10 Best Museums in New York to Visit

New York City is a museum lover’s paradise, offering some of the world’s most renowned institutions alongside hidden gems that showcase art, history, science, and culture.

Whether you're drawn to the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), the cutting-edge exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), or the interactive wonders of the American Museum of Natural History, the city has something for every curious mind.

As someone who has spent years exploring the best museums in New York, I can tell you that each one offers a unique experience. The Whitney Museum of American Art champions contemporary works, while the Guggenheim Museum stuns with both its collection and its architectural brilliance. If history fascinates you, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum provides a deeply moving tribute, while the Tenement Museum immerses visitors in the immigrant experience. Science and technology enthusiasts will be in awe at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and the futuristic exhibitions at the New York Hall of Science.

In this guide, I’ll take you through the top museums in NYC, highlighting their must-see exhibits, insider tips, and how to make the most of your visit. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned local, this list will help you discover the best cultural attractions in NYC—and maybe even a few unexpected surprises.

Best museums in New York

With such a wide range of possibilities, it's easy to not know where to start. To shed some light, here are the best museums in New York , those that are almost obligatory to visit.

1. Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the capital museum of New York City and one of the most renowned in the world. A museum collection with more than two million works that collect around 5,000 years of art from all over the world . With these numbers it is clear that you cannot see everything, so you better plan your visit to enjoy the Met experience to the fullest.

One museum, three iconic locations :

The Met Fifth Avenue
The Met Breuer
The Met Cloisters

→ All the information about the Met here: www.metmuseum.org

› The Met Fifth Avenue

The permanent collection on the famous Fifth Avenue is so wide-ranging that it ranges from Classical Antiquity to the works of Pollock, passing through some of the most famous Spanish artists and Italian, French and Dutch masters. There is no accounting for taste, but you should not miss works such as “ Self-Portrait with a Hat ” by Vincent van Gogh, “ Bridge over a Water Lily Pond ” by Monet, “ Aristotle with a Bust of Homer ” by Rembrandt or “ Madonna and Child ” (considered the Mona Lisa of the Met for its rarity and value) by Duccio Buoninsegna.

Your visit should also include the popular Egyptian Temple of Dendur , reconstructed in a glass-enclosed space created specifically to display it in all its splendour. And of course, don't miss the private collection of banker Robert Lehman , donated to the museum after his death and which includes more than 3,000 works by Italian artists such as Boticcelli and Domenico Veneziano, Spanish painters such as El Greco and Goya and drawings by masters such as Rembrandt and Dürer.

Opening hours : Sunday – Thursday: 10:00 am – 5:30 pm / Friday – Saturday 10:00 am – 9:00 pm. Closed on Wednesdays.
Price : Admission is $30 for adults. Free for children under 12. This ticket includes exhibits and is valid for three consecutive days at all three Met locations.

› The Met Breuer (updated 2023: closed)

Located in the building formerly occupied by the Whitney Museum, it exhibits modern and contemporary works as suggestive as the space they occupy. Enough art to not leave you feeling disappointed after a few hours of visiting.

Hours : Tuesday – Thursday: 10:00 am – 5:30 pm / Friday and Saturday: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm / Sunday: 10:00 am – 5:30 pm / Closed on Mondays
Price : $25 adults; $17 seniors; $12 students. Free for children under 12.

› The Cloisters

Fort Tryon Park is home to the Met's medieval art branch , where you can also visit the renovated structures of five medieval French cloisters .

Opening hours : March – October: 10:00 am – 5:15 pm / November – February: 10:00 am – 4:45 pm. Closed on Wednesdays.
Price : $30 adults; Patty as you wish for NY residents. Free for children under 12.

MET, one of the best museums in New York

2. Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

MoMA is the other major museum in the city. As well as being considered one of the great temples of modern and contemporary art in the world, it is a place created to help understand and expand the meaning of art as such.

Among the more than 100,000 pieces in this museum, you will find masterpieces such as “ Les Demoiselles d'Avignon ” by Pablo Picasso, “ La persiana de la memoria” by Dali, “ The Piano Lesson ” by Henri Matisse or “ The Starry Night ” by van Gogh. Not to mention the works of the great American artists Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol and Edward Hopper.

Among the other surprises that the MoMa offers, a sculpture garden , a cinema and even a restaurant with a Michelin star.

→ All information about the museum here: www.moma.org

Hours : Sun-Thu, 10:30 am–5:30 pm Sat, 10:30 am–7:00 pm
Price : $25 adults; $18 seniors 65 and older; $14 students. Free for children under 16. Admission includes special exhibits, films, and access to MoMA PS1. Purchase tickets in advance here .

Take out IATI travel insurance with a 5% discount here . Whatever your destination, save yourself trouble and don't take any chances.

3. MoMA PS1

Founded in 1971, MoMA PS1 was the country 's first nonprofit art center focused exclusively on contemporary art . It showcases the most experimental and challenging side of contemporary art, encouraging new ideas and showcasing both emerging and more adventurous work by established artists.

Temporary exhibitions, performances, musical performances by avant-garde artists and much more have made this place become a cultural reference point in the city.

→ More information about the museum here: www.momaps1.org

Opening hours : 12:00 – 6:00 pm. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Price : $10 adults; $5 seniors 65 and older; $5 students. Free for kids under 16 (and everyone, admission is free on Fridays). But beware, the price is “suggested admission” so you can really pay whatever you want (just name the amount at the checkout and pay). And good news: if you’ve already visited MoMA, admission is valid here too. It’s always free for people living in New York.

4. American Museum of Natural History

Another prestigious museum, not only in New York City, but also worldwide, is the American Museum of Natural History. Located on the Upper West Side , its collection is made up of (pay attention!) more than 35 million pieces . Exhibitions and collections about cultures, the natural world and the universe … A place that children and adults alike enjoy.

Obviously, it is impossible to see every exhibit in the museum in one day. Two alternatives to make the most of your visit are: look at the list of recommended exhibits in the brochure you will find in the museum itself and choose which ones you would like to see. Or take the Highlights tour offered every hour from 10.15 to 15.15.

Opening hours : Open daily from 10:00 am to 5:30 am.
Price : $28 for adults. This museum also has “suggested admission” for residents so you can pay what you wish (pay as you wish: $5-10 is normal). You can book online here .

Natural History Museum, one of the best museums in New York

5. Whitney Museum of American Art

Renzo Piano is responsible for the spectacular design of the new Whitney Museum. The Italian architect has enabled many works that had previously been stored away due to lack of space to be displayed in this asymmetrical building for the first time. Specialising in 20th-century American art , its permanent collection includes more than 22,000 works, including those by the painter Edward Hopper . Fans of the American artist will be able to enjoy the largest collection of his works in the world at this museum – more than 3,000! Andy Warhol, Georgia O'Keeffe and Keith Haring are just a few of the other big names among the 3,000 or so artists on display at the Whitney.

→ Find more information about the museum here: https://whitney.org

Hours : Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday: 10:30 am – 6 pm / Friday: 10:30 am – 10 pm / Closed on Tuesday
Price : $30 adults; $24 students and seniors 65 and older; free for under 18s every day. Buy your ticket in advance here . Pay what you wish on Fridays from 7 to 10 p.m.

Remember to get the Revolut card ( with a €10 promo ) to avoid commissions when paying and withdrawing money abroad

6. Brooklyn Museum

One and a half million works of art and 52,000 square meters (making this museum one of the largest in the country ) may not be enough of a reason to visit the Brooklyn Museum. But what you find inside may help you decide.

Five floors of permanent and rotating exhibits spanning centuries of painting, sculpture, photography, furniture, feminist art and much more . Through its collections you will learn about the history of civilizations, wars, cultural movements, religion, philosophy… In short, a must-see place for art enthusiasts.

→ Visit their website to learn more about the Brooklyn Museum: www.brooklynmuseum.org

Hours : Friday to Sunday and Wednesdays: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm / Closed Monday and Tuesday / The first Saturday of every month (except in the months of January and September) the museum opens its doors from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm
Price : $16 adults; $10 seniors and students. Free for children under 19.

7. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

The great white cylinder overlooking Central Park designed by Frank Lloyd Wright to house the Solomon R. Guggenheim collection is one of the most well-known and admired buildings in the city . The spiral ramps of the museum's interior rotunda offer a unique visitor experience, but in the end it's the content that counts, right?

Despite the fact that Wright's work often steals the limelight, the content of this museum is good, very good. A permanent collection made up of impressionist and post-impressionist works and early and contemporary art , with gems by artists such as Manet, Picasso, Kandinsky and Pierre Bonnard.

→ Get your skip-the-line ticket here.

Hours : Sun–Thu 11am–6pm, Sat 11am–8pm
Price : $25 adults; $18 seniors and students. Free for children under 12. Every Saturday from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. You set the entrance price yourself.

best museums in new york

8. Museum of the City of New York

What better way to understand and get to know in depth one of the most influential metropolises in the world than to visit the New York City Museum . A collection of approximately 750,000 objects including photographs, paintings and sculptures, manuscripts, furniture, clothing and much more . Special attention deserves the interesting toy section with boats, doll houses, rare books… and the extensive collection of photographs that includes works by renowned artists such as Percy Byron, Berenice Abbot or Jacob Riss.

→ More information here: www.mcny.org

Opening hours : Fri–Mon 10–5pm, Thu 10–9pm. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Price : $20 adults; $14 seniors and students. Free for children under 19. You can purchase tickets online here .

9. The Frick Collection (temporarily closed)

An “unknown” gem, or at least a museum that is not often included among the must-sees of the city, but which should definitely be there. The Frick collection gives visitors the wonderful privilege of letting them sit back and simply enjoy contemplating the works of the old masters.

With its palatial grandeur, the 61-room mansion with its Rococo and Renaissance furnishings magically allows one to isolate oneself from the noise of the city in its formal and serene intimacy. This museum is one of the best in New York, and there is no other museum even remotely comparable to it in the city.

→ More information here: www.frick.org

Opening hours : currently closed
Price : $22 adults; $17 seniors over 65; $12 students. Children under 10 are not allowed. On Wednesdays from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm you can decide the price of the entrance yourself.
Free day : The first Friday of every month (except September and January).

10. 9/11 Memorial & Museum

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is a must-see in New York for reasons quite different from those of other museums . Built in the same space that once occupied the famous Twin Towers, this evocative museum was created to commemorate the victims of the horrible attacks that forever changed the history of the city and of New Yorkers.

Among the more than 10,000 objects that make up this museum, those that have the greatest impact are those that were recovered from the rubble of the Twin Towers (including the first vehicles that arrived at the site). A must-see in the city, a visit that will not leave you indifferent.

→ All information here: www.911memorial.org

Museum Hours : Wed-Mon 9am-7pm Closed Tuesdays.
Memorial Hours : Daily 7.30am – 9pm
Price : $33 adults, $21 children ages 7-12, $27 teens ages 13-17, students and seniors over 65. You can book your ticket here .
Free Day : Mondays from 5:30pm – 7:00pm Limited tickets can be reserved every Monday at 7am.

9/11 museum in new york

Other museums in New York

This short selection of the best museums in New York leaves out many and some that are definitely worth a visit. If you have time to spare, take note of the following:

Madame Tussauds , considered one of the best wax museums in the world.
Tenement Museum , a reminder of the city's first immigrants.
Intrepid Museum , dedicated to the sea, air and space.
New York Police Museum .
Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration , which is often included on Statue of Liberty tours.
National Museum of the American Indian , dedicated to the life, languages, history, and art of the indigenous peoples of the Americas.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester , a delight for the little ones 😉

Map with the best museums in New York

We leave you a map with the location of the best museums in New York, which you must visit:

These are, for us, the 10 best museums in New York . As you can see, you won't have time to get bored in the Big Apple, and these are excellent options to learn more and, why not, an ideal alternative if it's a rainy day .

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