When you want to glance into the past, the best way to do it is by studying art, artifacts, or even architecture that was created during that time. It can say a lot about beliefs, feelings, and the way people move through society. And going to a museum is a great way to study. Some of the best museums in New York City have a variety of items from several periods and cultures.
New York City is home to some of the most iconic buildings to begin with, but its museums are hard to beat. If you want a look into history through art and manuscripts, then heading to the Big Apple is a great start. To find the top places to visit, check out some of the best museums in New York City recommended below.
6. The Morgan Library & Museum
The first on the list of best museums in New York City is the Morgan Library and Museum, located in Manhattan New York. The structure was completed in 1906 as the private library of the banker J.P. Morgan and has over 350,000 objects. As of 2024, the museum is directed by Colin B. Bailey, and governed by a board of trustees. While it formerly was occupied by the family, it’s since been a public institution since 1924. The library has three floors of metal-enclosed walnut bookshelves, full of rare books and important artifacts throughout history.
The collection consists of illuminated manuscripts, authors’ original manuscripts, books, and sheets of music. They even have a collection of drawings, photographs, paintings, maps, and other objects. It even contains the original copy of the Declaration of Independence. The Morgan Library and Museum is a unique experience and is a must-see for adventurers who want a look into the past through written words.
Related: Here’s Everything You Need to Know About the World’s Largest Toy Museum
5. 9/11 Memorial & Museum
Not only is this one of the best museums in New York City, but it’s also one of the most important and significant ones in the United States. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum is part of the World Trade Center complex and was created to remember the September 11 attacks of 2001, which killed 2,977 people, as well as the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, which killed six.
It’s an unforgettable place to go, as it’s considered one of the most moving and profound museums. They have so much to see as well, with more than 74,000 artifacts that document the fat of victims, survivors, and responders. The museum also has an archive full of stories and accounts from interviews. If there is one museum that you have to see at least once in your life, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is at the top of the list.
Read More: What Are the Richest Towns in New York?
4. The Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is a must-see, though it’s often overlooked. Even so, it’s one of the largest and oldest museums in the country, as it was established in 1896, and is one of the best museums in New York City. With a collection of over 500,000 objects, it has an array of items, like Egyptian antiquities, spanning over 3,000 years. They even have outstanding European, African, Oceanic, and Japanese art.
What’s even better is that they pride themselves in continuing education for everyone by having a wide variety of workshops and programs for all ages. They even have events for camps if you want to take larger groups for the summer. For a one-stop spot for a variety of cultures and time periods, the Brooklyn Museum is the best museum in New York City to provide that.
Also Read: What’s the Most Expensive Hotel in the U.S.?
3. The American Museum of Natural History
One of the best museums in New York City is the American Museum of Natural History, or AMNH for short. The Natural History Museum is on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, located near Theodore Roosevelt Park which is across from Central Park. Comprising 21 buildings that house 32 exhibition halls, along with the Hayden Planetarium (which is one of the best planetariums in the world), the museum has a large collection of around 32 million specimens.
Unlike the other museums listed that have home paintings, sculptures, and more, this museum contains plants, animals, fungi, fossils, minerals, rocks, and human cultural artifacts. They also have a wonderful Hall of Ocean that shows off their life-size model of a 94-foot blue whale. With an average of 5 million visitors per year, this museum is the number one spot to go for all things natural and life.
Check Out: Rare World War II Artifacts and the Stories They Tell
2. The Museum of Modern Art
Next on the list of the best museums in New York City is the Museum of Modern Art, located in Midtown Manhattan. Conceived in 1929, it opened just days after the Wall Street Crash. The museum, as its name suggests, is dedicated to modern art. Its establishment played a significant role in developing and collecting modernist art.
In 2022, the museum was the 17th most-visited in the world, and the 4th in the United States. The museum has an average of 2 million guests, with an abundance of collections that range from the late 19th century to the present, including over 200,000 works of architecture and design, drawing, painting, sculpture, illustrated, and photography prints.
Read More: Famous Paintings of Women and the History Behind Them
1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
One of the most well-known museums in the United States, as well as one of the best museums in New York City, is the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or the Met for short. By floor area alone, it’s the fourth-largest museum in the world and the largest in America. With an average amount of visitors is about 6 million per year, it’s the most-visited America, and the fourth-most visited in the world.
It has a collection of 2 million pieces spanning over 5,000 years in history. The permanent collection consists of art ranging from ancient Near East and Ancient Egypt, all the way to modern and contemporary art. If you want to explore one of the best museums in New York City, as well as in the world, then the Met should be on your bucket list.
