and skip the line. Fridays are free from 4pm to 8pm for NYC residents. Receive free admission with the NY Pass and the Go City Pass.

Food: Cafes and a a sit down restaurant

Nearby: DO: Times Square & Broadway Shows

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Photo by Elizabeth from www.rootswingsandtravelthings.com 

The Guggenheim also contains modern artwork. What was most impressive to me was the Frank Lloyd Wright building itself and the spiral staircase inside.

Where: 1071 5th Ave, New York, NY 10128

Neighborhood & Borough: Upper East Side – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the 4/5/6 to the 86th St Station.

Tickets: General admission is $25. Buy online and skip the line. You can pay what you wish on Saturdays from 6 – 8pm. Receive free admission with the NYC Sightseeing Pass, NY City Pass, Go CityPass and the NY Pass.

Food: There is a cafe

Nearby: DO: Central Park, The Neue Gallery, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cooper Hewitt – Smithsonian Design Museum

The Frick Collection 

Henry Clay Frick’s collection is displayed in his gilded age mansion. The numerous rooms are full of furniture, textiles, paintings and more.

Where: 1 E 70th St, New York, NY 10021 (as of last update temporarily at 945 Madison Avenue)

Neighborhood & Borough: Upper East Side – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the N//R/W to 5th Ave Station or the 6 to 68th St Station or the Q to the 72nd St Station.

Tickets: General admission is $22. Pay what you wish on Thursdays from 4pm – 6pm.

Food: None available

Nearby: DO:Central Park. EAT: Up Thai (Thai)

Museo del Barrio

El Museo del Barrio is a Latin cultural and art museum. Exhibits vary, but they all focus on work from Caribbean and Latin American artists. The museum’s permanent collections contains over 8,500 objects and covers over 800 years of history.

Where: 1230 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029

Neighborhood & Borough: Upper East Side – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the 6 to 103rd St or the 2/3 to Central Park North – 110th St.

Tickets: General admission is $9. Receive free admission with the NYC Sightseeing Pass.

Food: Cafe

Nearby: DO: Northern end of Central Park, The Museum of the City of New York. EAT: 25mins away in East Harlem (Taqueria Santa Fe for authentic Mexican tacos)

Whitney Museum of American Art 

The Whitney focuses on 20th- and 21st-century American art.

Where: 99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014

Neighborhood & Borough: Meatpacking District- Manhattan

Getting There: Take the L or the A/C/E to 14th St station.

Tickets: General admission is $30. Save time and buy tickets online. Pay what you wish tickets are available on Fridays from 7 – 10pm. Receive free admission with the Go City Pass  and the NY Pass.

Food: Studio Bar & Cafe

Nearby: DO: Walk the High Line, a 1.45-mile-long park that was formerly a railroad track. EAT: Chelsea Market (and shop!)

Museum of Arts & Design

MAD is a smaller scale museum that holds a contemporary collection full of a variety of materials. Traditional and non-traditional works from artists and designers are displayed. They have a lot of intriguing exhibits. When I visited they had one about trash.

Where: 2 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019

Neighborhood & Borough: Columbus Circle/Midtown – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the A/B/C/D/1 to the Columbus Circle stop.

Tickets: General admission is $18. Admission is half price on Thursdays. Receive free admission with the NY Pass.

Food: Classic modern american restaurant with views of Central park.

Nearby: DO: Columbus Circle Mall, the south end of Central Park, the Plaza Hotel

Queens Museum

The Queens Museum is a visual arts museum with exhibits related to contemporary urban life. One of the highlights is a panorama of the city that you can walk around. It really gives you a sense of the layout of the city. Ironically this museum also had an exhibit on trash when I visited. If you didn’t know, trash is a big thing in NYC. If you are confused what I mean, that probably means you have never visited the city and seen the heaping piles on the side of the street!

Where:  New York City Building, Corona, NY 11368

Neighborhood & Borough: Flushing Meadows-Corona Park – Queens

Getting There: Take the 7 to the Mets-Willets Point subway stop.

Tickets: Suggested admission for adults is $8.

Food: Cafe

Nearby: DO: New York Hall of Science* EAT: New World Mall Food Court (~30min walk away or ~20min by public transportation)

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Located in the Carnegie Mansion the Cooper Hewitt is a design museum full of historic and contemporary objects. There have been exhibits featuring objects Ellen Degeneres has collected from around the world and jewelry from Susan Grant Lewin’s collection.

Where:  2 E 91st St, New York, NY 10128

Neighborhood & Borough:  Upper East Side – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the 4/5/6 train to 86th St or the 6 to 96th st.

Tickets: General tickets are $16 when bought online and $18 in person. From 5 – 6pm admission is pay what you wish. Receive free admission with the NY Pass.

Food:  Tarallucci e Vino Cafe

Nearby: DO: Central Park, The Guggenheim, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Neue Gallery

American Folk Art Museum 

The American Folk Art Museum is full of portraits, quilts, furniture, and other pieces from self-taught artists. When we visited there was a unique portrait display of children after they had died. We were able to learn about the unique process of painting the dead and why it was done. After that there was a totally different exhibit on American roadside attractions.

Where:  2 Lincoln Square, New York, NY 10023

Neighborhood & Borough: Upper West Side – Manhattan

Getting There:  Take the 1 to 66 St/Lincoln Center.

Tickets: Free!

Food: None

Nearby: DO: Lincoln Center for the performing arts – catch a performance or take a guided tour. Central Park. EAT: Magnolia Bakery

Studio Museum in Harlem

The Studio Museum is the first black fine-arts museum in the country. It is dedicated to promoting the cultural and artistic works of local artists of African descent and to those from around the world.

Where: 144 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027

Neighborhood & Borough: Harlem – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the A/B/C/D to 125th St. station.

Tickets: Temporarily Closed

Food: None at this time

Nearby: DO: Visit the General Grant National Memorial and see a show at the Apollo Theater. Explore the north end of Central Park. EAT: Harlem –  Amy Ruth’s (chicken and waffles), Sylvia’s (chicken and waffles) or The Harlem Shake (classic burgers and shakes)

Neue Galerie New York

Neue Galerie is full of of late 19th and early 20th century Austrian and German fine and decorative arts. If you have seen the movie “The Woman in Gold”, you will be excited to see the actual picture that the movie was based on.

Where: 1048 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028

Neighborhood & Borough: Upper East Side – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the 4/5/6 to 86th St. Station.

Tickets: General admission is $25. The first Friday of the month there is free admission from 5 – 8pm.

Food: A traditional Viennese cafe

Nearby: DO:Central Park, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cooper Hewitt – Smithsonian Design Museum, The Guggenheim

The Rubin Museum of Art

Photo by Kat Teurfs 

The Rubin Museum of Art‘s collection focuses on the Himalayas, India, and the surrounding areas. They have a permanent collection on Tibetan art.

Where: 150 W 17th St, New York, NY 10011

Neighborhood & Borough: Chelsea – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the1 to 18th St (the closest option). You can also take the A/C/E to 14th St, the 2/3 to 14th St, the F/L/M to 14th St or the N/Q/R/4/5/6 to 14th St – Union Square

Tickets: General admission is $19. From 6pm to 10pm every Friday night admission is free.

Food: Café Serai – Indian Restaurant

Nearby: DO: Visit Union Square and Madison Square park. EAT: Eataly (Italian marketplace)

Ukrainian Museum

The Ukrainian Museum is a cultural museum of all things, you guessed it, Ukrainian! A good portion of the museum is folk art and fine art pieces that tell the history of the Ukrainian people. When I visited there was a large display on the impressively made Ukrainian Easter eggs.

Where: 222 E 6th St, New York, NY 10003

Neighborhood & Borough: Ukrainian Village (East Village) – Manhattan

Getting There: Take the 6 to Astor place or the R/W to 8th St – NYU.

Tickets: General admission is $8.

Food: None available

Nearby: EAT: Try a Ukrainian restaurant in the area. Sadly the one I was going to recommend is now closed. Give another one a try and let me know how it is!

Noguchi Museum

The Noguchi Museum was designed and created by the Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi. The museum is full of Noguchi’s sculptures, designs, models, and drawings. Outside there is a small sculpture garden.

Where: 9-01 33rd Rd, Queens, NY 11106

Neighborhood & Borough: Long Island City (LIC) – Queens

Getting There: Take the F to 21 St – Queensbridge and then the Q103 bus to Vernon Blvd/33 Rd. You can also take the E to Court Square-23 St Station and then the Q69 bus to 21 St/34 Av. Another option is taking the N or W to Broadway and then the Q104 bus to Vernon Blvd/33 Rd. If you are stopping in Long Island City first take the 7 to Vernon Blvd – Jackson Ave and then the Q103 bus to Vernon Blvd/33 rd.

Tickets: General admission is $12. Free on the first Fridays of every month.

Food: None available

Nearby: EAT: There are not many places nearby, so I recommend eating in the main part of Long Island City (LIC) first. There are several restaurants around the Vernon Blvd – Jackson Ave subway station. Sweet Chick is great if you want some chicken & waffles. Jackson’s Eatery is also great for chicken & waffles, but has a wider selection of seasonal American dishes as well.

New York City Museums Visiting Tips

NYC Museum Passes

You may have noticed in the ticket sections above that I mentioned four different passes. Once purchased these passes include free admission for the top sights in NYC including many of the best museums in NYC that are in this post. With the purchase of a pass you can reserve your tickets on many of the museum sites ahead of time.

They are great if you are visiting the city for a few days or as a resident who is going to sightsee with visitors. When some friends came to visit me we did a three day NY Pass and saved a lot of money (yes I calculated it). The pass you choose depends on everything you want to do and how many days you have. I recommend using a pass for the most expensive attractions and museums. Figure out what you want to do and then run the numbers to see which pass has the best deal.

NY Pass: With the NY Pass you receive free admission to over 100 of the must-see sights in the city for the number of days you choose, between 1 – 10, on the pass.

NY Go City Pass: This is another sightseeing pass with over 100 attraction choices. Unlike the NY pass above which is by the number of days, this one is by the number of attractions. You can purchase a pass with 2 – 10 attractions.

NYC Sightseeing Pass: This pass has about 80 attractions and many that are not on the passes above including the Museum of Broadway. The is also based on the number of attractions from 2 – 10.

NY City Pass: This pass is valid for 9 days and includes admission to five attractions. Every pass includes Empire State Building and the Museum of Natural History. The remaining three attractions you choose from five choices.

NYC Museum Discounts

General Discounts: I didn’t list all the discounts under the tickets sections above, but most have discounts for children and seniors. Many have student, military, and/or educator discounts.

Free or Pay as You Wish: Under the ticket section of each museum above I listed if there were any free days or pay as you wish times. Especially if you live in the city, you can plan to visit the museums during those times. If you are visiting, be flexible on what museums you want to visit. The big, well known museums are well known for a reason, but it doesn’t mean they are the only cool museums in NYC. Just be aware that museums can be extra packed during these discount times.

IDNYC Card:  I rave about this card to anyone who will listen to me! If you are a NY resident you can obtain this card for free. The card acts as a form of ID, but also comes with a ton of benefits. For one year you can have access to memberships at over 40 cultural institutions and museums. In addition to visiting a lot of the museums on this list for free I also was able to go to cool events like a special NYC ballet performance at no cost!

Museum Mile Festival: If you are in the city the second Tuesday of June you can enter all of the Upper East Side museums for free in the evening. In addition to looking around the museums you can partake in activities in the street, which is closed to traffic.

Open House New York: This is an awesome NYC event that happens for one weekend every October. The city literally opens its doors for free to places like museums that usually charge admissions and other places that aren’t typically open to the public. Through this program I was able to visit some museums for free that don’t have other discounts throughout the year. I also visited some ethnic cultural centers and took behind the scenes tours at a flotation studio and the Brooklyn Navy yard, to name a few.

Cool Culture Family Pass: With this family pass you and your participating family members have unlimited general admission to about 90 museums and cultural institutions throughout the city. You are eligible to receive a pass if your child attends certain child cares, head starts, Pre-Ks, or Title 1 public schools. Check the website to learn more and ask at your child’s center or school if they participate in the program.

Exhibitions & Special Events

Almost all of the museums listed above have exhibits and special events. Make sure to check the hours and calendar before visiting.

Museum Gift Shops

Also don’t forget that most of the museums have a gift shop with good quality items related to the museum’s content and/or NYC.

Restrooms & Water

Every museum has water fountains and restrooms available too!

Whether you buy a discount pass or not, make sure to buy tickets online ahead of time to the top museums in NYC. If they offer online tickets, it means you should buy them that way! Save your time for exploring all the fabulous museums, instead of waiting in lines to buy tickets. 

All the NYC museums and nearby recommendations included I have personally visited, except if noted with an *. That means I just heard enough good things to feel confident enough to add it!

I think I have made a pretty big dent in the museums to visit in NYC, but even I haven’t been to them all! There are many more museums I hope to explore in the future. I hope this guide and map of New York City museums helps you visit all the best museums in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and Manhattan! Let me know in the comments below which NYC museums you think are the best! 

Where to Stay in NYC to Visit New York City’s Museums

The Upper East Side has a good chunk of the museums, especially the art museums. Midtown is close to the hustle and bustle of Times Square and convenient to the majority of museums and other iconic attractions throughout the city. Don’t disregard staying in the boroughs though. Usually you can find a better deal and still be close to some of the best sights of the city. Other than the slow wifi, I have had a great experience staying at the Grandview Hotel in Queens every-time I go back to the city to visit.

Booking.com

More About NYC

BOOKS

• Historical Fiction Books Set in NYC
• Chick Lit Set in New York City
• Children’s Books about NYC

BROADWAY

• How to Get Discount Broadway Tickets

CHRISTMAS

• The Best Things to Do in New York in December

ITINERARIES

• 4 Days for First Time Visitors
• 5 Days: One Day in Each Borough

LIFE IN NYC

• Moving to NYC Alone
• How to Save Money Living in NYC

TOURS

• The Best NYC Tours

WHERE TO STAY

• Grandview Hotel (Queens)
• Where to Stay in Brooklyn

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