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The best art day trips from NYC

Looking for culture and a quick getaway? Look no further. Here are our favorite art destinations within a four-hour drive.

As summer heats up, it's time to get out of the city and explore the region's best art installations. Take a day, just you and your loved ones and friends, to hop on a train or in a car to see the newest stunning exhibitions outside of New York City. You’d be surprised what you can find within a four-hour drive, outside of  NYC's best art galleries.

To get you started, here are our suggestions for places to visit. Don't forget to reserve your tickets ahead of time and be ready to adhere to each museum's safety protocols. Bon voyage and happy art hunting!

RECOMMENDED: All of the best day trips from NYC

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3hrs 45mins by car, 6hrs 30mins by train

Located in North Adams, Massachusetts amid the rolling countryside of Berkshire County, Mass MoCA takes up a rambling complex of former 19 th -century factory buildings spread across 13 acres. Nearly 200,000 square feet is given over to exhibition space for contemporary art, but that’s not all: There’s an 850-seat theater, an outdoor concert area that can accommodate upwards of 9,000 people, plus an amphitheater, various rehearsal studios and artists’ workshops. That’s all on top of additional 200,000 square feet of space for “commercial tenants in creative industries.” In other words, there’s a lot of room for stuff to happen and it does with numerous shows, performance events, films and concerts. You'll want to check out " Glenn Kaino: In the Light of a Shadow ," an immersive installation inside its football-field-sized Building 5 gallery that explores the power of collective action in forging a more just world.

Open Wednesdays-Mondays, 10am-5pm. 1040 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA ( massmoca.org , 413-662-2111)

Storm King Art Center

1hr by car, 1hr 45mins by train

This 500-acre landscape of fields, hills and woodlands is home to one of the finest sculpture parks anywhere, boasting a collection of more than 100 outdoor works by some of the biggest names, including Louise Bourgeois, Mark di Suvero and David Smith. This spring, check out indoor and outdoor installations by artist Sarah Sze to coincide with the unveiling of Sze’s  Fallen Sky , a major new site-specific commission by the artist that will become part of  Storm   King ’s permanent collection. You'll want to see Sarah Sze's works  before they leave at the end of June and new, otherworldly installations from Brandon Ndife and Wangechi Mutu (pictured).

Wednesdays-Mondays, 10am-5:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays only from May 27 to September 3, 2022, 10am-7:30pm,  1 Museum Rd, New Windsor, NY ( stormking.org , 845-534-3115)

35mins by car, 55mins by train

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center in the Bronx overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades, Wave Hill offers many natural pleasures, including a magnificent stand of pines, a formal garden and a hiking trail running through the woods. But there’s also art, which can be found on the grounds or in Wave Hill’s main space, the Glyndor Gallery. There are also additional exhibition areas, including the Sunroom Project Space and Wave Hill House. See timely exhibits, " The Nature of Family Portraits " from artists Destiny Belgrave, Sean-Kierre Lyons, Devin Osorio, Maia Cruz Palileo until July 11, and works from Heidi Norton  July 16-August 28.

Open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 5:30pm. W 249th St and Independence Ave, Bronx, NY ( wavehill.org , 718-549-3200)

Grounds for Sculpture

1hr 20min by car and train

Grounds For Sculpture was founded by artist and philanthropist Seward Johnson and opened in 1992 on what used to be the New Jersey State Fairgrounds and was a natural extension of its predecessor, The Johnson Atelier. Across 42 verdant acres, there are about 300 contemporary sculptures and indoors, six galleries hold temporary exhibitions. More than 700 artists have shown their work here and the permanent collection has about 150 artists on view, including  Clement Meadmore, Anthony Caro, Beverly Pepper, Kiki Smith, George Segal, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Isaac Witkin, Joyce J. Scott, Willie Cole, and founder Seward Johnson. See " Roberto Lugo: The Village Potter " and " Fragile: Earth " this summer.

It's open 10am-6pm every day except Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 80 Sculptors Way Hamilton, NJ 08619 ( groundsforsculpture.org , 609-586-0616)

2hr 41min by car

Art Omi sits on 120 acres in the Hudson Valley and peppered over its landscape are large-scale works and a 1,500-square-foot gallery.  The Sculpture & Architecture Park currently offers more than 60 works by artists and architects that are changed each year. Accessing the museum is free (donations welcome) but you'll have to register ahead of time on weekends. So far, Art Omi has hosted more than 2,000 artists from over 100 countries. Walk around the outdoor art maze "Alicja Kwade: TunnelTeller"  and check out the striking " Magnetic Z " by  Cameron Wu.

Open daily from dawn to dusk. The Benenson Center is open daily from 9am-5pm. 1405 County Route 22, Ghent, NY 12075 ( artomi.org ,  518-392-4747)

Dia: Beacon

1hr 30mins by car, 2hrs by train

The aptly name Dia: Beacon is indeed a signal destination for fans of contemporary art—or anyone else, for that matter. Located just up the river from New York in Dutchess County, Dia: Beacon (which is housed in a 300,000-square-foot facility that was once Nabisco’s box printing factory), serves as the sprawling showcase for the Dia Art Foundation’s unparalleled collection of Minimalist Art. It also features temporary exhibitions by some of today’s leading artists, including " Andy Warhol: Shadows " and "After Mirage (Cones/May Windows)" and "The Shape, the Scent, the Feel of Things"  by Joan Jonas.

It's open Friday–Monday, 10am–5pm. 3 Beekman St, Beacon, NY ( diaart.org/sites/main/beacon , 845-440-0100)

Olana State Historic Site

2hr 20min by car

This stunning home that used to belong to artist and explorer Frederic Church will stop you in your tracks. Olana, which is the "old Latin name for a place in Persia, to which the artist’s home bears some resemblance in situation," was where Church lived full time in the 1890s and painted during and after his training with artist Thomas Cole. Now, a National Historic Landmark within the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, Olana hosts tours, events and exhibitions—you see its exciting programming here .

It's open daily, 8am to sunset. 5720 State Route 9G, Hudson, NY 12534 ( olana.org , 518-828-1872)

Parrish Art Museum

2hr 25min by car

Founded in 1898 by Samuel Longstreth Parrish as a one-room exhibition hall in Southampton Village, this major art museum in the Hamptons is now a massive facility in Water Mill that presents about 15 temporary exhibitions each year, or about 3,000 works, including special exhibitions and group shows. You won't be able to drive by because its "Field of Dreams" exhibit in front of its building will call your attention. Stop in to see " Set it Off " curated by Deux Femmes Noires.

279 Montauk Highway, Water Mill, Ny 11976 ( parrishart.org , 631-283-2118)

Philadelphia Museum of Art

2hrs by car, 2hrs by train

It’s not every institution that can claim an association with Sylvester Stallone and Marcel Duchamp, but Philly’s premier museum is able to do just that. Thousands of visitors come each year just to snap their picture on PMA’s “Rocky” steps as the entrance is now known thanks to its appearance in the movie that launched Stallone’s career. As for Duchamp, the museum owns two of his enigmatic masterpieces “The Large Glass” and “Étant donnés,” which you could say respectively represent the Mona Lisa and Sistine Ceiling of 20th-century Conceptual Art. The museum is just as renowned for its other holdings, which, like The Met’s in New York, is encyclopedic in scope. Don't miss " Sean Scully: The Shape of Ideas " through July 31 and " Rodin’s Hands ." 

  2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA ( philamuseum.org , 215-763-8100)

The Dan Flavin Art Institute

3hrs by car, 3hrs by train

Located in an old firehouse that also once housed a Baptist church, The Dan Flavin Art Institute is one of several artist-project sites maintained by the Dia Art Foundation across the country. It is, as the name suggests, dedicated to Dan Flavin (1933–1996) the sculptor known for creating spectacularly colorful installations out of fluorescent light fixtures. Some of his earliest works, a series dating from 1961 to 1964 called “Icons,” is currently on view. The Dan Flavin Art Institute also mounts exhibitions of other artists’ work.

Open Sundays noon-6pm, closed 3–3:30 pm daily.  Corwith Avenue off Main Street, Bridgehampton, NY. ( diaart.org , 631-537-1476)

The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum

The fall, leaf-peeping season is the time most people think of going to Ridgefield, CT, but summer is just as lovely, and it’s worth the trip just to visit this museum devoted to contemporary art—one the first of its kind in the country. It was founded in 1964 by fashion designer Larry Aldrich (1906–2001), who sold his collection of Picasso, Miró, Chagall, Paul Klee among others to pay for the property: A former church and general store dating from the 18th century. A major renovation and expansion opened in 2004. The museum offers a roster of multiple exhibitions, with the highlight this season being " 52 Artists: A Feminist Milestone " opening in June.

Open noon-5pm daily, except on Tuesdays. 258 Main St, Ridgefield, CT ( aldrichart.org , 203-438-4519)

Corning Museum of Glass

4hrs 15min by car

Founded in 1951, the  Corning Museum of Glass  wows visitors with  more than 50,000 glass objects in its collection, some over 3,500 years old. The many galleries showcase works from almost every country in the world, and represent  glassmaking from antiquity through the present day. C ontemporary artworks include pieces by significant artists such as  Klaus Moje ,  Karen LaMonte ,  Bruno Pedrosa ,  Dale Chihuly ,  Libenský / Brychtová  and  Josiah McElheny. You'll also want to see items from the show  Blown Away , and an exhibit celebrating the 50th anniversary of Corelle.  Guests can also watch  live glassmaking demonstrations or even  learn to make glass at the museum.

Open daily, 9am-5pm. One Museum Way, Corning, NY 14830 ( cmog.org , 607-937-5371) 

Edward Hopper House

1hr by car 1hr 30min by train

The home of famous painter Edward Hopper is open to the public. Built in 1858 by his maternal grandfather, it served as his primary residence until 1910. After his death, the house fell into disrepair, but was saved from demolition and restored by members of the local community. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can tour the home, which includes his work, belongings, notes from his family members, and exhibitions of work by other artists inspired by Hopper.

Open Friday, 1-5pm, Saturday and Sunday, noon-5pm. 82 North Broadway, Nyack, NY 10960 ( edwardhopperhouse.org, 845-358-0774)

The Barnes Foundation

2hrs by car, 1hr 30mins by train

The Barnes Foundation describes itself as “the greatest private collection of post-impressionist and early-modern art” and it's hard to argue with that, not only because its holdings of Cézannes, Matisses, Picassos and Renoirs represent quality but also quantity, with the Renoirs alone adding up to 181 pieces. Originally housed in the stately home of founder Albert C. Barnes in nearby Merion, PA, the collection relocated in 2012 to a new building in Philadelphia designed by Williams and Billie Tsien, the same team behind the now lost American Folk Art Museum. The original Merion location remains open to the public and features a 12-acre arboretum.

It's open Thursday to Monday, 11am–5pm. 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA ( barnesfoundation.org , 215-278-7000)

The Yale University Art Gallery

1hr 50mins by car, 2hrs by train

The Yale University Art Gallery is actually one of two museums housed on the campus of the venerable Ivy League institution, the other being the Yale Center for British Art, which is currently undergoing an extensive renovation (it remains closed until 2016). The Gallery’s permanent collection and a new installation featuring highlights from its extraordinary collection of ancient glass are worth checking out.

The Gallery is open Tuesday–Friday 10am–5pm, Thursday (Sept.–June) 10am–8pm, and Saturday–Sunday 11am–5pm. 1111 Chapel St, New Haven, CT ( artgallery.yale.edu , 203-432-0600)

The Brant Foundation Art Study Center

1hr 15min by car, 2hrs by train

Besides being the owner of such publication as Interview and Art In America, Peter Brandt, whose name is on the door here, is probably best known for his on-again, off-again marriage to former supermodel, Stephanie Seymour, which has landed the couple in the tabloids. Still, Brant is one of the art world’s biggest collectors, big enough that he started his own museum in 2010 dedicated to artists he loves (most of whom qualify for the bad-boy label) such as Urs Fischer, Dan Colen and Rob Pruitt. If you’re looking for recent trendsetters in art, this is a good place to start. On view now: " Spencer Sweeney: Perfect. "

Guided tours are offered daily Tuesday-Friday. Guests are welcome any time between 12pm – 3pm for a self-guided visit.  941 North Street, Greenwich, CT ( brantfoundation.org , 203-869-0611)  

Opus 40 Sculpture Park and Museum

2hrs by car

Generally thought of as one of the earliest examples of Earth Art, art, OPUS 40 is a wonder to behold: The work of one man, Harvey Fite, who labored on the piece for 37 years, starting in 1938, when he purchased an abandoned quarry in Saugerties, New York (best known as the site of Woodstock). The result is a winding “total artistic environment” comprising six-and-a-half acres of bluestone blocks fitted together with a technique Fite borrowed from ancient Mayan temples. In fact, Opus 40 resembles nothing so much as mysterious edifice left by a forgotten civilization or, perhaps, extraterrestrial visitors. The grounds also include a museum devoted to quarryman tools that Fite found around the site.

50 Fite Road, Saugerties, NY ( opus40.org , 845-246-3400)

Pollock-Krasner House and Studio

2hrs 30mins by car, 3hrs by train

One of the most interesting things about the live/work homestead shared by AbEx great Jackson Pollock and his wife, the painter Lee Krasner, is how small the studio that birthed Pollock’s game-changing “drip” paintings actually is: The floor on which Pollock spread out his canvases to make his paintings is only barely larger than the works themselves (for comparison, one of Pollock’s larger compositions, One: Number 31 (1950), measures roughly nine by 18 feet). The House is a modest cedar-shingled affair typical of the old fishermen residencies that still dot the Hamptons, as is the adjacent barn that contains the studio. There, you’ll find a display of artifacts—Pollock’s paint-splattered shoes, paint cans and brushes—and of course, the aforementioned floor, which retains the spattered vestiges of some of history’s most famous artworks. 

This summer, see exhibits featuring the work of their friends—Terence Netter (through July 31) and Harold Lehman (August 4 - October 30).

830 Springs-Fireplace Road East Hampton, NY ( stonybrook.edu/pkhouse/ , 631-324-4929)

The best day trips from NYC

Woodstock, NY

Good for hippies at heart 2 hrs, 11mins by car

Though the name conjures a crowd splashed in tie-dye and the faint scent of marijuana, Woodstock isn’t actually where the 1969 festival was held. (That was in Bethel, about two hours away.) Even so, the town is a mix of retired hippies—a street there is named after the late great Band member Levon Helm—artists and city dwellers who feel the need to flee the metropolis on weekends. Woodstock the chance to connect with nature thanks to Overlook Mountain and its various trails as well as a healthy shopping scene with quaint local shops like Candlestock and the Golden Notebook and its weekend flea market, delicious food that can be found at places like Silvia and The Mud Cub and drinks at Station Bar & Curio .

Good for small town fans 1hr 20mins by Metro-North

This quaint city in Dutchess County boasts an exceptionally good eating, drinking and art scene for its size. Walk five minutes from the train station to Dia:Beacon , a modern art museum housed in a former Nabisco box factory. It houses the Dia Foundation’s permanent collection of works from the ‘60s on, including minimalist sculpture by Anne Truitt and Dan Flavin’s work with fluorescent lights. If you’d rather spend the day sampling some booze,  Dennings Point Distillery on Main Street also offers tours and tastings of their bourbon, whiskey, gin and vodka every Friday and Saturday. Before you board the train back to the city, spend a few quiet minutes watching the sun set over the Hudson at Long Dock Park. 

Kingston, NY

Good for townies, thrifters and history buffs. 1 hr 50 mins by car

Once a sleepy town, the city of Kingston is experiencing a reawakening with more residents moving in these days. Dating back to the arrival of the Dutch in 1652, Kingston has a rich history as the state's first capital. During the Revolutionary War, it was burned by the British and in the 19th century, it became a transportation hub, situated right on the Hudson. Despite the fire, you can still see the gorgeous First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Kingston, which was organized in 1659, and many 17th century stone buildings, including the Senate House, which was built in the 1670s. The city is divided into different sections: Uptown, which includes the historic Stockade area; midtown, which is bisected by Broadway, the city’s main drag; and Rondout, near the creek and river, to the south, according to the New York Times . A handful of trendy stores and unique hangouts like Rough Draft , a bookstore and taproom, have opened recently as well as a number of restaurants slinging delicious food like Ship to Shore and Lola . The Ulster Performing Arts Center , inside a restored 1926 theater, regularly has events and the city is also home to a number of festivals, including the Kingston Jazz Festival and the Artists Soapbox Derby. The Trolley Museum of New York even offers 1.5-mile ride on weekends and holidays along the Rondout Creek waterfront to Kingston Point Park.

Mohonk Preserve, NY

Good for hikers and nature enthusiasts 2 hrs by car

Picture this: over 8,000 acres of forests, cliffs, ponds and streams that are ideal for hiking, cycling, horseback riding, trail running, rock climbing and more. Just 90 miles north of New York City, in Ulster County, Mohonk Preserve is truly a nature lover's slice of paradise that, unlike most other hiking grounds, is also home to horseback riding opportunities within designated carriage roads that promise less foot traffic than other destinations. Make sure to start your day early to make a full day of it.

New Paltz, NY

Good for those who want a mix of town and country 3hrs by LIRR or car

Beyond all the worth-the-trip views of riverside bluffs and verdant trees, New Paltz is the most historic on this list, with preserved houses that were around 100 years before we even became the U.S. of A. So, yeah. Pretty old. Learn about the lives of the 17th-century   Huguenot settlers , as performers (dolled up in duds from the period) take you through 30 buildings over 10 acres, including seven historic homes and a reconstructed 1717 church. (Want to retain the back-to-basics spirit as you take in the National Historic Landmark District? Leave the selfie stick at home.) 

Phoenicia, NY

Good for everyone 2 hrs 50mins by car

Tucked into the Catskills, this Ulster County hamlet is a real melting pot, the kind of place where you can expect to see a conservative old-timer and a Brooklyn lumbersexual sipping Buds along the bar in perfect harmony. For every no-nonsense staple ( Phoenicia Diner ), there’s a hipster newbie ( the Graham & Co. ). Try Peekamoose if you want to be trendy—the restaurant is known as the “Gramercy of the Catskills.” If you’re looking to do something unique, float down the creek’s rapids—one of the most popular things to do in Phoenicia—or  hike at  Giant Ledge . The mellow, no-frills, hippie-dippie local culture makes it easy for anyone to relax here. 

Cornwall, NY

Good for photo enthusiasts 1hr by car

With its rolling green hills and massive sculpture installations, Storm King Art Center is tailor-made for stunning photographs. Art aficionados and nature lovers alike will enjoy wandering the 500-acre art park featuring works from more than 100 artists including Alexander Calder and Maya Lin. Take the guided tram tour around the park once to get the lay of the land, then set off on foot or rent a bike for a day of exploring and Instagramming. Visitors can even climb inside a select number of the works. The artistic flair extends to the riverfront village of Cornwall-on-Hudson, where you can dine at the eclectic restaurant–art gallery combo Painter’s .

Kerhonkson, NY

Good for hikers 2hrs by car

Between its rugged landscape and forested pine-barrens area, upstate has some stellar natural spots, and Minnewaska State Park Preserve is one of the best. The more than 22,000-acre spread has been converted into an egalitarian playground with 50 miles of trails, a new rock-climbing spot at the Dickie Barre cliffs, as well as old carriage roads well suited for mountain biking. Cool off with a swim in Lake Minnewaska or Lake Awosting, nestled between towering white bluffs and known for their translucent aquamarine color. Afterward, head to New Paltz for a break at the Water Street Market , where you can eat, shop, and take in art, outdoor movies on Monday nights (June–Aug) and free music on Tuesdays. Historic Huguenot Street is also worth a gander; the road features seven 300-year-old stone houses from the original settlement and provides a tangible glimpse at the history of the town.

Cold Spring, NY

Good for outdoorsy folk 70mins by Metro-North

The Hudson Highlands have lush landscapes, peaks and breathtaking hikes for all levels. Little Stony Point Loop offers a relaxed jaunt along a flat peninsula where you can wade into the Hudson River at the beach. Explore old ruins, including a crumbled mansion and defunct dairy farm, on the gradually sloping, partially unpaved Cornish Estate Trail, which starts opposite Little Stony Point Loop, marked by blue blazes. While there’s plenty of shopping and dining to be done in town, the adventurous should tackle the steep climbs and rock scrambles that lead to the summit of Breakneck Ridge for an impressive 360-degree vista of Storm King Mountain, Bannerman Castle and, on clear days, the Catskills. For detailed guidebooks and maps, check out New York–New Jersey Trail Conference , Open Space Institute and Appalachian Mountain Club , and bring water and appropriate footwear, even for the simpler treks.

Sleepy Hollow, NY

Good for history lovers 30–45mins by Metro-North to Tarrytown

Take a five-minute cab ride from the station to Philipsburg Manor Upper Mills living-history museum —a farm and mill dating back to 1750—to try hands-on activities. Staffers in period costume demonstrate grinding grain in the gristmill, threshing wheat and preparing goods for shipping with traditional instruments. The visit also provides a sobering reminder that slavery was not confined to the South, which guided tours highlight. Explore the dairy, kitchens and bed chambers in the main house, then bask in the rustic scenery from the bridge overlooking the pond. Take the 15-minute walk to the Bridge View Tavern for craft brews, pub grub, and views of the bridge and stretch of the Hudson River known as the Tappan Zee.

Airbnbs near breweries

The cozy guest apartment near Hudson Valley Brewery

Near : Hudson Valley Brewery  in Beacon, NY

About the brewery: On East Main Street, this spot specializes in hoppy beer with complementary flavors that make it easy to go down. Drafts and wide cans are both found in its big space.

The stay: Less than a mile from downtown Beacon, NY, this cozy and private apartment is a safe haven once you're done trying the brews at Hudson Valley Brewery. It suits up to four guests though it's just a one-bedroom. There's a cute porch to sit out on once the weather gets warmer, too.

The cozy apartment near Tree House Brewing

Near : Tree House Brewing in Charlton, Massachusetts. 

About the brewery : A beer mecca, this spot is considered to be one of the best in the U.S. It's a non-distributing brewery, meaning you can only purchase on-site, so it's worth a trip. It's famous for its IPAs and stouts.

The stay : This 1,200-square-foot apartment is just 13 minutes from Tree House Brewing. Situated on a quiet street in Southbridge, it's within walking distance of Main Street. The apartment can accommodate up to four guests.

The Lounge near the Alchemist

Near : The Alchemist in Stowe, VT

About the brewery:  The Alchemist strives to have the happiest brew on the market and has a huge following. It's beloved for its Heady Topper DIPA and Focal Banger IPA. This is its "visitor center," where you can sample its offerings and purchase a case of whatever you like. Its original location is in Waterbury, VT.

The Stay:  The Lounge is in the heart of Stowe, which makes it just a few minutes drive from the brewery. This one-bedroom apartment is located on Main Street, so it's easy to walk the downtown area. It is located on the first floor of the Butler House and is a clean and comfortable stay for those visiting the area.

The new old house near Industrial Arts Brewing

Near: Industrial Arts Brewing   in Beacon, NY

About the brewery: It is known for its fresh, hoppy beers you can taste in a state-of-the-art brewhouse located in the Garnerville Arts and Industrial Complex. You can get to it in 15 minutes from this enchanting stay in nearby Cold Spring.

The stay: There's a beautiful  wrap-around porch, mature trees, and beautiful green space to take in around this stately home, which also boasts a comfortable ground floor with two sitting rooms, a dining room, and a farmhouse kitchen. It can accommodate eight guests across four bedrooms.

The Dakin House near Crossroads Brewing Company

Near : Crossroads Brewing Company in Athens, NY

About the brewery: Located in the Brooks Opera House, this spot has a seven-barrel brewhouse with 10 taps that offer a selection of award-winning beers, including the beloved Outrage IPA or its full-bodied Black Rock Stout.

The stay:  Stay in style in the Dakin House, a renovated Greek Federal Style home built in 1800. You'll have the third floor to yourself with large light-filled open spaces, original hardwood floors, a comfortable living/dining room, and a separate bedroom, with a queen-size bed and adjoining private bath.

The charming vintage home near Suarez Family Brewery

Near: The Suarez Family Brewery in Hudson, NY

About the brewery:  Owned and operated by a former Brooklyn resident, this small mom-and-pop specializes in ales of mixed fermentation, unfiltered lagers, and other crispy little beers (the Wheat Pale Ale and Crispy Little).

The stay : Stay in an  authentic Sears catalog home in Hudson—a quiet and comfortable getaway for those looking to take a low-key escape from the city.

The farm on Mad River near Lawson's Finest Liquids

Near: Lawson's Finest Liquids in Waitsfield, VT

About the brewery:  This spot boasts world-class IPAs and maple brews (you read that—it is in Vermont, after all). It's a highly-acclaimed, small-batch artisanal brewery that'll have you appreciating the simplicity of a really good, cold drink.

The stay: The area is a bit more rural, so if you want the full experience, grab a private room at The Farm on Mad River, a five-bedroom bed and breakfast.

The three-bedroom suite near Foam Brewers

Near : Foam Brewers  in Burlington, VT

About the brewery:  Foam, which is right on the waterfront of Lake Champlain, brews in small batches so it can serve up a changing beer lineup, and just like its name suggests, it focuses on crafting the perfect foamy beer.

The stay: It's just a few minutes' walk to the brewery from this clean and historic apartment (from 1912) with three bedrooms. The suite of bedrooms share one bathroom that has a claw foot tub that is "scrubbed daily," so you don't have to be afraid of a good soak after you've downed your suds.

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13 Art-Oriented Day Trips from New York City

By Kristan Schiller and Liddy Berman

New York offers some of the world’s top cultural experiences , from historic museums to edgy galleries. However, for all those New Yorkers looking to escape the city for a day, the opportunities for seeing quality art outside of the five boroughs are surprisingly plentiful. No matter your art preferences, there are nearby design-centric destinations for everyone to explore. Whether you prefer an outdoorsy experience in a sculptural park or an air-conditioned gallery oasis, all you need is a car or a train ticket, and you’re ready to make your move. From an iconic contemporary home to an 18th-century church to acres of sculptures in the Hudson River Valley, the following thirteen venues are about a two-hour trip from New York —and well worth the time!

Parrish Art Museum

Founded in 1898, this historic museum boasts some of the area’s best contemporary art. In 2012 the institution relocated to a gorgeous new building designed by Herzog & de Meuron that has raw, minimalist interiors pairing exposed beams with concrete flooring. You’ll find indoor and outdoor installations, with past artists including Chuck Close and Dan Flavin. 279 Montauk Highway, Water Mill, New York; parrishart.org

Yale Center for British Art

The largest English art collection outside the U.K., the newly remodeled Yale Center for British Art is a little over two hours by train. It holds masterpieces by artists including J. M. W. Turner, Thomas Gainsborough, George Stubbs, and more. It’s also right across the street from the Yale University Art Gallery and part of the university’s gorgeous campus (the Old Campus was built in 1752!), making for a lovely day full of historic art and architecture. 1080 Chapel St., New Haven, Connecticut; britishart.yale.edu

Philip Johnson Glass House

The Glass House, designed by architect Philip Johnson in 1949, when floor-to-ceiling windows were a novelty even in office buildings, is a work of art in itself. But there’s much more art to be found on the lush grounds of this famous home in New Canaan, Connecticut. Amble on over to the Painting Gallery, which houses large-scale works by Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, and Cindy Sherman, among others, or the Sculpture Gallery, featuring works by such artists as Michael Heizer, George Segal, Frank Stella, and Bruce Nauman. 199 Elm Street, New Canaan, Connecticut; theglasshouse.org

A former printing factory on the Hudson River, just 80 minutes north of Manhattan by train, Dia Beacon is a pageant of powerhouse talent. Displaying the works of 25 minimalist and conceptual artists, from Gerhard Richter to Donald Judd, Dia has attracted attention as much for its art as for its sawtooth skylights, hardwood floors, and cavernous 240,000-square-foot space. 3 Beekman Street, Beacon, New York; diaart.org

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The Newark Museum

Located in the Downtown Arts District of Newark, New Jersey, this colossal museum features 80 galleries including noteworthy displays of American, Asian, and African art, as well as the most comprehensive collection of Tibetan art in the Western Hemisphere. The institution also encompasses a planetarium, a sculpture garden, and a beautifully restored 1885 mansion. Pop into the museum gift shop, which carries gifts and jewelry from around the world, and wrap up your cultural outing in Newark with lunch or dinner at an authentic Portuguese restaurant in the city’s Ironbound neighborhood. 49 Washington Street, Newark, New Jersey; newarkmuseum.org

Storm King Arts Center

Storm King is a 500-acre open-air museum with one of the largest collections of contemporary outdoor sculptures in America. Established in 1960 in Mountainville, New York, as a museum for Hudson River School paintings, it has grown into an important sculptural exhibition space, showcasing works by the likes of Alexander Calder, Isamu Noguchi, Richard Serra, and Roy Lichtenstein. Artist Maya Lin, perhaps best-known as the designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., made one of the most recent additions to the collection in 2009 with Storm King Wavefield, which comprises seven long rows of undulating land forms. 1 Museum Road, New Windsor, New York; stormking.org

The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum

The only museum in Connecticut solely dedicated to contemporary art, the Aldrich is located in bucolic Ridgefield. Founded by the late fashion designer Larry Aldrich in 1964, the museum features rotating exhibitions of works by national and international emerging and mid-career artists. Notables such as Olafur Eliasson, Eva Hesse, Robert Rauschenberg, Jack Whitten, and Jackie Winsor all exhibited here in the early stages of their careers. 258 Main Street, Ridgefield, Connecticut; aldrichart.org

Wear your walking shoes and head to the historic town of Ghent, New York, where outdoor sculptures and architectural pavilions are gracefully strewn across 120 acres of verdant landscape at Art Omi. Cool off with a visit to Babble, Pummel, and Pride II , where gliding benches suspend the viewer next to a peaceful pond and a large fountain that occasionally offers visitors an unexpected but refreshing misting. Check out Atelier Van Lieshout’s surreally industrial Blast Furnace , and discover if Brian Tolle’s Eureka inspires any brilliant breakthroughs as you view it. Don’t miss Arlene Shechet’s commanding Tall Feather, and be sure to immerse yourself in the color and light of architect Hou de Sousa’s Prismatic , a kaleidoscopic fantasy construction that you can interact with on a monumental scale. Stop and take in rising star artist Tschabalala Self’s paintings and prints at the Newmark Gallery on the property before you leave. 1405 County Route 22, Ghent, New York; artomi.org

The Brant Foundation

Nestled amid the spectacular mansions and rolling fields of Greenwich, Connecticut, the Brant Foundation celebrates its 10th anniversary with a major show of sculptures and paintings by Urs Fischer, the first artist to stage a solo exhibition there. A canopy of oversized plaster raindrops suspended from the ceiling alternately obscures and reveals surreal sculptures and silk-screened “Problem Paintings,” so-called for their darkly humorous juxtapositions. Bread House, an amusingly savory take on Hansel and Gretel’s candy cottage, has been reconstructed from fresh loaves and wood beams—see it soon, as the work literally decays with the passage of time. Fischer’s sculpted candles also evoke a sense of ephemerality, burning down through the run of the show and transforming from cast sculptures into puddles of wax. Dreamy paintings and unexpected sculptural compositions add to the current of playfully dark, surreal humor that runs throughout the artist’s oeuvre. 941 North Street, Greenwich, Connecticut; brantfoundation.org

Grace Farms

In New Canaan, Connecticut, architect SANAA’s stunning River Building lies at the heart of Grace Farms, its undulating lines and sleek glass pavilions conjuring an immediate feeling of cool harmony. Housing a library, an amphitheater, a studio, performance spaces, and a tea bar, the space is also home to several site-specific art installations commissioned by acclaimed curator Yuko Hasegawa. Check out a library book to read while relaxing in one of Arne Jacobson’s elegant Swan Chairs in the pavilion, admire the cascading light effects of Teresita Fernandez’s 10,000 silvered Double Glass River , and catch a performance by up-and-coming talents while you wander the complex. Designed to foster community bonds and positive collaboration, Grace Farms illustrates the powerful impact of art and architecture on society. 365 Lukes Wood Road, New Canaan, Connecticut; gracefarms.org

Jack Shainman’s The School

In picturesque Kinderhook, New York, a celebrated Chelsea gallery owner has transformed a former school into an arts sanctuary at Jack Shainman’s The School. This summer offers The School’s biggest blockbuster yet: Basquiat x Warhol, an exhibition that celebrates the work of each contemporary art master alongside the works that they made together, deftly cocurated by Shainman and eminent art adviser Nilani Trent. The collaborative works by these artists offer insight into both of their practices, as well as illuminating the complex relationship between these two cultural icons. Initially panned by critics, the collaboration pieces have long been overlooked, and there is much here to spur a reevalution of the value and quality of these works. Eggs , a large canvas tinged with violet and infused with iconography that features in both artists’ canons, evokes joyful memories of dyeing Easter eggs while simultaneously grappling with themes of life, death, and rebirth. This work, and the other collaboration paintings, strike a particularly poignant chord when one realizes that both artists would be dead within two years of their production. 25 Broad St, Kinderhook, New York; jackshainman.com

Magazzino Italian Art Foundation

In Cold Spring, New York, art lovers Nancy Olnick and Giorgio Spanu have created a vast haven for their exceptional collection of Italian Arte Povera masterpieces at Magazzino. Housed in a 20,000-square-foot warehouse designed by Spanish architect Miguel Quismondo, works by Arte Povera masters including Michelangelo Pistoletto, Alighiero Boetti, and Mario and Marisa Merz illuminate this foundational movement in Contemporary Art History. Arte Povera is known for being both highly conceptual and often irreverent, so there’s plenty here to stimulate the mind and tease the senses. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in postwar Italy while viewing Jannis Kounellis’s assemblage that features fragrant coffee beans held in a framework of iron girders, and track political changes in the modern world by navigating Boetti’s redefined maps. 2700 U.S. 9, Cold Spring, New York; www.magazzino.art

T Space Gallery

A passion project of famed architect Steven Holl, Dutchess County’s T Space Gallery invites the visitor to dive into lush greenery and multidisciplinary arts programming. Explore the outdoor sculptures that dot the grounds, and pause to take in a music or poetry performance en plein air during your peregrinations. This summer, T Space plays host to artist Brice Marden’s Cold Mountain drawings, experimental works by the artist that influenced the creation of his seminal Cold Mountain paintings. For bonus points, check out the poetry of ninth-century monk Hanshan, which, along with the natural beauty of the Hudson River Valley, inspired these works’ conception. Don’t miss a stroll through the T Space archives, where the current exhibition celebrates the works of influential architect and educator Astra Zarina. 137 Round Lake Road, Rhinebeck, New York; tspacerhinebeck.org

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• 1 The Glass House
• 2 Parrish Art Museum
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• 4 Dia: Beacon
• 5 The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
• 6 Storm King Art Center
• 7 Yale Center for British Art

7 Best Architecture and Design Day Trips from NYC

We're pretty sure you could visit a different NYC art venue each week and still not cover them all. But if you’re looking to shake things up and explore beyond the city’s five boroughs, there’s plenty of great art and design to make it worth your while. From an outdoor sculpture gallery in Hudson Valley to the Philip Johnson-designed Glass House in New Canaan, CT, here are 7 best architecture and design day trips from NYC.

See recent posts by Siobhan Reid

Photos courtesy of Robin Hill

The Glass House

Philip Johnson’s Glass House is the subject of many an architectural pilgrimage, drawing thousands of visitors to its sprawling 47-acre estate, in New Canaan, Connecticut, each year. Completed in 1949 and inspired by Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois, the house is celebrated for its simplicity of form and perfection of scale and proportion. (It’s no wonder it’s where architect-of-the-moment, Sir David Adjaye, chose to spend his honeymoon!). To learn all about the National Historic Landmark’s ground-breaking design—and tour the property’s other highlights, including the painting gallery, sculpture gallery, and pond pavilion—buy tickets for the self-guided tour. Guides are on hand to answer any of your questions, and you'll have up to three hours to wander the property.

Photos courtesy of Hazel Hutchins, Hufton + Crow, Jane Messinger

Parrish Art Museum

There aren’t too many Hamptons attractions we’d describe as farm-industrial, but the Parrish Art Museum , in Water Mill, is one exception. Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron conceived of the building’s striking, barn-like design: two long gabled sheds that cut through the barren landscape, evoking the potato barns that once scattered the fields. But its exteriors are the only ‘country’ about the place—inside, find work by New York City heavyweights like Roy Lichtenstein, Willem de Kooning, and Jackson Pollock. This season’s exhibition: Clifford Ross’s “Light | Waves,” a mixed media installation exploring the force and rhythm of nature.

RELATED: 10 Best Day Trips from NYC

Photo courtesy of Dean Kaufman

Grace Farms

You would think that this ultramodern arts center (all concrete, steel, and wood) would be completely at odds with its surroundings in rural Connecticut. But— in a testament to the genius of the Pritzer Prize-winning Japanese architecture firm SANAA, which designed the center—Grace Farms feels every bit as harmonious to the landscape as the rolling hills and conifer forests that define it. The main building, a serpentine-shaped form called The River, houses an amphitheater, café, gymnasium, tea pavilion, and a library. We'd recommend buying a coffee and spending a few hours in there, browsing art magazines and flipping through titles on architecture and design.

Top: Michelle Stuart, Sayreville Strata Quartet, 1976. © Michelle Stuart. Photo: Bill Jacobson Studio, New York. Courtesy Dia Art Foundation, New York. Anne Truitt, installation view, Dia:Beacon, Riggio Galleries, Beacon, New York. © annetruitt.org/Bridgeman Images. Photo: Bill Jacobson Studio, New York. Courtesy Dia Art Foundation, New York 

Dia: Beacon

Dia: Beacon may be a one hour train ride from Manhattan, but it’s arguably as much a fixture in New York’s contemporary art-circuit as behemoth institutions like MoMA or The Whitney. Showcasing major installations by the pantheon of 1960s and ‘70s greats—think Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, Sol LeWitt, and Richard Serra—the industrial space, a former box-printing factory, serves as the ultimate backdrop for discovering these electrifying, large-scale works. Don’t miss strolling the art museum’s sunken, labyrinth-like garden, designed by Robert Irwin, who also did The Central Garden at LA’s Getty Center.

RELATED: 8 New Landmarks to See in 2017

Photo courtesy of Esto

The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum

Art venues can take many forms: museums, galleries, converted warehouses. At The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum , which was founded by the late fashion designer Larry Aldrich in 1964, the setting is an 18th-century church and adjacent general store. But don’t let its unconventional setting fool you — everyone from Robert Rauscehnberg to Olafur Eliasson and Eva Hesse exhibited here in the early stages of their careers. Currently on view is artist Beth Campbell's My Potential Future Past , a collection of bent steel and wire mobiles whose delicate forms call to mind vascular or root systems.

Top: Background: Mark di Suvero, Mon Père, Mon Père, 1973-75. Gift of the Ralph E. Ogden Foundation. Foreground: Tony Smith, Source, 1967. Tony Smith Estate, Courtesy of Matthew Marks Gallery. Mark di Suvero Pyramidian, 1987/1998 Steel, 65’ x 46’ x 46’ Gift of the Ralph E. Ogden Foundation, Inc. Beethoven’s Quartet, 2003 Bottom: Works by Mark di Suvero, Photograph by Jerry L. Thompson

Storm King Art Center

When you really need an escape from New York, no place truly compares to Storm King Art Center , in the bucolic Hudson Valley. Spread across 500-acres of rolling hills, woodlands, and fields of native grasses and wildflowers, the outdoor sculpture and art gallery garden feels worlds away from New York’s skyscraper-crowded skyline. Come with friends and family and spend the day taking in large-scale sculptures by masters such as Alexander Calder, Maya Lin, Louise Bourgeois, and Sol Lewitt. There’s a café on site if you get hungry and a museum shop if the weather turns bad.

RELATED: 9 Art Walks We Can't Get Enough Of

Library Court, photograph by Richard Caspole

Yale Center for British Art

Can’t afford the flight across the pond? A trip to the Yale Center for British Art —the largest English art collection outside the U.K.—is the next best thing. The newly restored museum is one of three designed by the legendary architect Louis I. Kahn, who was celebrated for his extraordinary use of volume, light, and materials, and died just three years before the museum opened to the public in 1977. As for the art, expect masterpieces spanning more than five centuries, including those by the likes of John Constable, J.M.W. Turner and Peter Paul Rubens.

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New York City

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10 NYC Day Trips For Art Lovers

From the Met to MoMA to the tiny galleries of Chelsea and Greenpoint, New York City has plenty to keep even the most demanding of art-lovers occupied. Everyone needs a break from the city sometime, however, so why not combine a weekend getaway with a visit to some of the area’s most accessible art-focused destinations? From a sprawling sculpture park upstate to a neon-bathed old firehouse in the Hamptons, each of these art-focused getaways is within three hours of New York City.— Karen Gardiner

Storm King Art Center

More than 100 sculptures—by such world-renowned artists as Alexander Calder, Maya Lin, and Isamu Noguchi—dot Storm King Art Center’s 500 sprawling acres. Though the sculptures are massive, it is testament to the beauty of the center’s curation that each one blends harmonically with its surrounding environment. Free trams transport visitors around the park but, if you prefer to go at your own pace, rent a bicycle and meander slowly around the rolling hills and woodlands, discovering art along the way.

Getting Here: Storm King Art Center is less than a two-hour drive from New York City and you can book a day tour with Coach USA leaving from Port Authority (admission included).

PLAN YOUR TRIP : Visit Fodor’s West Point and Storm King Guide

DIA: Beacon

Natural light floods into the vast, high-ceilinged spaces of the contemporary art museum DIA: Beacon , which is housed in a former Nabisco box printing facility in the small Hudson Valley town of Beacon. That glorious light is all the better for viewing the museum’s impressive collection of large-scale installations by the likes of Richard Serra, Louise Bourgeois, and On Kawara, each displayed in a gallery dedicated to the individual artist. After viewing the artworks, save some time to stroll the museum’s lush grounds and visit some of Beacon’s many boutiques and restaurants.

Getting Here: From Grand Central Station, it’s an 80-minute train to Beacon station, from where you can walk five minutes to the museum.

Insider tip : Metro-North offers a train and entrance ticket package , which is cheaper than buying both separately.

PLAN YOUR TRIP : Visit Fodor’s Beacon Guide

Bannerman Island

For years, New Yorkers have glimpsed from train windows the mysterious ruins of Bannerman Castle on a small island in the Hudson Valley. Once occupied largely by bootleggers, Pollepel Island was purchased by the arms dealer Francis Bannerman, who built the so-called castle in the Scots Baronial style to store his arsenal. After it blew up in the 1920s, the castle lay in ruins for decades and almost completely collapsed in a 2009 storm. Since 2015, however, the castle has been lit up once more by Constellation , a public art exhibit by the artist Melissa McGill. As the sun goes down, small lights at the top of 17 aluminum poles surrounding the castle light up, giving the appearance of a new constellation in the sky.

Getting Here: The official viewing site is at Breakneck Ridge, between Cold Spring and Beacon train stations on the Metro-North line.

Insider tip : While the installation is visible from the shores of the Hudson River, you can also take a sunset boat cruise or kayak tour for a closer look.

Read More: 5 Hudson Valley Wineries to Visit

Farther into the Hudson Valley, the old port city of Hudson has transformed itself into a hip getaway for New Yorkers, helped in no small part by the many artists who have made the city their home. You could happily spend a day, or more, hopping between the galleries lining Warren Street—don’t miss BCB Art , John Davis and Carrie Haddad —but be sure to save some time to take in the 19th century architecture—a mix of Queen Anne and Victorian—as well as the antique stores and restaurants.

Getting Here: Travel time to Hudson is just two hours from Penn Station on Amtrak’s Northeast Regional line.

Insider Tip : Visit in mid-September for Basilica Soundscape , a weekend of thoughtfully curated art and music.

Read More: 10 Hudson Valley Hotels for a Cozy Weekend Getaway

Edward Hopper House Art Center

The mid-century realist painter Edward Hopper was born and grew up in a house on North Broadway in the town of Nyack, 20 miles north of New York City. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Edward Hopper House today functions as a not-for-profit art center with one room exhibiting materials related to Hopper and the other three dedicated to work by local artists. In the summer months, jazz concerts are also held in the gardens. Nearby, on Route 9W, fans of Hopper’s work can see the house that inspired his painting “House by the Railroad,” which, in turn, was the inspiration for Alfred Hitchcock’s sinister Psycho house.

PLAN YOUR TRIP : Visit Fodor’s Nyack Guide

The Glass House

Built in 1949 as the artist’s own residence, Philip Johnson’s Glass House is an influential piece of modern architecture and a National Historic Landmark. Set atop a hill, the minimalist glass and steel structure is surrounded by 49 acres of pastoral landscape in New Canaan, Connecticut, 50 miles north of New York City. The site features a permanent collection of 20th-century paintings and sculptures from Johnson’s own collection—including works by Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, and Cindy Sherman—and also hosts rotating exhibitions by contemporary artists. From May through November visitors can tour the house and the galleries.

PLAN YOUR TRIP : Visit Fodor’s Connecticut Guide

The Dan Flavin Art Institute

Situated in a renovated firehouse-turned-church-turned-art gallery in the Long Island hamlet of Bridgehampton, the Dan Flavin Art Institute is dedicated to the work of the fluorescent light artist. The space holds a permanent installation of nine of the artist’s works, which flood the second-floor gallery with green, yellow, purple and red lights (perfect Instagram fodder), as well as a gallery for rotating temporary exhibitions. Visitors may, however, be surprised to learn that the large neon cross is not a Flavin work, rather it is a relic of the building’s past life as a church. Best reached by car, the institute is two-hour drive from New York City.

Read More: 11 Reasons to Visit Long Island

The Parrish Art Museum

A colorful Roy Lichtenstein sculpture greets visitors at the entrance the Parrish Art Museum , housed in a sleek, 34,000-square-foor Herzog & de Meuron-designed single-level barn-like building with poured concrete walls. The museum is home to an impressive collection, focused on artists who lived and worked in the East End of Long Island, and holds works by Lynda Benglis, Jackson Pollock, and Willem de Kooning, as well as the largest public collection (more than 40 paintings) of William Merritt Chase. First established in Southampton in 1898, the museum opened in its Water Mill location in 2012.

Getting Here: It’s under a three-hour drive from New York City.

Read More:   11 Reasons to Visit Long Island

LongHouse Reserve

With a car, you could easily fit the Hamptons’ Parrish Art Museum, Dan Flavin Art Institute and LongHouse Reserve into a single day trip from New York City. Just 20 minutes from the Dan Flavin Institute, LongHouse Reserve occupies 16 acres of serene landscaped gardens peppered with seasonally changing conifers, flowering trees and ornamental grasses as well as a water lily- and lotus-dotted pond. That idyllic setting provides a contemplative environment in which to view the reserve’s collection of more than 60 sculptural works by Yoko Ono, Willem de Kooning, Sol Lewitt, Dale Chihuly, and more.

Read More: Long Weekend in East Hampton

PLAN YOUR TRIP : Visit Fodor’s East Hampton Guide

It may feel like a world apart, but you do not even have to leave New York City to get to Wave Hill . Located in the exclusive Hudson Hill section of Riverdale in The Bronx, this 28-acre estate was originally built in the Greek Revival style in 1843 by a well-to-do lawyer. Wave Hill passed through several prominent families, and was leased by Mark Twain for a spell, before being transformed into a public garden and cultural center. Most visit to enjoy the botanical garden and majestic Hudson River views, but the center also hosts rotating art exhibitions and Sunday afternoon concerts. From Penn Station, Wave Hill is just over an hour via subway and bus.

Insider tip : Get there quicker by purchasing a train ticket/admission package from Metro-North

PLAN YOUR TRIP : Fodor’s New York City Guide: The Bronx

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• An Art Lovers Guide To...

An Art Lover's Guide to New York City

New York City offers some of the best international museums, galleries, exhibition spaces and art tours in the world. So whether it’s the Metropolitan Museum of Art or cutting-edge contemporary galleries such as Pace, follow Culture Trip’s guide to art in the Big Apple.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips , compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips .

Jack Hanley Gallery

Art Gallery

Jack Hanley Gallery relocated to New York City in 2008 in the heart of Manhattan’s Lower East Side and is dedicated to showcasing some of the contemporary art world’s most talented creatives. Aside from a unique program of exhibitions, the gallery also offers organized projects, publications and limited-edition posters.

A non-profit space for contemporary art, WhiteBox is dedicated to showcasing the meaningful nature of the artist’s practice. It offers exhibitions, performances, screenings, readings, lectures, and panel discussions designed to enrich the surrounding community and create an innovative environment for anyone interested in contemporary art.

Walter de Maria’s New York Earth Room

Located in SoHo , the somber New York Earth Room was created by minimalist artist Walter de Maria. On long-term view to the public since 1980, this installation comprises a room filled approximately 2ft (0.6m) high with soil. Upon entering through the stairwell, the atmosphere becomes progressively pungent and heavy. Staring into the room evokes solemn expressions of the pastoral. This intimate interior piece provides a serene juxtaposition to the high-energy urbanity of the surrounding area.

Bar, Pub Grub

Famous for the graffiti art that adorns virtually every surface, Clockwork Bar revels in aggressive guitar and vocal riffs from the likes of Misfits and Black Flag, the music complementing the layers of graffiti art from unknowns on the walls, ceilings, seats and tables. Clockwork is highly interactive; the patrons are the artists. Come early enough in the day with a loaded spray can and the bar owner will be all smiles.

303 Gallery

303 Gallery references Alfred Stieglitz’s famous artist collective, originally located in Room 303 of the Anderson Galleries building. With a rich history in New York City (first established at 303 Park Avenue South in 1984 and moving to the East Village, SoHo, and finally Chelsea ), 303 Gallery has worked with some of the art world’s best names, including Christopher Wool, Robert Gober, and Andreas Gursky.

Yossi Milo Gallery

Yossi Milo Gallery is a contemporary art gallery that focuses on photo-based art, video and works on paper. Vividly visceral paintings, sculptures, and other works are used to represent the same level of raw nostalgia created by photography.

Pace Gallery

Pace is one of New York City’s most established contemporary art galleries, representing a long list of significant artists from around the world. A must-see for anyone gallery-hopping in Chelsea, Pace exhibits some of New York City’s most prominent and groundbreaking exhibitions.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Museum, Park, Shop, Church, Building, Theater, Art Gallery

Located on 5th Avenue along the famous Museum Mile , the Metropolitan Museum of Art houses some of the world’s finest, most enriching works of art. From civilization’s oldest artifacts to modern-day works of painting, sculpture and photography, you can travel through time and space in a singular afternoon at one of New York City’s most prized institutions.

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

New York is experiencing some major social shifts; minorities whose voices were previously silenced are using art as a medium of social and cultural expression. Through art, these New Yorkers create a dialogue with the city and its inhabitants. The Schomburg Center in Harlem is home to more than 1,000 collections on its website and hosts over 300 recorded programs on Livestream, as well as mounting a number of digital exhibitions. Inspired to see more art in the Big Apple? Book a stay at one of the best hotels near The Metropolitan Museum of Art through Culture Trip.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

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13 art destinations for day trips near New York City this summer

Our picks of the must-see shows within a (relatively) short train, car, bus or ferry ride from new york city this summer, from the storm king art center to the newark museum.

Beatriz Cortez, Ilopango, the Volcano that Left , 2023. Installation view Beatriz Cortez: The Volcano That Left , Storm King Art Center, Mountainville, New York, 2023. Courtesy the artist and Commonwealth and Council. Photo by Jeffrey Jenkins

UPSTATE NEW YORK

Beatriz Cortez: The Volcano That Left Until 13 November at Storm King Art Center, 1 Museum Road, New Windsor, New York This new outdoor installation features three recent large-scale sculptures by El Salvador-born, Los Angeles-based artist Beatriz Cortez, a multidisciplinary maker best known for her sculptural reflections on the immigrant experience. The Volcano That Left , organised by Storm King associate curator Eric Booker and curatorial assistant Adela Goldsmith, takes on the simultaneous terror and freedom of contemporary futurity, grounding big questions about geologic ontology, history and the human condition in the language of improvisational steel construction.

The exhibition’s central thread relates to Ilopango, the Volcano that Left (2023), the artist’s “speculative reconstruction” of an ancient volcano that erupted 1,500 years ago in current-day El Salvador. The eruption, known as the Tierra Blanca Joven disaster, is considered one of the largest volcanic events in recorded history. Cortez frames the ash distribution from the eruption as a testament to Mayan spiritual and religious practices. “Lava flows under the volcanic range that unites my two homes,” Cortez has said, “Los Angeles and San Salvador. The underworld is not divided by these borders.” This non-linear, de-colonised relationship with time courses throughout Cortez’s practice; in November, her installation will travel by boat to Troy, New York for a show at the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center titled Shifting Center. T.A.

James Luna, Make Amerika Red Again , 2018. Photo: Courtesy the Estate of James Luna. Forge Project Collection, traditional lands of the Muh-he-con-ne-ok.

Indian Theater: Native Performance, Art, and Self-Determination since 1969 Until 26 November at the the Hessel Museum of Art at Bard College, 33 Garden Road, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York This exhibition, the first large-scale show foregrounding the importance of performance and theatre in Indigenous art, takes 1969 as its origin point. That was the year the New Native Theater movement launched in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the exhibition features archival materials and documentation related to that movement. It was also the year the group Indians of All Tribes began their 19-month-long occupation of Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay, which brought new visibility to contemporary Indigenous issues in the Americas.

The exhibition, curated by Candice Hopkins—a member of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation and the executive director of Forge Project—features more than 100 works by artists including Nicholas Galanin (Tlingit/Unangax̂), Jeffrey Gibson (Mississippi Band of Choctaw and Cherokee), Kay WalkingStick (Citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and Anglo), Marie Watt (Seneca and German-Scot), Dyani White Hawk (Sičangu Lakota) and Natalie Ball (Klamath/Modoc), among others. Many of the featured works employ humour as a form of critique, depict Indigenous bodies (and their absences) as a means of undermining stereotypes about Native identity or reinterpret traditional art forms to address contemporary issues. B.S.

Ellsworth Kelly, The River , 2004 © Ellsworth Kelly and Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles

Ellsworth Kelly: States of The River 29 June-29 October at the Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center, 82 North Broadway, Nyack, New York The Edward Hopper House Museum and Study Center in Nyack, New York, has joined forces with the Ellsworth Kelly Studio and other organisations to launch States of The River , an exhibition focused on Kelly’s lithographs named for major waterways around the world, including the Hudson (which the Hopper House Museum overlooks), the Amazon and the Nile. Held at Hopper’s birthplace and childhood home, the exhibit will bring together nine lithographs Kelly created between 2004 and 2005 and coincides with the centenary of his birth. Kelly and Hopper were “equally captivated by rivers and the interaction of light on the water’s surface”, museum director Kathleen Motes Bennewitz said in a statement. C.P.

An installation view of Rita McBride's Arena at the Museu d’Art Contemporani in Barcelona in 2012. Courtesy Anne Poehlmann

Rita McBride: Momentum 1 July 2023-January 2025 at Dia Beacon, 3 Beekman Street, Beacon, New York Rita McBride’s well known Arena (1997) will be installed at the Dia Art Foundation’s Beacon location this summer in an exhibition that explores how architecture and design is incorporated in day-to-day life within the public sphere. The artist’s modular Twaron and wood Arena seating area will be activated throughout the presentation with performances by artists, writers, musicians and dancers, according to Dia. A section of McBride’s work involving public infrastructure from the previous two decades will be presented alongside Arena . C.P.

Installation view of Welcome to New York! at Magazzino Italian Art, Cold Spring, New York. Photo by Marco Anelli/Tommaso Sacconi. Courtesy Magazzino Italian Art

Welcome to New York! Until June 2024 at Magazzino Italian Art, 2700 Route 9, Cold Spring, New York To mark Magazzino Italian Art’s sixth anniversary, the museum dedicated to post-war and contemporary Italian art is showing new work by artist Michelangelo Pistoletto. A mixed media sculpture, Welcome to New York! draws inspiration from the Statue of Liberty and features colourful, cascading rags tied to a metal crown. Seven of Pistoletto’s mirrored sculptures will be displayed alongside Welcome to New York!. Magazzino will also unveil a permanent installation by Pistoletto, Terzo paradiso , on the museum's grounds. The project was completed with 46 stones excavated during the construction of a new pavilion. Magazzino will also host the official Upstate Art Weekend kickoff party on 21 July. C.P.

Installation view of Women Reframe American Landscape: Susie Barstow & Her Circle at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site © Peter Aaron/OTTO

Women Reframe American Landscape: Susie Barstow & Her Circle Until 29 October 29, Thomas Cole National Historic Site, 218 Spring Street, Catskill, New York The Thomas Cole National Historic Site is restoring a lost name to her proper place in the canon this summer. Women Reframe American Landscape is the first retrospective of artist Susie Barstow (1836-1925), well-respected in her time but forgotten in the century since her death. The exhibition seeks to retroactively “reinsert” Barstow into the legacy of the Hudson River School, America’s landmark artistic “fraternity” founded by the institution’s namesake, Thomas Cole. As the Hudson Valley continues to grow in popularity, the legacy of its art historical tradition is being updated for a contemporary audience.

Women Reframe American Landscape also features work by contemporary artists in conversation with Bartstow’s, reflecting subsequent approaches to the landscape. This portion of the show features a new work by the Guerrilla Girls, an outdoor sculpture by Jean Shin, an interactive library installation by Mary Mattingly and works on canvas by Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Kay WalkingStick. “This exhibition represents the growing interest in, and need for, greater inclusivity and diverse voices when telling the story of the American landscape movement,” Nancy Siegel, professor of art history at Towson University and exhibition co-curator, said in a statement. (After its run at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site, the exhibition will go on view at the New Britain Museum of American Art in Connecticut, 16 November 2023-31 March 2024.) T.A.

LONG ISLAND

Installation View of Artists Choose Parrish , Part I A . Ugo Rondinone, the alphabet of my mothers and fathers , 2022, shown with (center) Alan Shields, Devil, Devil, Love, 1970 Photo: Gary Mamay, Parrish Art Museum

Artists Choose Parrish Part 1 Until 6 August, Parrish Art Museum, 279 Montauk Highway, Water Mill, New York The Parrish Art Museum is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a conceptual retrospective of sorts—41 renowned artists with ties to the east end of Long Island have selected work from the museum’s collection to show alongside their own. Artists Choose Parrish , organised by Corinne Erni, the museum’s chief curator, is unfolding in three parts. Part I , split into A and B rotation, pairs the work of contemporary artists who have spent time in and around the Hamptons like Mary Heilmann, Cindy Sherman, Eric Fischl and Ross Bleckner with pieces by art historical figures like William Merritt Chase and Jackson Pollock, juxtaposing cultural, visual and creative narratives across time, movements and genres. The exhibition is also an opportunity to delve into into PAM’s 3,600-piece online and in-person collection, affording opportunities to see rarely-exhibited gems and discover new connections between contemporary and historical works. T.A.

Renée Cox, Red Coat , 2004 Courtesy the artist

Renée Cox: A Proof of Being 2 July-4 September at Guild Hall, 158 Main Street, East Hampton, New York The centrepiece of Guild Hall’s reopening following a $25m renovation is a thoroughly overdue 30-year survey of Renée Cox’s photographic work, which often involves elaborate self-portraiture in which she assumes various guises—from supermodels and superheroes to historical figures and artistic tropes—to unsettle conventions of gender, race and beauty. In addition to a recent video installation, Soul Culture (2022), the show (organised by independent curator Monique Long) brings together earlier series like her rumination on motherhood, Yo Mama (1992-94), and other iconic images from the 1990s and early 2000s. Also featured is her 12ft-wide photograph The Signing (2017), which reimagines Howard Chandler Christy’s 1940 painting Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States but replaces all the historical figures with people of colour. B.S.

CONNECTICUT

Raven Halfmoon: Flags of Our Mothers installation view at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, 25 June 2023-7 January 2024. Photo: Jason Mandella

Raven Halfmoon: Flags of Our Mothers Until 7 January 2024 at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, 258 Main Street, Ridgefield, Connecticut In her bravura earthenware sculptures the artist Raven Halfmoon, who is a member of the Caddo Nation, transforms the iconography of historical statues and sculptural portraits. She brings in influences from Caddo tattooing to Land art and Moai sculpture to create pieces that are often monumental in scale yet also intensely personal and richly tactile. Her heavily worked sculptures, which can rise as tall as nine feet and weigh more than 800 pounds, feature impressions of her fingers and expressively dripping glazes. The pieces here span the past five years and include brand new works; the show, which was co-curated by Amy Smith-Stewart of the Aldrich and Rachel Adams of the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art in Omaha, Nebraska, will travel there following its run in Connecticut. B.S.

Installation view of In a New Light: Paintings from the Yale Center for British Art at Yale University Art Gallery. Photo: Jessica Smolinski

In a New Light: Paintings from the Yale Center for British Art Until 3 December at the Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel Street, New Haven, Connecticut Visitors to In a New Light: Paintings from the Yale Center for British Art can see more than 50 paintings from the Yale Center for British Art’s (YCBA) collection at the Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven while the YCBA is closed for a conservation project. The exhibition covers 400 years of British painting with works from artists like Mary Beale, John Constable, Thomas Gainsborough, William Hogarth and JMW Turner. Highlights include an 1818 seascape by Turner and Constable’s Hampstead Heath (around 1825). The display occupies a section of the fourth floor of the Yale University Art Gallery’s Kahn building, which was designed by Louis I. Kahn and was the first modernist structure on the university’s campus. The YCBA is home to the largest collection of British art outside the United Kingdom. C.P.

Installation view, Adama Delphine Fawundu: In the Spirit of Àṣẹ , at the Newark Museum of Art. Photos by Richard Goodbody

Adama Delphine Fawundu: In the Spirit of Àṣẹ Until 10 March 2024 at the Newark Museum of Art, 49 Washington Street, Newark, New Jersey An exhibition at the Newark Museum of Art pairs 17 new works by Sierra Leonean-American photographer and visual artist Adama Delphine Fawundu with objects from the museum’s collection of global African art to explore ancestral memory and liberation. Much of Fawundu’s work includes images of herself at historic sites related to Black resistance in Africa and the Americas. For this exhibition, Farundu chose to include three works by Sierra Leonean artist Olayinka Miranda Burney-Nicol, a pioneer of modern African art. Fuwundu approached the work from the Newark Museum of Art’s collection as connected and intertwined with what the Yorùbá people in West Africa call “Àṣẹ”, a life force that causes things to happen and change, the museum said. C.P.

Meryl McMaster, Harbourage for a Song , 2019, from the series As Immense as the Sky Courtesy of the artist and Stephen Bulger Gallery and Pierre-François Ouellette art contemporain

Meryl McMaster: Chronologies Until 15 October at Montclair Art Museum, 3 South Mountain Avenue, Montclair, New Jersey Though most concisely described as a photographer, Québec-based artist Meryl McMaster, who is a member of the Red Pheasant Cree Nation and the Siksika Nation, works across disciplines, incorporating elements of sculpture and performance to create powerful and enigmatic images. She fashions elaborate costumes and sculptural props, often augmented with dramatic makeup, which then form the basis for self-portraits and tableaux she shoots at sites that hold significance for her family and community. For instance, in her recent series Stories of my Grandmothers | nōhkominak ācimowina (2022)—showing in the US for the first time—she re-creates family stories using objects, images and accounts of events from her Plains Cree and Métis grandmothers. B.S.

Installation view of Spiral Q: The Parade featuring the Make Your Own Protest Sign maker space All objects Courtesy of Spiral Q. Photo: Bruce M. White

Spiral Q: The Parade Until 7 January 2024 at Grounds for Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, New Jersey Spiral Q is a Philadelphia-based non-profit known for their creative protests and direct action campaigns, which typically incorporate elements of large-scale puppetry, elaborate costumes and props. Since 1996, the group has animated street festivals and celebrations, as well as bringing powerful imagery and pageantry to protests against police brutality and violence against transgender people, in support of greater environmental regulation and more. This exhibition brings together materials from past actions and protests, plus new images of footage of their performances and portraits of Spiral Q members. B.S.

Travel with The Met

Travel with The Met connects the Museum's wide and diverse audience to art, inspiration, and historical perspective. Our trips offer travelers the unique opportunity to see the world and humanity's highest artistic achievements with the guidance of The Met's renowned curators and educators. Itineraries focus on educational, enriching activities that will allow you to experience firsthand how art can bridge history and the present day to reveal our shared cultural heritage.

Trips are offered year-round to a variety of exciting destinations. More than just a vacation, a Travel with The Met international exploration combines curatorial expertise and behind-the-scenes viewing arrangements with spectacular itineraries and interesting companionship. The following list is updated regularly to include new itineraries as soon as they become available.

Set Sail with The Met!

Travel with The Met invites you to join our art-filled cultural cruises on one of our distinctive, privately chartered small ships and boutique riverboats. This summer, sail Homer’s “wine-dark sea” on our spectacular Aegean adventure into antiquity, cruising from Athens to Istanbul aboard the elegant Sea Cloud II . Travel with Met lecturer Frank Dabell , an acclaimed art historian whose passion and depth of knowledge about Greek and Roman art and architecture will inspire you.  In October, experience a unique journey by land and sea in the enchanting gem of Mediterranean Spain: Catalonia, the autonomous region with its own unique cultural identity, language, and ancient heritage. Join highly regarded museum educator Rika Burnham sharing her insights on historic Catalan art as your lecturer. Spend three nights in medieval Girona, venturing to Roman ruins, Salvador Dalí’s birthplace, and exceptional museums, and four nights sailing Sea Cloud II to art treasures in Valencia, Ibiza, and Mallorca.

Please contact a Met Travel consultant at Arrangements Abroad by phone 844-TRVLMET (844-878-5638); outside New York: 800-221-1944), or via email for more information or to reserve your place on any journey.

April 27–May 7, 2024

Aboard the brand-new small ship Ocean Albatros , embark on a captivating North Sea voyage to explore the influential Hanseatic League, a confederation of merchant guilds and market towns from the 12th to the 15th centuries, which generated unprecedented wealth along Europe’s northern coasts and laid the foundation for the Renaissance. Sail from the south of England to Denmark and discover the extravagant legacy of this prosperity, going behind the scenes of magnificent public buildings, lavish private houses, and richly furnished museums. Transfer from London to Portsmouth, where you will embark the recently christened Ocean Albatros . From England, sail to French Normandy for inside looks at marvelous châteaux, medieval cathedrals, and World War II history. In the Bayeux Cathedral, enjoy a private look at the sprawling Bayeux Tapestry, a landmark achievement of medieval art. Behold jewel-like medieval architecture in charming Bruges, Belgium. During Holland’s tulip season, discover millions of flowering bulbs at Keukenhof Gardens; experience Groningen, a hidden gem of a town; and enjoy exclusive private tours of museums such as Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum. Arrive in Germany for a day in Hamburg, with its massive UNESCO-listed district of brick warehouses, or delve into Hanseatic history at the European Hansemuseum in elegant Lübeck. Then navigate the picturesque, 61-mile-long Kiel Canal connecting the North Sea to the Baltic. Call in sparkling Rostock, the “Gateway to Scandinavia,” and spend a day in Copenhagen, where you’ll have a special tour of the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. Traveling with You: Rika Burnham is a leading theorist and practitioner of art museum gallery teaching. Author of Teaching in the Art Museum: Interpretation as Experience , and lecturer at Columbia University, she has served as Head of Education at the Frick Collection, Museum Educator at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Project Director for TIME/Teaching Institute in Museum Education at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and was appointed Getty Research Institute Museum Scholar in 2002 and 2018.

Cruise Rates: From $6,999 per person, double rate.

Activity Level:  Intermediate / Moderato

Download the brochure ( PDF ).

May 12–21 2024

In May 2024, embark on an enchanting cruise aboard the boutique riverboat Magnifique III , traversing the Low Countries from Amsterdam to Bruges. Journey along meandering rivers and canals, encountering majestic cathedrals, picturesque gardens, iconic windmills, and charming medieval villages. Immerse yourself in these cities’ medieval architectural splendor, from Amsterdam’s historic Begijnhof to Bruges’ serene béguinage . Travel with the guidance of seasoned museum educator Rika Burnham and enjoy private viewings of extraordinary masterpieces in churches and museums. From the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam to Antwerp’s Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Dutch and Flemish masters like Vermeer, Rembrandt, Bosch, and Bruegel will captivate you. Marvel at the meticulously restored Adoration of the Mystic Lamb in Ghent’s St. Bavo’s Cathedral. In Rotterdam, discover the city’s experimental 21st-century architecture, including the awe-inspiring Markthal, which combines residential apartments with a grand market, and access to the newly opened Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, the world’s first public art storage facility.

Traveling with You: Rika Burnham is a leading theorist and practitioner of art museum gallery teaching. Author of Teaching in the Art Museum: Interpretation as Experience , and lecturer at Columbia University, she has served as Head of Education at the Frick Collection, Museum Educator at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Project Director for TIME/Teaching Institute in Museum Education at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and was appointed Getty Research Institute Museum Scholar in 2002 and 2018.

Land/Cruise Rates: From $8,999 per person (for select single-occupancy-only cabins); from $9,999 per person, double rate.

Download the brochure (PDF).

July 8-17, 2024

Venture to the ancient cradle of Western Civilization on an Aegean Sea voyage from Athens to Istanbul. First, enjoy overnight hotel accommodations in the Greek capital, where a private, after-hours tour and reception at the Acropolis Museum—with views of the Parthenon—will be rare pleasures. Then embark on your seven-night Aegean cruise aboard the elegant Sea Cloud II , discovering timeless villages, whitewashed houses, natural splendors, and treasures of antiquity. Step ashore on stunning Greek islands of myth and legend, including Santorini and sacred Patmos. Sail onward to the Graeco-Roman sites of Asia Minor, now in modern-day Turkey. Enjoy a special excursion to Troy, immortalized in Homer’s Iliad . Discover the region’s fascinating history over several millennia, from Bronze Age archaeological wonders to Byzantine monasteries.

Traveling with You: Frank Dabell was educated at Oxford University and is a former Fellow of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. He has led tours for major museums on journeys throughout Europe, North Africa, the Mediterranean, and Russia and has been celebrated for his work as a travel program lecturer and guide by Travel + Leisure. Most recently, he led Travel with The Met’s 2023 program through the Aegean.

Land/Cruise Rates: From $8,999 per person, double rate

September 19–27, 2024

Embark the elegant Sea Cloud II in Venice for an unforgettable Adriatic Sea journey between the Italian and Croatian coastlines, stepping ashore to admire timeless towns and archaeological sites. Savor a rare and exclusive inside look at the landmark achievements in art of the many cultures—from ancient Greeks and Romans to Byzantines and Venetians—who have made the Adriatic region their home. Starting in the lustrous canals of Venice, journey to Ravenna, former capital of the Western Roman Empire, to admire the fifth- and sixth-century mosaics of its early Christian churches. Traverse the Adriatic to Dubrovnik, one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which Lord Byron called “the pearl of the Adriatic.” Discover nearby Hvar, a fertile island of green mountains, Venetian fortifications, and pale stone houses surrounded by rosemary, lavender, and laurel. Step ashore in Zadar, home to historic Roman ruins, medieval churches, cosmopolitan cafés, and quality museums. Further highlights include the seafront city of Pula, whose foundations go back to the fifth century B.C. Experience these cities as they were centuries ago by Roman magistrates and Venetian merchant princes—by sea.

Traveling with You: Keith Christiansen is Curator Emeritus, formerly the John Pope-Hennessy Chairman of the Department of European Paintings at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. He began work at The Met in 1977, and, during his 44 years there, organized numerous exhibitions on Renaissance and Baroque painting. He has written widely on Italian art and is the recipient of several awards.

Cruise Rates: From $7,999 per person, double rate

October 13–22, 2024

On this Mediterranean Sea adventure touching two continents, cruise to the temples and cities left behind by waves of civilizations, including prehistoric peoples and the ancient Greeks, Carthaginians, and Romans. Sail aboard Sea Cloud II as it travels from Malta to rugged yet beautiful Sicily, Tunisia, and Spain’s Balearic Islands. In Sicily, visit the magnificent Greek ruins of Agrigento and Segesta. In the North African country of Tunisia, experience Tunis and the ancient city of Carthage. In Sardinia, wander through Su Nuraxi di Barumini to see nuraghi , imposing Bronze Age structures only found on this island, and tour Cagliari, Sardinia’s ancient capital. Sail to the island of Menorca and its picturesque capital Mahón. After a memorable day at sea, disembark in Tarragona.

Traveling with You: Page Knox is Lecturer and Educator at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she offers her expertise on special exhibitions and the permanent collection, and also teaches membership classes. She is an adjunct professor of art history at Columbia University, where she received her Ph.D. in 2012.

Cruise Rates: From $9,999 per person, double rate

October 18–26, 2024

On this Balearic Sea adventure that combines a land program and an elegant cruise aboard Sea Cloud II , take an in-depth journey into the culture, history, and cuisine of cities along the Catalan coast and the Balearic islands of Ibiza and Mallorca. Experience the gems of Catalonia, starting with Girona, Northern Catalonia’s largest city. Over three nights with accommodations at an elegant hotel, discover Girona’s museums, galleries, and fine Romanesque and Gothic buildings, and visit the Museu d’Història dels Jueus, which highlights the contributions of Girona’s once-flourishing Jewish community. Continue to Figueres, the birthplace of Salvador Dalí and now home to his flamboyant theater-museum. Embark Sea Cloud II in Tarragona, formerly Tarraco, and explore its Roman ruins, the Iberian Peninsula’s oldest Roman settlement. On the Catalan coast, visit Valencia, where architectural styles abound, including architect Santiago Calatrava’s modern masterpieces. Stop on the glamorous island of Ibiza to explore its Phoenician history dating back 3,000 years, then head for the Balearic island of Mallorca. In its capital, Palma de Mallorca, tour La Seu, a spectacular sandstone cathedral that took 600 years to build, before returning to Tarragona for disembarkation.

Land/Cruise Rates: From $6,999 per person, double rate

Download the brochure ( PDF ). 

December 29,  2024–January 9, 2025

Embark on an extraordinary New Year’s journey into the heart of ancient Egypt. This exclusive program offers a unique blend of private plane travel, a four-night Nile River cruise aboard the elegant Sanctuary Nile Adventurer , and unparalleled access to Egypt’s legendary sites. The adventure begins in Cairo, where you’ll explore the Great Pyramids. Then see the Great Sphinx up close, bypassing the usual crowds. Visit the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, with a special look behind the scenes at its restoration center. Delve into the recently opened underground chambers of King Djoser’s Step Pyramid in Sakkara, and explore the tomb of Wahtye, adorned with statues, paintings, and hieroglyphs. A private flight to Luxor leads to visits to the UNESCO-listed necropolis in Thebes and rare access to Queen Nefertari’s tomb, known for its vivid wall paintings. Embark Sanctuary Nile Adventurer for your Nile River voyage, which takes you to sublime tombs and temples in Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Aswan, with a private plane journey to the awe-inspiring temples of Abu Simbel. Conclude your journey in Cairo. You may choose to take part in an optional postlude in Jordan featuring the resplendent ancient wonders of Amman and Petra.

Traveling with You: Christopher Noey is an art historian, author, and an Emmy award-winning producer of films on art and culture who has been traveling to Egypt for 40 years. An expert in Asian and Islamic art, Mr. Noey has taught at Williams College and the City College of New York.

Land/Cruise Rates: From $13,999 per person, double rate

For more information, contact us by phone (212-570-3755), fax (212-396-5040), or email .

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To reach our tour operator directly, please contact a Met Travel consultant at Arrangements Abroad by phone 844-TRVLMET (844-878-5638); outside New York: 800-221-1944),  email , or write to:

Arrangements Abroad 260 West 39th Street, 17th Floor New York, NY 10018-4424

The 50 best places to visit for arts and culture in New York City

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1 The Metropolitan Museum of Art

2 American Museum of Natural History

3 The Museum of Modern Art

4 intrepid museum, 5 the frick collection.

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6 The High Line

7 grand central terminal, 8 9/11 memorial & museum, 9 empire state building, 10 st. patrick's cathedral, 11 solomon r. guggenheim museum, 12 whitney museum of american art, 13 ellis island national museum of immigration, 14 statue of liberty, 15 tenement museum.

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16 The Met Cloisters

17 9/11 memorial & museum, 18 chrysler building, 19 the morgan library & museum, 20 brooklyn museum, 21 new york transit museum, 22 cooper hewitt, smithsonian design museum, 23 battery park city library, 24 solomon r. guggenheim museum- human resources department, 25 new york public library - stephen a. schwarzman building.

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26 Radio City Music Hall

27 bronx zoo, 28 new york botanical garden, 29 museum of the city of new york, 30 new-york historical society, 31 museum of jewish heritage – a living memorial to the holocaust, 32 merchant's house museum, 33 new museum, 34 museum of chinese in america, 35 el museo del barrio.

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36 David Zwirner

37 moma design store, 38 top of the rock, 39 chelsea market, 40 madame tussauds new york, 41 brooklyn heights promenade, 42 brooklyn botanic garden, 43 national museum of the american indian, 44 museum of the moving image, 45 museum of sex.

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46 Rubin Museum of Art

47 new york hall of science, 48 the noguchi museum, 49 south street seaport museum, 50 metropolitan opera house, top searches in new york city, popular road trips from new york city, what's the weather like in new york city.

It depends on when you visit! We've compiled data from NASA on what the weather is like in New York City for each month of the year: see the links below for more information.

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A Road Trip Through New York's Hudson Valley

Must-see art abounds both indoors and outdoors in this beautiful region.

Gina DeCaprio Vercesi,

The majesty of New York's Hudson Valley has been inspiring artists since Thomas Cole founded the country's first major art movement here in the early 19th century. Today the work of those pioneering landscape painters shares the stage with a cornucopia of creativity — from massive, contemporary sculpture to works by old masters and unique pieces crafted by local artisans. Embark on this five-day, art-centric road trip through the heart of the region the Hudson River School painters once considered the Center of the Universe, taking in these six must-see museums. A bonus: quaint towns and stunning natural scenery.

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Day 1, First Stop: Storm King Art Center

Begin your journey 60 miles north of New York City at the Storm King Art Center in New Windsor, New York. Spread across 500 acres of verdant hills and rolling meadows, this open-air museum features a remarkable assemblage of contemporary sculpture and site-specific earthworks. Approximately 120 pieces from influential artists — including Alice Aycock, Mark di Suvero, Donald Judd, Ursula von Rydingsvard and Joel Shapiro — punctuate the bucolic landscape.

Storm King, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2020, was originally intended as a modest indoor museum dedicated to the work of the Hudson River School artists. But in 1967, the art center's founders, businessman Ralph E. Ogden and his son-in-law, Peter Stern, shifted gears after acquiring 13 monumental works from the estate of abstract expressionist sculptor David Smith. Inspired by the placement of Smith's sculptures in the grass outside the artist's Adirondacks studio, Ogden and Stern sealed their vision for Storm King as an outdoor gallery as well as its role in the stewardship and conservation of the surrounding landscape.

Arranged into four sections (Meadows, Museum Hill, North Woods and South Fields), Storm King impresses both with its physical size and the scope and scale of its art. Allow plenty of time — three hours or so — to immerse yourself in the experience. Breathe deeply of the fresh mountain air as you explore, dwarfed by towering sculptures that reflect the shifting light of day. The seven nearly 400-foot-long earthen swells of Maya Lin's “Storm King Wavefield” undulate across an 11-acre swath of terrain in South Fields.

Across the way, Andy Goldsworthy's 2,278-foot “Storm King Wall” snakes through the woods and winds around trees before disappearing into a pond and emerging again on the other side. On Museum Hill, eight of the collection's David Smith sculptures adorn the grassy lawn flanked by a trio of colossal, painted steel pieces by Alexander Calder. Isamu Noguchi's “Momo Taro,” a nine-part, 40-ton granite assemblage named for an ancient Japanese folk hero, perches nearby on a specially landscaped knoll.

You can't drive your car through the grounds, so be prepared to walk. You can also hop on the center's open-air tram, which makes stops at many of the major points of interest, or explore on a bicycle, which you can rent onsite. Although most pathways are easy to navigate, you'll encounter a few hills and rocky spots in certain areas, especially the upper parts of the North Woods section.

Next Stop: Beacon

Make the 25-minute drive northeast (part of the way on Interstate 84) to Beacon, a faded industrial town reborn as a vibrant haven for the arts. Its renaissance began in 2003 with the opening of Dia Beacon (the star attraction on tomorrow's itinerary) and the subsequent influx of young families and artistically minded city expats.

Spend the rest of your day browsing through the shops and galleries along Main Street, perhaps finding some must-buy treasures. One of the first, Hudson Beach Glass — a gallery, shop and demonstration studio — opened in a restored firehouse. Across the way, the Marion Royael Gallery features the work of emerging and midcareer contemporary artists. At RonzWorld, artist Ron Williams creates custom-painted guitars and pop-art portraits.

Plan to spend two nights in Beacon because you have much more art to savor in this area tomorrow. A good lodging option: the 41-room Roundhouse Beacon, a rustic-chic property in a reclaimed textile factory overlooking Fishkill Creek. Dine at its eponymous restaurant, where seasonal menus spotlight a bounty of Hudson Valley goodness. Rooms from $229.

Day 2, First Stop: Dia Beacon

Plan Your Trip

Location: 3 Beekman Street, Beacon, New York

Admission: $15 ($12 for seniors 65+)

Visit: Friday-Monday (closed Christmas and New Year's Day)

Accessibility: All galleries are fully accessible; wheelchairs are available at no charge (first come, first served) for those with mobility issues.

Come morning, make a quick 1-mile drive to Dia Beacon , a former box factory overlooking the Hudson River that was converted into an art museum by the New York City-based Dia Art Foundation. Here, feast your eyes on a fabulous collection of large-scale contemporary works by some of the most seminal artists of the 1960s and ‘70s. Natural light pours through massive windows and endless rows of skylights, illuminating 240,000 square feet of gallery space that echoes with the sounds of shoes as visitors click and squeak across gleaming maple and concrete floors.

Each of the museum's airy galleries, spread out over three floors, features the work of an individual artist. Just inside the entrance, Conceptualist Mel Bochner's “Measurement Room” fills a football field-sized space where strips of bright red tape mark linear wall segments punctuated by numbers marking the corresponding dimensions. In an adjacent gallery, 72 bright, monochromatic screenprints compose “Shadows” by Andy Warhol, ringing the walls like a filmstrip.

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On the third floor, Louise Bourgeois’ chilling steel and bronze “Crouching Spider” lies in wait in a brick-walled room of its own. And in what was once the factory's train depot, Richard Serra's enormous “Torqued Ellipses” compels viewers to venture into the chamberlike interiors of each contoured-steel sculpture. Enjoy the dizzying sensation of walking through the tilted, curvilinear passageways and into the cavernous enclosures while running your hands across the sculptures’ rough, sandblasted facades.

Dia Beacon is a place to savor, so plan to take your time exploring the fully accessible galleries. Using your smartphone, scan QR codes printed on the walls for online information about the artists and their works. Post-tour, stop in the onsite cafe, operated by Homespun Foods, a Beacon mainstay, for wine or a piping-hot espresso. If you're hungry, there are also sandwiches and salads.

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Next stop: Magazzino Italian Art

Hop onto Route 9D and drive 10 miles south to Magazzino Italian Art , just outside the quaint hamlet of Cold Spring. One of the first pieces you see upon entering the museum's sleek glass and concrete interior is “Stracci Italiani” ("Italian Rags"), a reinterpretation of the tricolor Italian flag made from shreds of discarded fabric. Created by Michelangelo Pistoletto, the piece serves as an apt introduction to Arte Povera — literally “poor art” — a radical movement that emerged in Italy in the 1960s and forms the roots of Magazzino's permanent collection. Pistoletto and other pioneering artists of the movement utilized such humble materials as metal, neon, rags, soil and twigs to reject the commercialization of the art world and examine the social and economic challenges in a postwar Italy.

The word magazzino ("warehouse") pays homage to the movement, as does the building's modest history as a warehouse for agricultural products. It opened as a spacious, single-story museum in 2017, spearheaded by Nancy Olnick and Giorgio Spanu, a local couple with a decades-long passion for collecting postwar and contemporary Italian art. Seventy pieces from their personal holdings fill eight galleries showcasing the ongoing Arte Povera exhibition. Two especially memorable works: Alighiero Boetti's 1983 “Mappa” ("Map"), an embroidered commentary on the world's geography created in tandem with Afghani artisans, and “Senza Titolo” ("Untitled") by Marisa Merz, the only female artist associated with the Arte Povera movement. The moving sculpture depicts an upturned face that bears the imprints of the artist's fingers and rests upon a copper and iron pedestal.

Use the museum's new audio guide for a comprehensive, gallery-by-gallery narrative that explains the works. Plan at least an hour for your visit.

Day 3, First Stop: Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center

Get an early start and drive 20 miles north on Route 9 to Poughkeepsie and the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College. Located just inside the school's arched main gate, this snug museum may appear small, but it packs a significant artistic punch.

Founded in 1864 as the Vassar College Art Gallery, the Loeb Center houses an encyclopedic collection of more than 22,000 objects representing global cultures in just about every medium imaginable, including a 3,000-year-old Egyptian monumental sculpture; modern and contemporary works by Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Georgia O'Keeffe, Pablo Picasso and Mark Rothko; and a robust selection of Japanese prints.

But the collection's richest area is probably the impressive body of Hudson River School paintings and sketches. Displayed in a trio of inviting galleries, the exhibit provides an excellent overview of the School's idealized depictions of vast, untamed nature and showcases the work of the movement's leading artists, including Frederic Edwin Church, Thomas Cole and Jasper Francis Cropsey.

Additionally, special quarterly exhibitions draw from the museum's permanent holdings as well as incorporating short-term loans and multimedia presentations. In the Loeb Center's Project Gallery — a space where faculty can request artwork be displayed for class use — pieces rotate frequently, so even more works from the collection see the light of day. “We're trying to share with the public that we're a teaching collection,” says T. Barton Thurber, the museum's director. “Even if you can't participate in our classes, you can understand how we're looking at works of art."

Next stop: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum

A 15-minute drive north on Route 9 takes you to Hyde Park to explore the FDR Presidential Library and Museum . As a passionate archivist and a firm believer in “open government,” Roosevelt unveiled the country's first presidential library in June 1941 on the grounds of Springwood, his ancestral home in Hyde Park and a National Historic Site. When you finish touring the library complex, you'll want to visit Springwood as well.

While the library and museum serves as a repository for Roosevelt's papers, it also houses more than 34,000 objects and artifacts chronicling the lives and careers of both the President and his spouse, Eleanor Roosevelt, including a robust assemblage of artwork. “We present art as part of the larger story we're trying to tell here, which is the story of the Roosevelts,” says Herman Eberhardt, supervisory museum curator. “FDR was a collector — he had the collector bug. It was something he spent his lifetime doing long before he was president, and he continued acquiring things over the course of his life."

Don't miss Roosevelt's collection of naval and maritime art and historical items, including drawings, paintings, prints and more than 400 ship models. “It's actually one of the finest collections of naval and maritime art in the United States,” says Eberhardt.

Other important holdings include ancestral portraits of the Roosevelt family, such as a Gilbert Stuart painting of Isaac Roosevelt, FDR's great-great grandfather; New Deal drawings, paintings and prints; sculptural pieces created by artists employed by the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression; and one of the country's largest collections of World War II posters.

Next Stop: Rhinebeck

Continue north on Route 9 for 12 miles to the charming village of Rhinebeck. After a late lunch at Bread Alone, a local institution that for more than 20 years has been serving a hearty array of delicious soups, salads, sandwiches and sweet treats, stroll through the picturesque downtown. Be sure to stop into Winter Sun & Summer Moon, another longtime Rhinebeck favorite, to browse its gorgeous selection of globally inspired clothing, handcrafts and jewelry. Step back in time across the street at A.L Stickle, a classic, family-owned five-and-dime or check out the artfully curated home wares at the nearby Hammertown Barn.

From Rhinebeck it's a picturesque 25 miles north on Route 9 to Hudson, your home base for the next two nights. A good lodging option: The Wick, Hudson, a 55-room boutique property by Marriott with a stylish industrial vibe in a refurbished candle factory overlooking the river. Rooms from $175.

Day 4: Hudson

Take a break from museum-hopping and spend a leisurely day exploring the lively enclave of Hudson, where the town's wholehearted embrace of creativity is on full display up and down Warren Street, its main drag. “Without art we are but monkeys with car keys,” reads a sign in one gallery window.

In Magic Hill, an eye-popping array of polychromatic midcentury modern furniture and wares fills every available inch of space. Yes, the price tags are also eye-popping, but the store's sheer beauty makes browsing a joy. Up the block, find D'arcy Simpson Art Works, a snug gallery spotlighting works by local Hudson Valley artists. Across the way, drop into Spotty Dog Books & Ale to sample a local craft beer while perusing the shelves for a good read.

Day 5: Olana State Historic Site

Drive 5 miles on Route 9G to the Olana State Historic Site , the final stop on your art adventure. Once referred to by Mark Twain as “the exalted hill of art,” this sprawling, 250-acre estate once owned by famed Hudson River School painter Frederic Edwin Church is widely considered one of the country's preeminent artist's residences. Though Church spent his career depicting idyllic scenes of the natural world — biblical sunsets, exotic rivers, mountain lakes bathed in dawn's golden glow — he poured his energies into Olana's design and construction for almost three decades, including the Persian-style main house and the magnificent grounds that surround it.

"I think the biggest ‘oh my gosh!’ moment of visiting Olana is the realization of how much the landscape was sculpted by Church,” says Allegra Davis, a curatorial assistant. “We have a painting by Arthur Parton of the farm looking down towards the Hudson before Church altered anything — the lake wasn't there and there were hardly any trees. It's just this hard-worn, old farming scrubland. It gives you the sense that today you're looking out at a living work of art."

Prepare yourself for quite the visual banquet when you tour the house. Sited majestically above the Hudson River, the fanciful structure, which Church conceived in tandem with architect and landscape architect Calvert Vaux, embodies a jumble of architectural motifs and ornamental elements inspired by his family's lengthy travels in the Middle East. Arched windows, decorative cornices, elaborate tilework and fine stenciling abound, and almost every window features panoramic views of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains beyond.

Church hung only a few of his own works at Olana during his lifetime, but it has subsequently emerged as a distinguished art museum. Works procured by Church and his wife, Isabel, during their many travels — carpets, objects, paintings and sculptures — bedeck every room. You'll also see paintings and studies completed by Church's Hudson River School colleagues, most notably his longtime mentor, Thomas Cole.

In the East Parlor, look for Church's “Autumn,” a classic scene depicting the warm radiance of a New England fall. It hangs opposite Cole's “A Solitary Lake in New Hampshire.” The two landscapes beautifully illustrate the Hudson River School's characteristic portrayal of idealized naturalism. Standing there, surrounded by artwork and with the magnificent Hudson Valley scenery on view through the windows, feels like a spiritual renewal — just as Church intended Olana to be.

In the Sitting Room, your eyes will quickly move above the salmon-pink marble fireplace to “El Khasné, Petra,” Church's depiction of the Al-Khazneh temple in Petra, Jordan. Church gifted the painting to Isabel in 1875, and it has prominently hung in this same spot ever since.

A visit to Olana is as much about experiencing the landscape and its beautifully preserved views, however, as it is about exploring the house. Knowledgeable docents lead a variety of tours of the home and grounds, providing a fabulous overview of the estate as well as Church's life and career.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on May 4, 2021. It's been updated to reflect new information. 

Gina DeCaprio Vercesi is a New York-based journalist who contributes to National Geographic Traveler and Travel + Leisure .​​​

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Exploring Downtown Manhattan’s Art District

October 15, 2021 | sarah funky.

If you were to visit New York City, you’d never run out of places and things of importance in this concrete jungle that is one of the most important cities in the world. The heart of NYC is Manhattan, and South of 14th street lies the best part of it, downtown. 

It is known for Greenwich Village, Tribeca, China Town, and the World Trade Center Memorial site. However, if you have a knack for art, the place you’d be the most interested in would be SoHo and Chelsea. The city, as a whole, is home to more than 80 art galleries.

One of the most important tips to visit NYC is not to miss any of the art galleries on this list and experience life and culture in the top cultural hotspots of the city.

The Cultural Hotspots of NYC

• Hudson Yards is the most modern neighborhood in NYC and has more than 100 eateries. Experience local and international food and the modern NYC culture on an evening here.
• The High Line is a 1.45-mile elevated linear park. It is the most popular place in NYC for art installations and public art.

• Madison Square Garden, Situated right in the middle of Downtown Manhattan is the most famous arena in the world.

• Chelsea Market was constructed in 1890 as a factory for the National Biscuit Company, Nabisco. It is the very place where Oreo was invented and first manufactured.

While other parts of the city might be famous for many reasons, the culture and art of NYC are displayed by the following like it is by no other place: 

Art Galleries in SoHo

Artists space .

Situated at 11 Cortlandt Alley, New York, Artists Space is open Wednesday to Saturday, noon to 6 pm. This art gallery was established in 1972 and had since been fostering the cultural and artistic life of NYC. It is a place for all types and forms of artwork from NYC. 

This art gallery supports emerging ideas, artists, and forms of art. It is known for being connected to the social and interactive concerns of the contemporary era. 

If you want to understand and experience modern art from NYC, this place is great for that. 

The Drawing Center 

This is a non-profit art gallery situated in the SoHo neighborhood at 35 Wooster St, New York. Martha Beck started it in 1977. This exhibition space and library is a great way to explore drawing as the primary dynamic medium to understand contemporary art and see how it evolves into the future.

Since it was created, The Drawing Center has emphasized a variety of traditions of art. It is known for its distinctive interdisciplinary approach.

You can visit The Drawing Center any day of the week from 12 pm to 6 pm.

Brooke Alexander Gallery

A few steps from The Drawing Center (59 Wooster St, New York)is the Brooke Alexander Gallery, founded by Brooke and Carolyn Alexander in 1968. It was initially in a seafront store on East 68th street before moving here. 

This gallery has hosted some pretty remarkable exhibitions, including Barnett Newman, Dan Flavin/ Donald Judd: Sculpture and Works on Paper. You can find the work of some of the most prominent contemporary artists in this gallery, including Richard Tuttle, Matt Mullican, John Baldessari, Raymond Pettibon and Franz West.

This art gallery is open for visitors seven days a week between 10 am and 5 pm.

Art Galleries in Chelsea  

Matthew marks gallery .

Matthew Marks Gallery operates three locations, Chelsea, 523 West 24th Street, and 522 and 526 West 22nd Street. It was founded in 1991 and represents the work of 31 artists spanning different generations. The pieces of art on display here range across painting, sculptures, photography, and printmaking. 

This gallery holds thirteen to fifteen exhibitions a year, accompanied by many publications. 

All three locations of the Matthew Marks Gallery are open for art lovers from 10 am to 6 pm, Tuesday to Saturday.

Luhring Augustine Gallery 

This art gallery operates in three locations, Chelsea, Bushwick, and Tribeca. The Chelsea gallery is open for visitors from 10 am to 6 pm, Tuesday to Saturday. It focuses on paintings, drawings, sculptures, photos, and videography from a wide range of international contemporary artists.

You can find the masterpieces of Janine Antoni, Charles Atlas, Jonathan Berger, Larry Clark, Jeff Elrod, Tomm El-Saieh, and many more here.

Paula Cooper Gallery 

Situated at 524 W 26th St, New York, the Paula Cooper Gallery was founded by Paula Cooper in 1968. This gallery is known for holding exhibitions to support political and social causes like the end of the Vietnam war and March for Our Lives.

Other than displaying art, this gallery also holds concerts, music symposia, dance performances, book receptions, poetry readings, and other events to support various national organizations.

Experiencing the Art 

One of the most important things to experience the art that Downtown Manhattan offers is to live in this part of the city. The art is not just what’s on display inside these galleries. Everything from architecture to street art is a part of the art life of this city.

If you want to experience the art district of Downtown Manhattan, the best option to stay is Selina Hotel Chelsea, NYC. Staying here, you’ll find yourself right next to the iconic cultural hotspots of the city like Hudson Yards, The High Line, Madison Square Garden, and Chelsea Market. All the art galleries we’ve discussed and many others are within walking distance from the hotel. 

To Sum it Up 

New York City is known for many things. On top of the list is the abundance of art galleries in this city that display contemporary art of all types. These galleries are the most concentrated in the areas of Chelsea and SoHo. 

If you love art and go to NYC, do not miss the chance and visit the likes of Artists Space, The Drawing Center, Brooke Alexander Gallery, Matthew Marks Gallery, Luhring Augustine Gallery, and Paula Cooper Gallery. 

Another thing to note is to stay in the Chelsea or SoHo area to make sure you can experience the city and its art to the fullest.

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Art Trip - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

New York City art trips can create lifelong memories for your students. Educational Destinations offers a variety of New York City art trips opportunities. If your students are ready to learn about one of the largest and most influential museums of modern art in the world, a museum with a collection of over 5,000 years of art from every corner of the world, or a museum with ground-breaking shows and hosts an acclaimed international studio program, Educational Destinations can make your New York City art trip rewarding and memorable.

Educational destinations is the 1st choice for new york city art trips and new york city education travel..

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Whether you stay within Manhattan or head out to the outer boroughs, you’re bound to have plenty of options. For a more raw view of the city’s art, head to Bushwick (in Brooklyn) to explore graffiti art-covered streets, hang out with the local creatives, and visit cutting-edge contemporary galleries that showcase emerging talents.

 Below are some popular options for your educational art trip. You can also click on the PDF icon for a download of these features.

Educational Art Opportunities

• Marymount Manhattan Campus Tour
• Art Under Glass DeCoupage
• Portrait Drawing Workshops
• Screen Printing Workshops
• Exhibit Tours
• Pose Figure Drawing
• Interior Design Workshops
• Silk Painting Workshops
• Classic Charcoal Drawing
• Jewelry Making
• Porcelain Planter Workshops
• Cold Wax Oil Painting Workshops
• Suminagashi Painting
• Sculpture Workshops
• Pastel Painting
• Zen of Pottery
• Blacksmithing Workshops
• Mixed-Media Classes
• Drawing Workshops
• Printmaking Workshops
• Stained Glass Workshops
• BYOB Painting: Brooklyn Bridge
• Tapestry Weaving
• Paint Nite: Colorful NYC
• Weirdo Painting Classes
• Open Oil Painting
• Paper Marbling Workshops
• Shoemaking Workshops
• Abstract Acrylic Painting
• Watercolor Workshops
• Modern Calligraphy Workshops

Art Attractions

• The Art Studio NY
• The Art Students League of New York
• Babycastles
• School of Visual Arts
• Museum of Modern Art
• Frick Collection
• International Cente of Photography
• Rubin Museum of Art
• The Cloisters
• Whitney Museum of American Art
• Museum of Arts & Design
• Brooklyn Museum
• Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Guggenheim Museum
• American Folk Art Museum
• Gagosian Gallery
• The Jewish Museum
• The SeaGlass Carousel
• Madison Square Park
• Washington Square Park
• Catinca Tabacaru
• Socrates Sculpture Park
• Park Avenue Armory
• Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
• MoMath - The Museum of Mathematics
• Explorers Club Headquarters
• The Treasures in the Trash Collection
• The Museum of Interesting Things

Other Attractions

• 9/11 Memorial Plaza
• Bryant Park
• Central Park
• New York Historical Society
• Empire State Building
• Radio City Music Hall
• Evolution Nature Store
• Rockefeller Center
• Statue of Liberty
• Times Square
• American Museum of Natural History
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
• Apollo Theater
• Ellis Island
• Federal Hall National Memorial
• Greenwich Village
• Holley Plaza in Washington Square Park
• Little Italy
• Manhattan TV & Movie Tour
• NBC Studios
• South Street Seaport
• Top of the Rock
• United Nations

The Trip Account app is offered to our groups as they travel.

Included in your trip, group leaders, staff, chaperones and travelers will use the information packed, versatile Trip Account App during their travels.

Powerful Director Tools

Interactive Checklists, Pop Up Communications, Emergency Notifications.

Tools for all travelers

Live Itineraries, Group Messaging, Photo Gallery and much more.

Everything you need for your next trip .

The Trip Account app is available for iPhone and Android.

See our difference

It’s no surprise that Educational Destinations sets and exceeds student travel standards. We aim to provide the best service, communication, experience and safety for all of our groups. When researching for your travel provider, please download this PDF checklist HERE to ensure that your group is taking advantage of all of the essential building blocks of a successful, safe, and FUN trip! If you have questions or are ready to get started on your next trip, please call 800.616.1112 or request your customized quote .

Custom Designed Trips

ED will create a custom designed trip for your group that is shaped by your priorities, goals and wishes, and powered by your passions. ED is committed to listening and working one-on-one with you to build the perfect trip for your students. There are no stock trips here - just your trip.

Group Travel Specialists

Led by award-winning teachers, ED exceeds the needs and expectations of students, teaching staff, parents and administrators. ED anticipates group needs and delivers group wishes, without surprises or hidden costs. Our experience and expertise enable us to bring the best quality trips, events, experiences and opportunities to your group.

All-Inclusive Price

ED’s custom trips are cost-effective and inclusive, without hidden costs – a great value for your travelers. Charter coaches, flights, hotels, meals, sightseeing, events, taxes and gratuities are covered for each traveler. A 24/7 Emergency Contact System is included for each traveling group.

Cutting Edge Technology

Through ED's parent company, ED is the only student travel company providing Trip Account , an internet-based program that provides you a complete trip resource center 24 hours a day. Also included in your trip is the Trip Account App: Music Directors, group leaders, staff, chaperones and travelers will use the information packed, versatile Trip Account App during their travels.

Personal Tour Director

A signature feature of every trip is the ED Tour Director , always right by the teacher’s side, managing all travel aspects of your trip: transportation, events, meals, lodging, tickets and more. Our TD’s training and management skills let the teacher focus on the students and education.

Safety is Priority #1

ED is pro-active on safety, sending the Tour Director World Aware® alerts, sharing best practices in travel safety, emergency procedures and travel hints with chaperones and staff, ensuring traveler accountability, monitoring vendor service/performance and tellng travelers of changes or emergencies with the Trip Account App .

Trusted Leader in Travel

ED is an active member of these respected travel suppliers and organizations: Walt Disney World & Disneyland, Universal Orlando, American Bus Association, National Band Association, National Tour Association, Student Youth Travel Association and more. View all ED’s partners and awards here .

Doing the right thing

ED is deeply committed to high quality educational group travel. We love what we do, and we work hard to do it better than everyone. Creating memorable performance trips that leave positive, life-changing impressions on your students and community is a privilege that we don’t take lightly. Please talk to us about your next trip.

Ready to experience the 2024 Solar Eclipse?

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will arc across the southern half of Indiana from southwest to northeast. learn more

Check out our featured STEM destinations.

Encourage your STEM students as they participate in discovery labs, live shows, exhibits and hands-on educational experiences. learn more

Meet the ED Travel Designers

Our team is focused on creating custom trips that provide relevant, memorable and rewarding student travel experiences. learn more

Discover our featured history destinations.

Your students are ready to learn about the American Revolution and how Boston led the nation in fighting... learn more

Explore our our featured art destinations.

How about discovering a feast for the eyes with around 35,000 pieces of artwork at the Louvre... learn more

Check out our featured language immersion destinations.

Your Language Immersion students are ready to embrace the culture of France and participate in... learn more

Discover our featured adventure destinations.

Imagine your students as they kayak along the stunningly scenic coastal route along the Costa Verde in Brazil... learn more

Explore our featured theatre destinations.

Are your theatre students ready to participate in an actual Broadway Musical Theatre Workshop... learn more

Travel with Special Considerations or Dietary Restrictions

When a group is focused on its education, it is easy to overlook issues with accessibility. learn more

Top European Destinations

With the world full of fascinating educational destinations, just choosing the perfect spot for your students can present quite a challenge. Here are some of our cleints' must popular top European destinations. learn more

Getting parents involved in your educational trip.

Having parents involved in the program it a vital piece of the puzzle to be successful. learn more

Getting Groups Through Airport Security

Here’s how to get your students through security, smoothly and efficiently. learn more

Motor Coach Travel Advice for Students

Make the most of your ride with these insider tips. learn more

Choosing the right educational student group travel company.

When a student gets to experience to new locations, new cultures and new people with education being the focus, the revelations and the eye-opening impact that develop are priceless. learn more

Disney on Broadway with Educational Destinations.

Breathtaking! Amazing! Phenomenal! These are words you have probably heard time and time again from friends, family, and others when seeing a musical on Broadway. learn more

The Value of Education with a student Disney trip.

Have you ever wondered why opportunities involving educational trips to Disney are so abundant? The significance of education brought feeling and heart into... learn more

Health Tip: Preventing Deep Vein Thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis, or deep venous thrombosis, (DVT) is the formation of a blood clot (thrombus) within a deep vein, predominantly in the legs... learn more

Fund Raising for your educational student trip.

Time for some heavy lifting. Before your trip becomes a reality, some homework has to be done. Don’t worry, Educational Destinations is here to help... learn more

See why teachers are excited about Educational Destinations...

Hear from our valued clients throughout the world.

Since 1987, Educational Destinations, led by passionate, award-winning teachers, has become the first choice for educational student group travel. By listening to teachers, providing cutting edge technology and unmatched service, and having dedicated ED Tour Directors conduct trips, Educational Destinations has built an unmatched reputation. Focused on designing custom trips that provide educational, memorable, and rewarding student travel experiences, Educational Destinations successfully partners with customers to do just that, in destinations within the United States and worldwide. Decades of combined travel expertise, earned in dozens of countries, enables Educational Destinations to anticipate performance needs and deliver group wishes, without surprises or hidden costs.

I wanted to write and tell you what a terrific job you did with our trip. I’ve been traveling since 1980 and this was the easiest trip ever for me. I simply had to do nothing but teach! It’s hard to believe it’s taken me this long to get it right, slow learner! The students and parents have had nothing to say but wonderful things…

Nan Moore Male High School

You have been so wonderful with our parents and students throughout the entire course of this tour. I am so glad we signed on with Music Travel Consultants/Educational Destinations as you gave our group the red carpet treatment every step of the way.

Janis Stackhouse Bloomington High School North

Music Travel Consultants/Educational Destinations is top-notch. The professionalism of the staff and their attention to detail is a director’s dream come true. My students and I have traveled with them four times over the past several years and I can say that “I won’t leave home without them!

Jena Adrianson Lawrence Central High School

I can’t say enough good things about Educational Destinations. They had everything covered and it was a relaxing and fun trip. My students and parents commented that it was the best trip we have ever taken. I’m ready to plan another trip with this company.

Brenda Bergman Jay County School Corporation

I recently had the pleasure of going on a Disney Trip with our band from Eastern High School in Greentown, IN. I was skeptical about going but am so glad I did. My Grandson and I came in rather late and had no problems whatsoever in getting onto your site, paying for our trip, and having confirmation that we were good to go.

Dianna Workinger Greentown, IN

Being able to trust implicitly the people who are planning what we will see, the timing of the itinerary, and the traveling arrangements is comforting not only to our staff but also to our parents. For our parents to know that this is a company that we use year after year with great results gives them the peace of mind that their children will experience the safest trip possible.

Mrs. Kathy Schubel Principal, St. Bartholomew Catholic School

I wanted to thank you so much for such a great trip! Our kids had a wonderful time and I could not imagine how we would have seen all that we were able to see without having you organize this trip for us.

Angie Remington Madison-Grant Elementary Students

I have worked with Educational Destinations on a yearly basis since 2001 and ED is the best educational travel group our school has ever worked with. It is refreshing to know that during the course of a trip that if any questions or problems arise, we have the consultant, whom we have worked with all year, right there with us to answer all questions and take care of the tickets and timing. It makes the trip very relaxing and enjoyable and a trip our kids never forget.

Darrin Russell 8th Grade U.S. History, Mitchell High School

I have been coordinating educational field trips for my school for the past 10 years and could not be happier with Educational Destinations. From the very first brainstorming session to the moment we return home from our trip, Educational Destinations works tirelessly to make sure our trips are memorable and successful. They are always quick to answer my questions, which I truly appreciate. Michael, Robin, and Ryan have been fantastic to work with over the years and I highly recommend them!

Kris Samick Spencer-Owen Community School Corporation

Educational Destinations has taken the stress out of planning and traveling with a large group. As a teacher, I am now able to actually enjoy the time I have with my students instead of worrying about all of the necessary details. From the very first contact made to the last moment of the trip and beyond, each and every person we have interacted with from Educational Destinations has been professional, concerned about fulfilling our needs, and exceptionally conscientious.

Linda Crady History Teacher, Sycamore School

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"This was my fifth time in New York City with Walk the Arts. Great value for money and total immersion in the world of contemporary art."

New York Art Trip – Bus Tour from Ottawa

March 21 – 24, 2024 (Full!)

Our new york bus tour from ottawa is offered every march since 1993. three nights and four days in midtown manhattan visiting top art museums and galleries. pick up location for participants from kingston..

A New York Bus Tour from Ottawa

Our New York Bus Tour from Ottawa, New York Art Trip , offered since 1993 is devoted to top art museums and contemporary art galleries. An art trip to NYC open to everyone from artists of all levels and art students to art lovers and lifelong learners. It is suitable for independent travelers too. We offer accommodation in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, a flexible schedule, the opportunity to travel with a group of like-minded adults, the services of an art historian on board, and affordable prices.

New York Art Trip is so popular that we have a return rate of 76%. After a long winter, what a better way to recharge your creative batteries?

Our New York Bus Tour from Ottawa is a great opportunity to visit a marvelous array of art exhibits ranging from classical and modern to the contemporary and the “very now”! We visit the MoMa, the Met, the Guggenheim, the Brooklyn, the Whitney, the Frick and the Chelsea Galleries. Our trip lasts three nights and four days, leaving from Ottawa to NYC on Thursday early morning and returning from NYC to Ottawa on Sunday night. We have two pick up locations in Ottawa, the Byward Market and IKEA.

Participants from the Kingston area can join us at the Thousand Islands Tax & Duty Free Store in Lansdowne, just before crossing the border. Participants from all over the United States are welcome to join us at our hotel in New York City.

Location, Accommodation and Meals

During our three-night New York Bus Tour from Ottawa, we stay at a beautifully located hotel in Midtown Manhattan on 35th Street  between 5th and 6th Avenues (Hilton Garden Inn 35th St) . You can have breakfast in one of the coffee shops nearby. For lunch and dinner, you will find plenty of options, from food trucks and Museum cafés to restaurants for every taste and budget.

Price per person of New York Art Trip 2024 varies depending on the type of accommodation as follows:

• Quad: CAD$ 715
• Triple: CAD$ 795
• Double: CAD$ 955
• Single CAD$ 1390

Price includes:

• Three nights at the Hilton Garden Inn 35th St (between 5th and 6th Avenues)
• Transportation by bus Ottawa-New York-Ottawa
• Transportation by bus to all museums and sites on schedule
• The services of an art historian on board as resource person
• Art talk before departure

We make group reservations for the busiest museums and exhibits, so our participants can enjoy fast entrances and reduced group fares. However, all museums are optional, and participants are free to visit New York City at their own pace.

EN > For the prospectus with the schedule and more details please click on the image above.

FR > Ce voyage culturelà New-York est également offert en français. Les détails en cliquant sur l’image ci-dessous .

Since 1997 Walk the Arts (icscis inc.) has been offering top quality painting workshops, art classes, and art history tours in Italy, France, Colombia, Spain, and the United States.

© 2021 Walk the Arts

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Worth the drive: 5 unique museums in NY to put on your road trip list

Some of the most famous museums in the world make their home in New York City, but there are plenty of other museums across the state that are worth visiting.

If you’re aiming to get out of town this spring or summer and happen to be looking for road trip ideas, here are five museums in New York worthy of packing up the car and hitting the road.

1. Bannerman Castle

Where: Pollepel Island, Beacon; 4 hours, 35 minutes from Rochester

Hours and tickets: Open May-October; Tour and event prices vary

A site steeped in history, Pollepel Island — also known as Bannerman’s Island — is home to Bannerman Castle, an abandoned military surplus warehouse. The castle, built by Francis Bannerman VI in 1901, operated as both a home and storage facility for his business during the 20th century, but today hosts a number of walking tours and events during its open months.

2. National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum

Where: 25 Main St., Cooperstown; 2 hours, 45 minutes from Rochester

Hours and tickets: Open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Ticket prices vary

Baseball fans the world over may already know about the National Baseball Hall of Fame, where the sport’s most iconic players and moments are enshrined. Open nearly every day of the year, the museum features 250,000 photographs, 40,000 items and more than 14,000 hours of video for fans.

3. Trailsides Museum and Zoo

Where: 3006 Seven Lakes Drive, Bear Mountain; 4 hours, 30 minutes from Rochester

Hours and tickets: Open daily 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; $1 donation for trail admission

A largely self-guided nature trail, Trailsides Museum and Zoo offers the chance to learn about local ecology and wildlife, as well as opportunities to see native animals in a natural habitat. Visitors will also be able to walk a paved section of the Appalachian Trail and see a tribute to American poet Walt Whitman.

4. Northeast Dirt Modified Museum & Hall of Fame

Where: 1 Speedway Drive, Weedsport; 57 minutes from Rochester

Hours and tickets: Open Sunday and Thursday, noon-5 p.m.

Founded in 1992 by Glenn Donnelly, the Northeast Dirt Modified Museum & Hall of Fame is home to a vast collection of stock car racing memorabilia, classic cars and honorees who have made history in the sport. The museum, located next to Weedsport Speedway, also hosts several events and fundraisers throughout the year.

5. Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center

Where: 341 Delaware Ave., Buffalo; 1 hour 11 minutes by car, 1 hour 45 minutes by rail from Rochester

Hours and tickets: Open Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

The Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, commonly known as Hallwalls, is a nonprofit museum dedicated to showing works from diverse artists to better serve the public.

“We are dedicated in particular to work by artists which challenges and extends the traditional boundaries of the various art forms, and which is critically engaged with current issues in the arts and — through the arts — in society,” according to the center’s website. “… we believe that the right of freedom of expression for artists, and for free access to their works by interested individuals, must be protected as a fundamental and necessary condition of our mission.”

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Philadelphia & New York in 5 Days: A Cultural and Historic Journey

April 16, 2024 · 3 min read

Embark on a 5-day adventure through the bustling streets of New York and the historic paths of Philadelphia with Trip.com. Begin your journey at the iconic Empire State Building, soaking in the modern architecture before diving into the literary world at the New York Public Library - Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Day 1 continues with breathtaking views from SUMMIT One Vanderbilt and a visit to the United Nations Headquarters. Day 2 is dedicated to art and nature, with an entire day at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and a refreshing stroll through Central Park. The Museum of Modern Art awaits on Day 3, followed by panoramic cityscapes from Top of The Rock, an evening at the mesmerizing 'The Lion King' musical, and the vibrant energy of Times Square. Day 4 takes you to the poignant One World Trade Center and The National September 11 Memorial & Museum, then to the financial heartbeat at Wall Street, and a sunset walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Conclude your trip in Philadelphia on Day 5, where you'll visit the Independence National Historical Park, the seminal Independence Hall, the iconic Liberty Bell, and the majestic Philadelphia City Hall. This itinerary is a blend of cultural immersion and historical enlightenment, designed to create lasting memories.

• Day 1: Soaring Heights and Iconic Sights in NYC

Empire State Building

Kick off your New York adventure with a visit to the iconic Empire State Building. As the first stop on your itinerary, this architectural marvel offers a glimpse into the city's modernist heritage. Spend an hour marveling at the panoramic views of the cityscape from its observation decks and immerse yourself in the history of one of the most famous skyscrapers in the world.

Attraction Info

• 20 W 34th St., New York, NY 10001
• Suggested tour duration: 1-2 hour
• Open from 02/17-03/08,10:00am-10:00pm;Open from 03/09-03/22,10:00am-11:00pm;Open from 03/23-04/07,9:00am-0:00am;Open from 04/08-05/16,10:00am-11:30am;Open from 05/17-07/18,9:00am-0:00am;Open from 07/19-08/25,9:00am-1:00am，具体营业状态以当天开放情况为准

Recommended Nearby Restaurants

New York Public Library - Stephen A. Schwarzman Building

Next, delve into the literary heart of New York with a visit to the New York Public Library - Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Just a short stroll from your previous stop, this grand library is not only a haven for book lovers but also a stunning example of historical architecture. Allocate an hour to wander through the majestic reading rooms and admire the vast collections.

• 476 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018, United States
• Open on Mon, Thu-Sat,10:00am-6:00pm;Open on Tue-Wed,10:00am-8:00pm;Closed on Sun

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt

Elevate your New York City experience by ascending to the SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. Following your literary interlude, this observation deck offers breathtaking views and an immersive art experience. Spend two hours exploring the unique installations and enjoying an unparalleled perspective of the city from above.

• 45 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017, United States
• Suggested tour duration: 2-3 hour
• Open from 9:00am-11:59pm

United Nations Headquarters

Conclude your day with a dose of international diplomacy at the United Nations Headquarters. A brief journey from SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, this bastion of modern architecture stands as a symbol of global unity. In one hour, you can tour the complex and gain insight into the workings of this pivotal international organization.

• 405 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017, United States
• Open on Mon-Fri,9:00am-5:00pm

Where to Stay Tonight

Millennium hilton new york one un plaza, westgate new york grand central.

• Day 2: Artistic Wonders and Central Park Strolls

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Begin your second day in the Big Apple with a visit to the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art, a treasure trove of artistic masterpieces located at 1000 5th Ave. As the morning sun casts a soft glow over the city, immerse yourself in a world-class art gallery that promises to captivate you for the entire day. The Met, as it's affectionately known, houses over two million works spanning 5,000 years of world culture. From ancient Egyptian artifacts to modern American masterpieces, each exhibit invites you on a journey through time and creativity. The museum's vast collection ensures that there's something to pique the interest of every art enthusiast.

• 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028, United States
• Suggested tour duration: 0.5-1 day
• Open on Mon-Tue, Thu, Sun,10:00am-5:00pm;Open on Fri-Sat,10:00am-9:00pm;Closed on Wed;Closed during New Year's Day,Thanksgiving,Christmas

Central Park

After enriching your soul with art, step outside to the verdant oasis of Central Park, a mere stone's throw away from the Met. Spend your afternoon meandering through the expansive city park, which offers a serene escape from the urban bustle. With three hours at your disposal, you can explore the winding paths, lounge on the Great Lawn, or perhaps enjoy a leisurely boat ride on the lake. Central Park is not just a green space; it's a vibrant hub of outdoor activities, cultural events, and peaceful retreats. It's the perfect place to reflect on the morning's artistic journey or simply to relax and watch the world go by.

• New York, NY, United States
• Suggested tour duration: 3-4 hour
• Open from 6:00am-1:00am

The Mark New York

The carlyle, a rosewood hotel.

• Day 3: Art, Views, and Broadway Lights in NYC

The Museum of Modern Art

Kicking off the third day of our vibrant journey, we immerse ourselves in the world of contemporary creativity at The Museum of Modern Art. Nestled in the heart of Manhattan, this iconic art gallery houses an unparalleled collection that spans from modern masterpieces to cutting-edge contemporary works. Allocate a good two hours to wander through the myriad of galleries, each offering a unique perspective on the visual arts that have shaped and continue to influence our culture.

• 11 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019, USA
• Open on Mon-Fri, Sun,10:30am-5:30pm;Open on Sat,10:30am-7:00pm

Top of The Rock

After enriching our artistic senses, we ascend to breathtaking heights at Top of The Rock. This famed observation deck offers panoramic views of New York City's skyline, including the majestic Empire State Building and Central Park. Spend an hour here, capturing memories against the backdrop of the city that never sleeps, and feel the pulse of NYC from an eagle's eye perspective.

• 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112
• Open from 9:00am-11:00pm

The Lion King

As the evening unfolds, we prepare for a theatrical treat with 'The Lion King', a drama musical that brings the savannah to life on Broadway. The 2.5-hour show is a feast for the senses, with its stunning costumes, captivating music, and the spellbinding performances that have made it a beloved fixture on the stage. It's a cultural experience that encapsulates the spirit of New York's renowned theater district.

• 200 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036, USA
• Suggested tour duration: 2.5-3 hour
• Open on Mon-Sat,10:00am-8:00pm;Open on Sun,11:00am-6:30pm

Times Square

To cap off an exhilarating day, we stroll to the pulsating heart of New York City, Times Square. With just an hour to soak in the electric atmosphere, marvel at the neon lights, the bustling crowds, and the energy that radiates from this iconic square. It's the perfect finale to a day spent exploring the heights of art, entertainment, and urban wonder in the Big Apple.

• 222 W 44th St New York, New York 10036
• Suggested tour duration: 1-3 hour

New York Marriott Marquis

Millennium hotel broadway times square.

• Day 4: Soaring Skies to Solemn Memories in NYC

One World Trade Center

Begin your fourth day in the Big Apple with an ascent to the skies at One World Trade Center. Standing tall with its modern architecture, this iconic skyscraper offers more than just office space; it's a symbol of resilience and renewal. Allocate an hour to immerse yourself in the panoramic views of the city, and let the grandeur of New York's skyline etch a permanent memory in your travel diary.

• 285 Fulton St, New York, NY 10006
• Open from 9:00am-10:00pm

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum

Just a short walk from the towering heights, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum awaits to offer a poignant experience. Dedicate a couple of hours to this solemn tribute, where the memories of the tragic events are preserved with utmost respect. The museum's exhibits and the serene memorial pools serve as a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit.

• 180 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10007, USA
• Open on Mon, Wed-Sun,9:00am-7:00pm;Closed on Tue

Wall Street

After reflecting on the city's history, stroll down to the bustling streets of Wall Street. This characteristic neighborhood, known as the financial heartbeat of the United States, provides a contrasting hour of exploration. Witness the frenetic energy of the stock market, and don't forget to snap a photo with the famous Charging Bull statue, symbolizing the strength and might of the American economy.

• New York, NY

Brooklyn Bridge

Conclude your day with a leisurely hour-long walk across the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. As you traverse this magnificent bridge, take in the stunning views of the East River and the Manhattan skyline. The architectural beauty and historical significance of the bridge make it a perfect finale to a day filled with diverse experiences.

• New York, NY 10038, United States
• Open 24 hours

1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

33 seaport hotel new york.

• Day 5: Historic Farewell to Philadelphia

Independence National Historical Park

Begin your final day with a visit to the Independence National Historical Park, a proud symbol of American freedom. As the first stop of the day, this park offers a rich tapestry of America's past with its impressive exhibition halls and monuments. Spend a couple of hours wandering through the echoes of history, where the spirit of the nation's founding is palpable in every corner.

• Philadelphia, PA 19106, United States
• Open from 9:00am-5:00pm

Independence Hall

Next, step inside the hallowed halls of Independence Hall, just a short walk from the historical park. As the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, this site is a cornerstone of American heritage. Allow yourself an hour to absorb the significance of the historic buildings, where the walls seem to whisper tales of the founding fathers.

• 520 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

Liberty Bell

A mere stone's throw away is the iconic Liberty Bell, an enduring symbol of American independence. Dedicate an hour to reflect on the bell's storied crack and its silent message of liberty that has resonated through the ages. The historic site surrounding the bell provides a profound sense of connection to the pivotal moments that shaped a nation.

• 526 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, United States

Philadelphia City Hall

Conclude your Philadelphia journey with a visit to the majestic Philadelphia City Hall. Standing as a testament to the city's architectural grandeur, this final hour of exploration allows you to appreciate the intricate details and the towering presence of one of the nation's most historic city halls before you bid adieu to the City of Brotherly Love.

• 1400 John F Kennedy Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States
• Open on Mon-Fri,10:00am-4:00pm

Residence Inn Philadelphia Center City

The notary hotel, philadelphia, autograph collection.

* All user reviews in this article have been translated by machine.

* The information above is subject to change at any time. For the latest information, please check the websites of hotels and attractions.

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Wake Forest News

2024 student art-acquisition trip selections unveiled.

Wake Forest’s student art-buying trip is unique in higher education. Every four years since 1963, students have chosen artwork for the University. Four generations over six decades have created a premier collection of contemporary artworks – the Mark H. Reece Collection of Student-Acquired Contemporary Art .

In addition to their majors and minors in art, the eight-student team included studies in mathematics, communication, computer science, religious studies, marketing, economics, Arabic, statistics and social justice.

The group focused its research on continuing to diversify the Reece Collection by adding underrepresented artists into the collection. They were also intentional in choosing works using a variety of mediums and materials, said Jennifer Finkel, Acquavella Curator of the University’s Art Collections.

“Since the beginning of the collection, students have been charged to purchase works that they feel ‘reflect the times.’ The eight artworks the students selected this year engage with contemporary challenges and social justice, particularly as seen through the eyes of female, Indigenous and traditionally marginalized artists who are at the center of these critical discussions,” said Finkel.

A required contemporary art class helped the group prepare for the trip to New York where they made selections on the University’s behalf.  The students researched more than 300 artists before narrowing it down to 20 works they planned to see during their three-day trip.

On the last day in New York, after walking miles around the city, riding the subway from gallery to gallery, talking with artists, and having informal discussions about each work with one another, the group met to decide how to invest its $100,000 budget. The works chosen required a majority vote.

“We are very different people in terms of what we value and see as great art,” said Jason Najjar, a senior art history and economics double major. “It was a real process to come together as a group. And more than anything else, I learned how to work in a group and come to a single outcome where everyone was happy with the choices we made.”

The students take seriously the charge to select works that build a collection for future generations of Wake Foresters that captures their moment in history.

“Knowing that the artwork we chose will be here long after I’m gone is a surreal experience. I’ll never know exactly what the impact of the work we acquired will be, but we paid close attention to what students have not been represented here on campus so far in the collection. We wanted to fill those gaps.” said junior art history and communication double major Georgia-Kathryn Duncan.

The works unveiled

Click on the arrows to view the new acquisitions purchased for the Mark H. Reece Collection of Student-Acquired Contemporary Art .

“Summer Bloom, 2023” by Melissa Cody

Jacquard wool tapestry, fringe aniline dyed wool 53 x 24 CU2024.3.1 Courtesy Garth Greenan Gallery

watercolor and ink on paper 17.5 x 21.5 CU2024.1.1 © Tunji Adeniyi-Jones

Acrylic paint, oil stick, and marker on canvas 20 x 20 CU2024.2.1 Reproduced with permission of the artist. © Jonathan Lyndon Chase

black hair, cotton, rice paper, blue dyes, silkscreen of archival images 22 x 17 CU2024.4.1 Courtesy Nicola Vassell Gallery

ballpoint ink and crayon 23 x 35 CU2024.5.1 Reproduced with permission of the artist.

mixed media collage on wood 60 x 70 CU2024.6.1 Reproduced with permission of the artist. © Melvin Nesbitt Jr.

oil on bronze 80 x 54 CU2024.7.1 Reproduced with permission of the artist.

Zhang Xiaoli Box Unlimited , 2022 Chinese ink and colour on silk 15 x 15

Listen to students share about the works they chose.

An exhibition of the 2024 art acquisitions for the Reece Collection of Contemporary Art will be held this fall at Wake Forest University’s Hanes Art Gallery .

The free Bloomberg Connects app is available for download from  Google Play  or the  App Store . Guides within can be used off-site or on-site as a hands-free audio or visual guide to all of Wake Forest University’s art collections. In addition to the University’s permanent collection of contemporary art, the app showcases the University’s recent donations and new acquisitions and provides a self-guided tour of Wake Forest’s public art collection. A section on integrating art into curricular and co-curricular activities to enhance teaching and learning is also included on the site.

Categories: Arts & Culture , Student , Top Stories

Media Contact Kim McGrath [email protected]   |  336.758.3209   |   @KimMcGrath

RELATED STORIES

• New gallery exhibit highlights six decades of art ‘Of the Times’
• Wake Forest launches a new digital guide to art collections, exhibitions
• Wake Forest’s premier art collection gets a new name and lots of love

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The Maya Train Will Get You to All of Yucatán’s Best Spots. But Not Yet.

In December, the train began running on its first route through Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. On a five-day journey a few months later, the author encountered enthusiasm, and scheduling hiccups.

By Elisabeth Malkin

Elisabeth Malkin has been visiting the Yucatán Peninsula for three decades.

I stepped off the platform at the gleaming new Maxcanú train station, eager to see the magnificent Maya archaeological site of Uxmal. All I needed was a taxi to take me there, a trip of about 30 miles away.

There are no taxis, said the stationmaster, as we stood on the polished limestone floors of the high-ceilinged station, which was cool and breezy despite the brilliant late-morning sun outside. And I was the third person in two weeks to get off at Maxcanú expecting to reach Uxmal, he said.

I was midway through a five-day trip to explore the brand-new Maya Train and several of its destinations in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico . Designed to run 965 miles (1,554 kilometers) around a loop of 34 stations when completed, the train will whisk passengers in cool comfort through colonial cities, archaeological sites, splashy resorts and tropical forests.

Now I was stunned. Wrangling a taxi has never been a problem in Mexico. But the drivers gathered in the main square of Maxcanú offered only beat-up vans that hopscotch through small towns, where I might or might not find a taxi to Uxmal. The next van was leaving in 45 minutes.

Yucatán’s layers of history have long held me spellbound. During earlier car trips, I have clambered up deserted Maya temples and palaces, stepped into the cool naves of massive 16th-century churches and visited restored haciendas, testaments of the ostentation — and hardship — of the peninsula’s 19th-century plantation economy. Traveling by train, I thought, would allow me to steep myself in more of that history.

But as I found in Maxcanú, a train won’t necessarily get you to where you want to go.

During my February trip, I traveled on the only route then available, an east-west leg that opened in December and runs from Cancún to Mérida, and then south through the port city of Campeche to the Maya site of Palenque (a short route between Cancún and Playa del Carmen opened last month, with three trains a day). I encountered scheduling confusion, unfinished stations and a dearth of trains — just two operating daily each way between Cancún and Campeche, and only one to Palenque. Overnight sleepers and special dining trains seem years away.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador considers the Maya Train his showcase development project, and wants to inaugurate the rest of the train before he leaves office on October 1. Based on my experience, that goal seems elusive.

A $29-billion route through the jungle

I started my journey in Cancún, where in the pre-dawn gloom the station hovered like a glowing spaceship. An attendant scanned the ticket I had bought online and a half-dozen more pointed me toward my tourist-class car, which was about a quarter full. I planned to go to Campeche, about 300 miles away, stopping once each day. At 120 kilometers (about 75 miles) an hour, the train covers the route in about six hours, the same as a car. (When construction is complete, the train’s speed should increase to 160 kilometers an hour.)

The car’s wide windows looked out at a wall of low jungle. The blue-green seats were comfortable and there was ample space between the rows. I bought a very good cappuccino at the snack bar, but declined the plastic-wrapped sandwiches. The rest of the merchandise was fruit cups, milk boxes and junk food.

The train will ultimately cost much more than the $29 billion budgeted so far, and it’s not the first time ambitious planners have alighted on the region. Cancún was once a tiny fishing village, selected half a century ago as a tourist hub. Last year 10 million international tourists flew into its airport, more than the airports of Mexico City, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta combined.

But uncontrolled growth has stressed the Caribbean coast’s fragile environment. The Maya Train, scientists warn , will push those problems south, threatening the area’s water supply, its unique system of underground limestone caves and its vast nature reserves.

Mr. López Obrador has charged ahead, handing the train over to the military , and arguing that it will spread Cancún’s wealth and attract new visitors. Mexico received more than 42 million overseas tourists last year and they spent almost $31 billion .

Local governments see an opportunity. “The train will allow people to disperse throughout the peninsula,” said Michelle Fridman, the tourism secretary for Yucatán state, which promotes dozens of attractions far beyond highlights like Mérida and Chichén Itzá .

Now that the train is operating, transport companies will begin to connect stations with lesser-known sites nearby, she said.

It’s fair to ask whether the train is the most effective way to develop the peninsula’s tourism. Tour companies already run trips to many sites from major cities, which are well served by buses. Driving a rental car through most of the area is considered safe , according to U.S. State Department travel guidance .

Route of Mexico’s Maya Train

Canceled trip.

It took two hours (and one time-zone change) to reach Valladolid, a colonial city of handsome streets and ancient churches, where I bought the rest of my tickets at the station. A tourist-class ticket from Cancún to Valladolid costs 472 pesos (around $28) for foreigners and 355 pesos (around $21) for Mexicans. First class, with wider seats, costs 755.50 pesos and 566.50 pesos, and discounts are available for older travelers and residents of the five states along the train’s route. (A first-class bus from downtown Cancún to Valladolid costs between 222 and 344 pesos, depending on the time of day, and takes half an hour longer.)

It was impossible to run the new Maya Train tracks into dense city centers and the Valladolid station, like the rest, was outside the urban core. A waiting bus took disembarking passengers downtown, a 15-minute ride for 35 pesos.

That day I toured Ek Balam , the site of a ninth-century Maya kingdom that is dominated by a 100-foot palace distinguished by a facade of carvings depicting winged warriors, stylized animal features and geometric patterns bordered by giant fangs. Admission to the site includes entry to the X-Canché cenote, one of thousands of limestone sinkholes that were sacred to the Maya.

Later that afternoon, I was wandering through the Museum of Ethnic Clothing, a private collection of traditional dress, embroidery and hats, when a WhatsApp message from the ticket office blinked on my phone. My train scheduled for the following day was canceled.

I decided to deal with the problem in the morning and enjoy the city. As I wandered past the antique shops and boutique hotels of the elegant Calzada de los Frailes, it was clear that Valladolid’s tourism, and the infrastructure to handle it, was well established. The Maya Train is simply an alternative way to reach a city that tourists discovered years ago.

‘We’re on the Tren Maya!’

In the morning, I found that my train had not been canceled, but the station for which I had a ticket, Tixkokob, was closed. I got off instead one stop earlier at Izamal, known for its ocher streets and the giant Franciscan convent of San Antonio de Padua, built atop the ruins of a pyramid.

During the 90-minute ride, I heard widespread enthusiasm among fellow travelers who expressed a willingness to give the train time to work out the kinks. “We’re an experiment,” said Oliva Escobedo Ochoa, 64, who was vacationing from her home in central Mexico.

Leticia Iliassich, 57, who is Mexican, was traveling with her Croatian husband along with relatives from Mexico and Croatia. They had initially been scheduled on an earlier train to Mérida that had been canceled. “We knew that it was a new project,” she said. “We don’t mind.”

The group had already sent a video to friends declaring, “We’re on the Tren Maya!”

At the Izamal station I hitched a 15-minute ride into the town center with a man who had asked me to take his photo alongside the train and his father. From there I negotiated a taxi to Hacienda San Lorenzo Aké, a working hacienda that still turns the fiber from an agave plant called henequén into coarse rope. Global demand for henequén, known as Yucatán’s “green gold,” brought fantastic wealth to the region in the mid-19th century, speckling the peninsula with more than 1,000 haciendas. ( Many are now sumptuous hotels.)

Where geometry, nature and the divine merge

It was during my third day that I found myself stuck in Maxcanú, after a 90-minute train ride from Izamal. The stationmaster, an army captain, offered me a ride to Uxmal, just as he had to the stranded tourists before me.

Eying Uxmal’s 4 p.m. final ticket sale, I accepted.

My situation made it clear just how distant the Maya Train’s promises are for tourists seeking to explore more of Yucatán. In time, that will change, said Ms. Fridman, the tourism secretary. “The idea is to have more hotels along the train line,” she said. “That will happen little by little.”

But Uxmal , among the most stunning of the Maya sites, made up for the inconvenience. Uxmal’s grand buildings are faced with intricate decorative masks as well as friezes in which geometry, nature and the divine merge. New plaques at each structure offer detailed information in English and Spanish, part of the government’s investment in improving displays at Maya sites for the train project.

Most tourists either take day trips by car or bus to Uxmal from Mérida or stay at one of three nearby hotels. As I finished dinner at my hotel, the dining room began to fill up: 47 Polish tourists had arrived.

Panama hats and a cramped van

My plan for the day was to go by taxi to Bécal, a town where Panama hats are woven in limestone caves to keep the fibers soft, and then pick up the afternoon train in nearby Calkiní for the port city of Campeche.

But I spent so much time watching the hat-making demonstration and then fitting my new hat and buying gifts that we set off with little time to reach the station. To my chagrin, I missed the train, the last one of the day.

On Calkiní’s central square, I found a van that was leaving for Campeche. Cost: 65 pesos. Time: about 1 hour and 20 minutes, similar to what I would have spent on the train. Of course, I was trapped in a cramped seat and had to listen to the driver’s choice of sentimental ballads, but I was dropped off in downtown Campeche, close to my hotel.

The next day, I toured the Museum of Maya Archaeology , an expertly curated collection that included haunting jade funeral masks, glyphs and delicate ceramic figures.

José Madrigal, 45, an engineer from Fremont, Calif., was trying to make Maya pottery interesting for his twin sons. The boys had just turned 5 and their birthday present had been a ride on the Maya Train. “They love trains,” Mr. Madrigal said. Then the family moved on, keeping up a brisk clip through the museum. They had another train to catch.

Should you take the train?

Yes, if you are traveling between larger stations. The train also offers a way to get to Palenque, which is harder to reach and has roads with security concerns. Travelers can stow bicycles on board.

To see train times, check the destinations on the website . You cannot buy tickets online more than a week in advance. But when you finally board, the ride is smooth — and the coffee is excellent.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .