New York City's Art Museums: A Guide For Art Lovers

New York City is still considered the center of the art world which also means there is plenty of art to be seen when you visit the Big Apple. Having more art galleries per square mile than any other city it can be very easy to become overwhelmed on where to start. Luckily there are also major art museums in New York City that can provide a great place to start.

The Museum of Modern Art is considered the most influential modern art museum in the world. Established in 1929 the Museum of Modern Art is located 11 West 53^rd Street in Manhattan. The museum shortened to MOMA houses some of the most important and iconic works of the modern art era. Works by Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, Henri Matisse, and Salvador Dali are just a few artists whose works reside in the permanent collection at the MOMA. Being one of the major Manhattan art museums it's also the most expensive when it comes to admission cost, which is $20 dollars. The cost of admission should not deter you however as the art housed here is well worth the visit.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, also referred to as the Met, is considered one of the world's largest art galleries holding over 2 millions works of art. Located directly on Central Park at 5^th Ave and 82^nd Street Manhattan the Met offers a wide variety art from classic antiquity to modern works of art. In addition to art the Met also has musical instruments, antique weapons, and armor from all over the world. A great museum from the family where there is almost something for everyone. Without leaving the museum one can view relics from ancient Egypt to French Impressionistic paintings.

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is also another major art museum located in the Upper East on 88^th St in Manhattan. The actual building itself is an important landmark which was designed by the famed American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Referred to as the Guggenheim Museum it houses major artworks from the Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, Modern, and Contemporary art periods. The Guggenheim Museum is based on the approximately 600 paintings that Solomon R. Guggenheim gifted to the museum. Here you can view important works by Vasily Kandinsky, Marc Chagall, and Francis Bacon.

Visiting any of the museums will fill any need for art lovers. Plan your day according though as it would require multiple visits to fully appreciate just one of these museums. Visiting the websites of these museums will give you a better idea of what exactly you want to see during your visit. With that knowledge in hand you will have a great game plan that will make your visit enjoyable. Remember that most museums rotate their art collection as they can't fully display all of the works at one time. So next time you're in Manhattan and have an afternoon to spend looking at art stop by any of these art museums for a truly wonderful experience.