starrs

Okay, this trip's theme is going to be museums. Of course, evenings will be spent at shows for most nights, but during the day...

I want to spend 2 hours each day in varied museums in Manhattan. Help me plan...

What are your favorites museums?
And for really large museums that really would need days to "see it all", what are your favorite halls/galleries?

This is for an upcoming trip this spring.

Two trips ago I followed in the footsteps of LowCountryIslander and her restaurant picks.
Now, I want to follow in the footsteps of Fodorites through museums.

I wouldn't mind taking advantage of free days or pay what you wish days, but that may not be possible when the evening "free" times conflict with a Broadway show.

SueNYC

Sorry - this trip is about you not us. What kind of museums are you interested in. In the biggies - find your interests - www.metmuseum.org www.moma.org

www.nypl.org isn't this fun.... www.thejewishmuseum.org is free on Saturday

www.madmuseum.org is pay what you want Thurs after 6.....

Aduchamp1

I would do two two hour sessions at the Met and MoMA.

The Frick
The Morgan
and then see what are the special exhibits that week.

starrs

"Sorry - this trip is about you not us."
Sorry you don't want to help with this theme, SueNYC.

I've visited NYC many times and have my favorites - and have suggested them on this board quite often.

THIS trip I want to spend 2 hours a day outside of what I usually do and follow the footsteps of Fodorites visiting THEIR favorites. Last time, I had a private tour of the MoMA by a friend who happened to be a docent. Seeing the museum focusing on HIS favorites were the seed of this idea. I'm excited about giving it a try.

saige

Funny, I just posted about loving the Cloisters. This collection of medieval art housed in reconstructed european cloisters includes the Unicorn tapestries among its treasures. It's one of the Metropolitan Museums. If you haven't visited in the past, I highly recommend it.

ellenem

I love the Morgan Library, which is a bit of a "house" museum. How about some other house museums . . . Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace, Old Merchant's House, Morris-Jumel Mansion.

DancingBearMD

The Cloisters is nice for its setting as well as its collection. The Rockefellers purchased much of the Palisades across the river (and donated it to New Jersey) to preserve the view from the museum. And a bus runs right up Broadway to get there.

Similarly, the Frick Collection is great but in addition you get a glimpse of what a true Fifth Avenue mansion was like. And they host chamber music concerts and the like.

The Met obviously is an embarassment of riches. Personally I enjoy the relatively uncrowded American paintings there. (Last time I was there some time ago the American wing was under renovation, not sure whether it's reopened yet).

And I don't miss a chance to plug the Lower East Side Tenement Museum.

If you haven't committed all of your evenings, remember the Met is open until 9 on Friday and Saturday, and the MoMA is open until 8 on Friday and 8:45 on the first Thurs of the month (every Thursday in summer).

HowardR

My take on the Met is that it should be seen in roughly 3-to-4-hour segments. 2 hours at a time is tease! But, please don't ask me to for my favorite sections......there are so many! Well, for you, Starrs, here goes....
*The new American Wing is a must-see.
*As a huge fan of Impressionism, that section, the Met has one of the best collections in the US and is a must-see (for me, at least)
*The Egyptian wing, highlighted by the Temple of Dendur.
*The new (well, fairly new) Greek and Roman section.
As for MOMA, what I love about that museum is that it's so manageable for the visitor, and you can really capture the place to a great degree in a, say, 3-4-hour visit.
so, Starrs, at least for these two great museums, budget more than 2 hours at a time.

starrs

This is PERFECT! Thanks so much!

Thanks, saige. I meant to on the last trip but didn't make it.

So far,
- the Morgan with Adu (I wish Jane Austen would still be there)
- the Cloisters with saige, making sure to see the unicorn tapestries
- the American wing of the Met with DancingBear (now open)
http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_ar...wing_2009.aspx
- the TRoosevelt homeplace with ellenm
http://www.nps.gov/thrb/index.htm

Can't wait to hear of others' favorites!

yk

Yesterday I was at the Cooper-Hewitt Design museum for about 2.5 hours to see the Design USA show. Very unique. Today, I spent a very enjoyable 1.5 hours at the MAD. Tomorrow, I'm heading to the Morgan to see the Anne of Cleeves illuminated manuscript exihibit.

Other museums I've enjoyed in past visits include:
Neue Galerie
Frick
Met (in small doses)
Forbes Galleries (depending on their current exhibition)
Museum of the City of NY
Jewish Museum

Anyway, for me, I try to check out what are the special exhibits on during my visit. If it's something I'm interested, I'll go, and see the permanent collection at the same time. If there isn't any exhibition that I'm crazy about, I'll save those museums for future NYC visits.

starrs

Okay, HowardR, I will.

My time is flexible. My "job" for the trip is a dogwalker. I have to get back to the apartment for their walking requirements. I'll be spending time on the computer doing "my job". And, then most evenings will be on Broadway. I can prioritize and get in a good 3-4 hours for a couple of days.

williamscb13

It's not exactly a museum but I love going to the main branch of the New York Public LIbrary to see the current exhibits there.

If your going when the ferry to Governors Island is running, I found it fascinating. I'm not sure if there are tours of the island, but there are signs and maybe a museum, but to think of it being a fortress on an island just off the tip of Manhattan and to walk around there on a beautiful day is fun.

One of my favorite museums is the American Folk Art Museum right next doors to the MOMA. Start at the top and wind your way downstairs. I wasn't as huge a fan of the MOMA when I went, I found it crowded and it just didn't draw my attention.

Finally, I'm really surprised no one has mentioned the Tenement museum. It truly is a unique look at NYC and its history. Make sure you make reservations and there are several tours to choose from.

starrs

Thanks William. I've noticed the Am Folk Art museum but have never gone in.

DancingBear mentioned the Tenement museum. I love it as well. I went when it had recently opened and only had one (unnamed) tour and then they restored another apartment and alternated between the two. A couple of years ago I went back and was surprised at how much the tour options had grown...all using the same building. They are doing a great job!

The Frick is my absolute favorite. Favorite almost anywhere.
My visit to the MoMA last year was wonderful, but I had a friend taking me around to his favorites.

I'll be looking for docent tours or guided tours, but really appreciate Fodorites helping narrow down to some of their favorites. The Met is SO big it's almost like saying you are going to "the Smithsonian". Any one of the museums can be overwhelming, but to have so many choices of fabulous museums on the Mall is mind-boggling.

I'm thinking of this as a "sampler" museum trip knowing I'll want to go back to see more on later trips.

happytrailstoyou

We always enjoy the Frick Collection, in a wonderful mansion, and the nearby Whitney. They are both wonderful and neither is overwhelming.

You are also bound to be impressed by the Morgan Library.

On our last trip to NYC we also enjoyed an hour or so at The Museum of Illustration on East 63rd Street. A unique little place where admission is free.

Also, consider taking the train to the Brooklyn Art Museum and the adjacent Brooklyn Botanical Garden--that makes an enjoyable day.

njsusan

The American Mueseum of Natural History has an exhibit on the Silk Road.

http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/silkroad/

We are going to do a day trip soon to see this.

Fra_Diavolo

Over the last few weeks I've taken two docent tours at the Met -- Arts of Greece and Rome and Arts of Ancient Egypt. Both were extremely well done. If you had to choose, I'd say Ancient Egypt simply because it is less immediately approachable than Greece and Rome. Both took about an hour, so there is plenty of time to visit other galleries. This schedule may be of help planning, http://www.metmuseum.org/calendar/.

I often stop for a while in front of one of my favorite paintings, Pieter Bruegel the Elder's The Harvesters.

starrs

That looks great, njsusan. The last time I was there was over the Thanksgiving holidays. Never again!
I'm sure it was more crowded than Disneyland!
I need to go back when it isn't wall to wall people.

The Jewish Museum has an exhibition on Curious George? Who knew?!?!

http://www.thejewishmuseum.org/exhib.../curiousgeorge

SueNYC

For a 1/2 hour detour after the Cloisters - just went there on Sat - head north to the Dyckman farm house (my first time here was Sat -- it's an interesting surprise in the neighborhood and there are several other houses all over the city that you can visit.

http://historichousetrust.org/item.php?i_id=23

Margo_Chester

Not sure of this is of interest to you or not, but we have enjoyed several visits to the Museum at FIT http://fitnyc.edu/3662.asp

Admission is free, hours are Tues -Fri Noon - 8pm , Saturday 10am - 5pm . It's closed Sundays, Mondays, and legal holidays.

There is also the International Center of Photography http://www.icp.org

ellenem

FYI, the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace has a small exhibit of photos, objects, and memorabilia organized chronologically. The house is seen only on a park ranger guided tour, which takes about 30 minutes. There used to be a nominal fee ($3 for adults if I recall) but according to the website, it's free now. So it's a quick museum to visit and reasonably priced--more money to spend on lunch at Shake Shack nearby.