After 3 years in NYC, these are the lesser known museums I return to again and again for fewer crowds and amazing artwork! Add these underrated NYC museums to your itinerary to make the most of your visit.
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A Note From Claire…
As much as I hate the cold, I love spending the winter in New York City. Once the holiday rush has died down, the streets are a little less crowded and life returns to its normal pace.
Last winter I spent much of my time in my apartment; I was still adjusting to the 9 to 5 life and was constantly tired from the chill and gray skies. This year, I told myself I’d spend my Saturdays in the city enjoying New York as much as possible (Sunday afternoons will forever be reserved for reading a good book and napping).
Having had a particularly miserable winter so far, I’ve spent most of my Saturdays inside one of NYC’s incredible museums. When I first moved here, I frequented The Met and The Museum of Natural History, but I’ve since discovered some hidden gems in the NYC museum scene. I wanted to share some of the most underrated NYC museums with you, because there are SO many more museums to visit other than the likes of the MoMA and the Guggenheim.
The museums listed below are loved by New Yorkers, but I rarely hear out-of-towners planning trips to any of these. These would be especially great to visit if you’ve been to NYC before and have seen the more popular museums already.
Have fun! ~Claire
The Morgan Library & Museum
📌Address: 225 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
💸Price: $25 (students and 65+ adults get a discount) / Free admission Fridays 5-8pm
⏰ Hours: 10:30am to 5pm Tu – Th and weekends; 10:30am to 8pm Fr; closed Mo
The Morgan Library & Museum was originally the private library of Pierpont Morgan (yes, the JP Morgan). The library is exactly what I imagine the Beast’s library in Beauty and the Beast would look like. There are hundreds of books on the shelves, and the museum displays a number of them on a rotating basis. Down the hall from the library is Morgan’s private office, which is another walk back through time.
My favorite part of the museum is the “Treasures From the Vault” collection, which displays various artifacts and manuscripts from Morgan’s vast collection. When I visited, a number of priceless medieval manuscripts were on display, but the display changes every few months.
When you visit, I highly recommend taking a tour with one of the museum docents. It lasts about 90 minutes, but you learn so much history about Morgan and his life that you’d otherwise miss.
Brooklyn Museum
📌Address: 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York 11238
💸Price: Pay what you wish ($20 suggested donation)
⏰ Hours: 11am to 6pm Wed – Sun (closed Mo & Tu)
The Brooklyn Museum is the second largest museum in NYC (in terms of physical size), and while it’s loved by many a New Yorker I’ve never once had an out of town friend itching to visit this museum. The Brooklyn Museum reminds me of The Met in many ways; it’s an art museum, but its exhibits showcase a little bit of everything—ancient Egyptian mummies, more traditional oil paintings from Europe, various textiles, etc.
My personal favorite exhibit is called “The Dinner Party,” which is a piece of feminist art from the 1970s. In a nutshell, it’s set up as a huge banquet that represents 39 influential women throughout history. If you need a good dose of girl power, definitely check out this exhibit.
The Met Cloisters
📌Address: 99 Margaret Corbin Dr, New York, NY 10040
💸Price: $30 (pay what you wish for NY residents; seniors and students get a discount)
⏰ Hours: 10am to 5pm Th – Tu (closed Wed)
The Met Museum is one of the main tourist attractions in the city, but did you know that the Met has multiple branches? The Cloisters is one of my all-time favorite spots in New York.
Tucked away in Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan, The Cloisters are entirely dedicated to medieval art. Don’t worry, there’s much more to this museum than a handful of boring “Madonna and Child” paintings.
At the center of the museum is the garden from an actual cloister. Entire rooms from chapels and medieval houses were salvaged and reconstructed here. It’s quite the trek to get to The Cloisters, but they’re 100% worth it.
Whitney Museum of American Art
📌Address: 99 Gansevoort Street, New York, NY 10014
💸Price: $30 (free for anyone under 25); book your tickets in advance!
⏰ Hours: 10am to 6pm Sa – Th (closed on Tu); open until 10pm on Fri
The Whitney is best visited with a friend, in my opinion. On display is a range of 20th century and contemporary artwork. To be perfectly honest, some of it goes way over my head, but that’s why I like having a friend along to chat about the artwork with!
The Whitney is near the High Line, which you can take to Chelsea Market if you’re in need of a snack after your museum visit.
The Frick Collection
📌Address: 1 E 70th St, New York, NY 10021
💸Price: $30 / Free admission the first Friday of every month from 5:30-9pm and Pay-What-You-Wish Wednesday from 1:30-5pm (book your tickets in advance to secure a timed entry!)
⏰ Hours: 10:30am to 5pm daily (closed Tu)
If medieval sculptures and feminist artwork aren’t your thing, check out The Frick Collection. The Frick is known for its collection of Old Master paintings (think: da Vinci, Michelangelo, etc) and its European sculptures and decorative arts.
The museum is in Henry Frick’s mansion, which is a masterpiece in itself. It feels more like you’re walking through someone’s (very swanky) home, rather than a museum. This is quite possibly my favorite museum in all of New York, and I visit every time I’m back in the city!
Enjoy Your Time in NYC’s Museums!
The next time you’re in the Big Apple, definitely check out one of these underrated NYC museums. If you don’t want to dedicate half your day to a museum, the Frick or the Morgan Library are the way to go, otherwise choose one of the others on this list for a longer visit.
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Comments & Reviews
Hey Claire, thank for the great overview. I am a sucker for museums. I do like them but mostly I don’t have that much time for museums. I was just in Seville and enjoyed learning some historical facts there. My last visit to an art museum was in Liechtenstein. I loved the Morgan library and just had the same impression, this would be the library of the beauty and the beast. I’d also be a fan of The Dinner Party exhibition. I haven’t been to New York, but it’s definitely on my list and I’d love to see some of your suggestions.
Hey Melanie! I always try and squeeze in at least one museum whenever I’m in a new city. I especially love regional museums that tell you about the history of the place you’re visiting 🙂 If you’re looking for NYC recommendations, I have a ton on my blog! Hopefully you can find a few things to add to your bucket list!