Favorite NYC Museums

May 18th is International Museum Day! And though the world is different right now, we can still celebrate. Museums are honestly one of my favorite things in the world. I worked at the American Museum of Natural History for two years while in college and it was truly a magical experience. I used to live a few blocks from The Met and would go there probably 3 times a month (sorry not sorry). There's just something magical about wandering the great quiet halls and engulfing yourself in another world. If you haven't cried in front of "The Storm" by Pierre Auguste Cote, have you really lived? One of my favorite quotes about museums comes from Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye and though the nature of the book is very polarizing and people either love it or love to hate it, I was left speechless the first time I read it and literally had to put the book down for a moment because nothing had spoken to my soul like this simple passage:

"The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody’d move. You could go there a hundred times, and that Eskimo would still be just finished catching those two fish, the birds would still be on their way south, the deers would still be drinking out of that water hole, with their pretty antlers and their pretty, skinny legs, and that squaw with the naked bosom would still be weaving that same blanket. Nobody’d be different. The only thing that would be different would be you."

And I think this speaks the world we are living in right now. When museums can open, not much of the insides will change, but the way we look at them will be drastically different.

All of these museums are hurting right now. Anything you can do to help would not only greatly appreciated by the employees, curators, and researchers, but also the patrons of today and of years to come. Follow them on Instagram, retweet one of their posts, buy something from their gift shops. Any and all help is greatly appreciated at the time.

So, without further ado, here are some of my favorite NYC museums. Some are big, some are small, all have left an impact on my heart.

We'll start with something easy, The American Museum of Natural History. I cannot begin to explain what this place has done for me. It is very true that natural history museums as a whole need a rebranding and I do know AMNH is working with Native cultures to adjust their exhibits which is a step in the right direction. Highlights include a an Easter Island Head (of Night at the Museum fame), The Hall of Biodiversity, and painstakingly beautiful and accurate animal and ecosystem dioramas.

Another obvious one if you know me, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. From eating lunch on the steps like the Blair Waldorf I am, to being completely awe-struck the first time I saw a Van Gogh in person. Like AMNH, The Met is usually a stop for me when I have guests visiting me because I basically am a tour guide at this point! Highlights include all the Van Gogh, Monet, and Klimt you could ever need, breathtaking sculptures, and a small but stacked modern art section.

About two weeks after I moved to New York, my freshman seminar class had as trek all the way to The Brooklyn Museum, which included transferring trains and scared all of us as we just learned how to walk from our dorms to our school. I now live on the other side of Prospect Park from the museum and can't say enough positive things about it! The outside looks like it will just be a copy of the big Greco-Roman style museums that line Central Park, but it houses the perfect blend of classical pieces and innovative new artists. Highlights include amazing displays of women and POC artists and classic iconic pieces and the prettiest exterior around! Plus bathrooms that you don't have to pay for.

Okay, so I am probably the only New Yorker to ever endorse Ellis Island, but please hear me out when I say coming here literally made me see the world differently. I was greatly effected by the harrowing tales and experiences shared there. Not only should every American see this, but every human should. Highlights include breathtaking views, heartbreaking stories from real life immigrants, and a newfound respect for human resilience (and 100+ year old graffiti). Also I know this is technically a National Park but I do not care...

If you don't mind a super long ride on the A train and a literal hike up to the entrance, The Met Cloisters are for you! The gorgeous fairytale exterior perfectly complements the Medieval art and architecture featured in this museum. You will instantly forget you are in Manhattan and convince yourself you are actually a Medieval French Nun in the best way. Highlights include stunning gardens, The Unicorn tapestries, and roughly 194691407 depictions of religious figures.

A hop, skip, and a jump from The Met Cloisters is The Dyckman Farmhouse. A free to enter colonial farmhouse with a Manhattan zip code. This house was inhabited by one of the founding families of Manhattan when it was still farmland. Not only does the house contain a reconstructed look at colonial life, but it also features some beautiful modern art by local Inwood artists! Highlights include everything a history buff could possibly want.

It does not need to be said that I am a BOOK GIRL. And I utterly love The New York Public Library museum. Carrie Bradshaw wanted to get married there for a reason. If you love anything to do with authors, literature, or history, checking out their exhibits should be your first stop in NYC. Photos are not usually allowed in the exhibits, but the few I've been to have been extremely interesting and included one on the history of the Picture Collection and the writing of Salinger. Plus they have outposts all over the city!

My favorite artist is Gustav Klimt, so naturally I enjoy spending time in the Neue Galerie. This museum is rather small and can be kind of hit or miss for some people. German and Austrian art is not for everyone and the employees are a little uppity. But getting to see Klimt's Adele in real life is worth it! Highlights include art you saw in history class when learning about WWII.

I am much more of a classical art kinda girl, but as far as modern art goes, I love The Museum of Arts and Design! It was the first ever NYC museum I went to and I got in for free because I was still 17 when I moved. Most of MAD's permanent collection includes goblets, jewelry, and stain glass installations. But they are constantly showcasing new and exciting pieces of modern art by female and POC artists. Highlights include some of the prettiest things in the world and a killer gift shop.

If you are more a hands-on kinda person, you will love The Cooper Hewitt! Almost everything is interactive and focus on technology and innovation. Plus, it has a beautiful outside courtyard and delicious grab and go restaurant for your picnic. Highlights include exciting exhibits and an interior design station.

Bonus entry: The Museum of Sex, come for the boob bounce house, stay for the weird shirts at the gift shop.