7 Museums in New York that will Inspire You

These NYC Museums will help you understand why they are important.

Aah… New York! The Big Apple. The Cultural Capital of the World. A City that stands for freedom and creative expression.

But what comes to your mind when you think of New York?

Gigantic skyscrapers? Jazz clubs? Theatre?

We wouldn’t be surprised if you said ‘Yes’. But we won’t be talking about the obvious cultural representations of this Mega-city.

Today, we shall be exploring the museums to visit in NYC, where art, history & learning create a beautiful motif of an enigmatic cultural kaleidoscope.

After a visit to these magnificent museums, you shall get a better sense of how museums shape meaning and affect the perspective of the current generation of people.

This list will take you through the best museums in NYC that house artifacts from all over the world, and attract thousands of visitors each day.

So, without any more delays, let us start our journey of cultural discoveries, through the museums in New York City.

1. American Museum of Natural History

Founded in 1869, the American Museum of Natural History is one of the world’s foremost scientific and cultural institutions deciphering & promoting a wide range of subjects that include ancient civilizations, the natural world, and space.

This natural history museum offers multiple programs for scientific research, exhibition, and education.

It’s renowned for a vast array of scientific collections and exhibitions, that tell the stories of our entire planet and present a panoramic view of various cultures across the globe.

The American Museum of Natural History constitutes 26 interconnected buildings that house 45 permanent exhibition halls, along with a planetarium and a library. With over 34 million specimens of fossils, minerals, rocks, plants, animals, meteorites, human remains, and human cultural artifacts, the museum is capable of making you feel like Alice discovering Wonderland for the first time.

Make sure you visit this grand museum with ample time on your hands.

2. Ellis Island Immigration Museum

Want to witness the story of the American people? Take a visit to the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, which documents the rich story of American immigration through its curated collection of photographs, artifacts, and explorable historic records.

As you walk through the Great Hall, restored dormitories, and baggage room, you’ll be able to feel the emotions of the hopeful arrivals looking for a brighter tomorrow and & find new opportunities in this foreign land they’d now call home.

Each display tells the story of the individuals going through the immigration process and helps you understand the cosmopolitan culture of America, much better.

3. New-York Historical Society

Established in 1804, the first museum in NYC offers 400 years of history through its exhibitions, collections, and films. This iconic museum is the perfect destination for those who want to study American culture and understand its roots. It’s a star attraction on the list of museums to visit in New York.

Their extensive collection of historical artifacts, American artworks, and objects document the history of New York and the United States in a seamless and precise manner.

The museum also offers a wide range of curriculum-based school programs and teacher resources that help the educational community learn in a more active, responsive manner.

The New-York Historical Society’s museum houses more than 1.6 million works, that include world-class works of art by artists like Thomas Cole, William Sidney Mount, Frederic Edwin Church, and Eastman Johnson.

They also hold a vast collection of American folk art that includes furniture, lamps, candlesticks, ceramic objects, textiles, toys, and sculptural woodcarvings. The research library contains more than three million books, maps, atlases, pamphlets, newspapers, music sheets, manuscripts, and photographs, that document the life of early Americans.

4. National Museum of the American Indian

Would you like to delve deeper into the culturally rich and diverse history of the American Indians? Take a tour of the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) and see America in a new light through their Native artifacts, photographs, media, and archives, that cover the American Indian tribes of the entire Western Hemisphere.

Since its inception, the NMAI has been bringing Native American voices to the forefront, with their presentations and write-ups. It is also dedicated to being a rich resource of information and knowledge for the hemisphere’s Native communities and exhibiting the rich, diverse culture of Native Americans.

Here, you will witness an America that is seldom shown in mainstream media – an America that is as old as time itself.

5. Rubin Museum of Art

The Rubin Museum of Art focuses on the preservation of the art and cultures of the Himalayan regions, Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and other regions within Eurasia.

Originating from a private collection of Himalayan art, the museum opened in 2004 and has a collection of 1,000 objects that include paintings, ritual objects, sculptures, and textiles from the 2nd to the 20th centuries. You also get to witness an astounding collection of Tibetan art as well.

Apart from the museum, there is also a space for contemporary and historical photography, a theatre for events, an art-making studio, a gift shop, and a café.

One of the best art museums in NYC, the Rubin Museum of art sheds light on the various monastic cultures and vibrant ways of living, from some of the oldest civilizations in history.

6. Museum of Modern Art

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), often regarded as one of the most influential museums of modern art in the world, offers an expansive collection of modern and contemporary art, that includes architecture, drawing, sculptures, paintings, photography, prints, illustrated books, electronic media, and cinema.

Their collection includes approximately 300,000 exhibition catalogs and books, 1000 plus periodical titles, and more than 40,000 ephemeral collectibles from various artists.

It is one of the world’s most visited museums and houses some of the most important pieces of modern art, that include works from the likes of Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, and Frida Kahlo to name just a few.

7. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The largest art museum in the Western Hemisphere, The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a collection of over two million artworks. Here, you will get to see over 5,000 years of art from around the globe and be inspired by what humanity can achieve through creativity.

Founded in 1870, the museum’s permanent collection consists of works from classical antiquity, Ancient Egypt, sculptures and paintings from almost all the European masters, and an enormous collection of modern and American art. Here, you can also revel in the art of Africa, Oceania, Asia, The Middle East, and Byzantium.

You will also get to see musical instruments, accessories, costumes, weapons, and armor ranging from 1st-century Rome, all the way through to modern American design.

As you walk through the galleries of these magnificent halls and chambers, the creative spark in you is sure to come alive. You will start looking at the world in a newer light. You will realize that the world hasn’t always been about war and corruption.

It has also produced millions and millions of beautiful pieces of art, that shine bright with the stories of the past. It will make you think about the impact you can have on the world, with your unique creations.

At SpotEv, this is what we want to achieve. We want travelers and explorers to make their days richer, and also make the process convenient for them. If you want to discover more such amazing places, keep following our blog.

Until next time…
Have a great day!