New York Recs - Museums

I spent five weeks in NYC and tried to go to a museum most days. Here's my best of!

I've put a more comprehensive list in Notion that has everything, including some places I wanted to go but didn't make it to. Since most people are pressed for time, I wanted to share my top museums [overall] and top three limited-time exhibits.

Top Museums

Museum of the Moving Image

Queens, http://www.movingimage.us/

It's a complete history of moving images, from the first people who took a few pictures quickly to how video and movie production is done today. Their interactive exhibits are a lot of fun for all ages, and, unsurprisingly, it's visually and acoustically engaging. The Jim Henson exhibit is incredible and gave me a totally different perspective of who he was as a creator.

International Center of Photography [ICP]

Manhattan, https://www.icp.org/

This has long been one of my favorite museums in NY. It usually has three exhibits and they vary quite a bit. I've seen everything from a retrospective on a specific fashion photographer to weird art photography to a deep dive on war photogs.

Morgan Library

Manhattan, https://www.themorgan.org/

J.P. Morgan's personal library. The illuminated manuscripts and the antiquities are amazing. A classic Manhattan mansion that has some absolutely beautiful rooms.

Tenement Museum

Manhattan, https://www.tenement.org/

An incredible museum about the history of immigrants to New York and how they lived. You get to walk through and see a preserved building to really understand their experience.

Intrepid

Manhattan, https://www.intrepidmuseum.org/

It's on a lot of people's list but I went on a whim and loved it. It's a decommissioned air craft carrier! They have the space shuttle Enterprise, a Concord, a submarine and tons of exhibits.

Bonus: Christie's / Sotheby's

Manhattan, https://www.sothebys.com/en/about/locations/new-york, https://www.christies.com/locations/salerooms/new-york/

On this trip I found out you can just go to the auction houses and see the art they are about to sell! I went to Christie's and they prefer you make an appointment but take walk ins. From what I understand Sotheby's is the same.

Top Limited Time Exhibits

Fragile Future @ The Shed

End December 19th, 2021 https://theshed.org/program/217-drift-fragile-future

#1 thing I saw. It's modern industrial art. Room scale. Make sure you see the performance.

Christian Dior @ The Brooklyn Museum

Ends February 20th, 2022, https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/christian_dior

One of the best fashion exhibits I've ever seen. I'm not a high fashion person but I thought this was engaging and showed the history and evolution of Dior.

Machine Hallucinations @ ARTECHOUSE

Ends January 17th, 2022 https://www.artechouse.com/location/nyc/

Fun projection mapping in a big gallery space. It's quick, like 30 minutes but enjoyable.