New York ain’t short of a museum or 10. In fact, depending on how you define ‘museum’ there are anywhere between one- and two-hundred of the things spread across the five boroughs. We’re talking world-leading institutions in art, culture, history, science, technology, architecture and, well, pretty much every other discipline you can think of. The New York Pass comes loaded with admission to the absolute cream of this bumper crop. Read on to find out more about each of them, including:
- American Museum of Natural History
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- Fraunces Tavern Museum
- Staten Island Museum
- South Street Seaport Museum
- Museum at Eldridge St.
- Intrepid Museum
- Museum of Sex
- … and many more!
Want to save a bundle on entry to more than 100 NYC attractions vs buying individual tickets on the door? Choose the New York Pass that’s right for you here. Need a little more convincing first? Read on for the lowdown on all museums currently included on the pass…
Art and design museums
Art and design museums
MoMA is an absolute must see!
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
The very definition of a must-see museum, MoMA’s world-class collection spans 150 years of eclectic modern and contemporary art. Here’s your chance to get up close to some of the planet’s most instantly recognisable masterpieces. We’re talking starry nights, water lilies, cans of Campbell’s soup and much more. Peer at a Picasso, ogle an O’Keeffe and regard a Rothko. It’s all here and then some, and you can sashay straight on in thanks to your New York Pass. Read our complete guide to this masterful museum here.
MoMA PS1
MoMA’s Long Island City outpost, MoMA Ps1 is one of the oldest and largest nonprofit contemporary art institutions in the United States. Its focus is more on contemporary works, showcased via rotating exhibitions and installations, rather than a huge permanent collection, though you’ll find various installations that have been part of the eye-popping furniture here for years; decades even. Look out for landmark pieces by Richard Artschwager, Cecily Brown, Richard Serra and others. It’s vibrant, engaging, family-friendly, and packed with cool events and installations year-round.
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Designed by visionary architect Frank Lloyd Wright and completed in 1959, the Guggenheim Museum is a masterpiece of modern art in itself, and now part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Follow its incredible spiral ramp to glide past a mix of Abstract, Cubist, Surrealist, Impressionist and Post-Impressionist pieces from 20th-century visionaries including Degas, Kandinsky, Picasso, Pollock, Manet, Miró and more.
The Whitney Museum of American Art
Perched at the southern end of the High Line in the Meatpacking District, the Whitney – like the Guggenheim – is almost as impressive from the outside as the inside. Designed by Renzo Piano its clean white facade and cascading terraces conceal a veritable treasure trove of America’s finest. We’re talking bona fide legends like Edward Hopper, Jasper Johns, Georgia O'Keeffe and Jackson Pollock, all displayed in striking, light-filled spaces. Up-and-coming and established living contemporary artists are also well represented in the gallery’s rotating exhibitions. Take some time to hang out on the outdoor terraces, where Hudson River and High Line views pair perfectly with the Whitney’s site-specific sculptures and installations.
Museum of Arts and Design
Located on New York’s iconic Columbus Circle, just steps from Central Park, the Museum of Arts & Design – or MAD, if you like – hosts extraordinary exhibitions that document innovation in craft, art, and design through the ages. Think of it as a place that’s rooted in the value of handcrafted items – think jewelry, homeware and other design objects – and you’ll get the general idea. You can take a free tour with one of MAD’s walking encyclopaedias (aka guides) and get a real insight into what goes into such beautiful handcrafted objects in the Artist Studios.
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
You’ll find this gem at the magnificent Andrew Carnegie Mansion on the Upper East Side. Part of the city’s storied Museum Mile, it’s the nation’s only museum dedicated to historical and contemporary design, with a collection of over 200,000 design objects spanning some 3,000 years. Step inside the stately Georgian Revival building for a kaleidoscopic collection that includes everything from rare Michelangelo sketches to 3D-printed prosthetic limbs. Pause a while among the garden’s rhododendrons and cherry trees while you take it all in.
The Paley Center for Media
This Midtown museum is a mecca for TV and radio enthusiasts. Here’s where you'll discover some of the most cutting-edge and popular forms of media dating back to the 1920s. Your two-hour visit gets you access to more than 100,000 radio and TV programs. Obviously you can’t watch them all, but you’re free to pick and choose, from rarely seen-or-heard oddities to major historical moments like the moon landing and The Beatles’ first American television performance (on The Ed Sullivan Show, in case you were wondering).
Historical museums
Historical museums
Impressive masts at South Street Seaport Museum.
9/11 Memorial & Museum
Built on the site of the former World Trade Center, this is a highly moving memorial to the lives lost on September 11, 2001, with huge, tranquil pools that sit in the footprints of the original towers and cascade downwards, creating the largest manmade waterfalls in North America. The museum focuses on the human stories behind the tragic events of that day, combining moving personal testimonies with multimedia presentations and artifacts – the courageous tales told by first responders and survivors are nothing short of awe-inspiring.
American Museum of Natural History
One of the largest and most celebrated natural history museums in the world, this Upper West Side stalwart is indeed an absolute beast. Set on the edge of Central Park inside an imposing Romanesque Revival edifice (which film buffs will surely recognize from the Night at the Museum movies), it contains a mind-melting collection of ancient artifacts that chart nothing less than the history of life on Earth. Seek out the big guns: the 122-foot-long Titanosaur skeleton, a 34-ton section of the Cape York meteorite, the 563-carat Star of India sapphire and a millennia-old giant sequoia. Get the full lowdown with our complete guide to the AMNH.
Fraunces Tavern Museum
The oldest building in NYC, the Fraunces Tavern Museum immerses you in American Revolutionary history – it served as a haven for George Washington and his cohorts during the American War of Independence. There’s a bar and restaurant here too, so you can even eat and drink in the same space as the Founding Fathers. Linger for dinner and order the famous chicken pot pie – it's here, in the famous Long Room, where George Washington bade farewell to officers of the Continental Army on December 4th, 1783.
Intrepid Museum
Built in 1943, the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid and her crew have a distinguished history of service, including tours of duty in both World War II and Vietnam. Now a floating museum, the mighty Intrepid is yours to explore and – as well as an impressive fleet of historic aircraft, from stealth jets to the iconic Bell helicopter – it’s also home to the space shuttle Enterprise, a sleek British Airways Concorde, and Cold War-era cruise missile submarine the USS Growler. Monolithic 20th-century machinery your vibe? Then you’d be plane crazy to miss it. Here are 10 cool things we loved when we visited Intrepid.
South Street Seaport Museum
With its cobblestone lanes, salty sea air and wharf bustle, there’s really no better place for taking a deep dive into New York’s origin story. For here at the South Street Seaport Museum is where you can fully immerse yourself in the Big Apple’s maritime history. Through carefully curated exhibitions in the historic commercial buildings along Schermerhorn Row, you’ll discover how New Amsterdam grew from a tiny Dutch colony to a thriving global port. A fleet of heritage ships, including the Lightship Ambrose, Schooner Pioneer and Tall Ship Wavertree, round out the story, as well as providing some of the port’s top selfie spots. Stick around for superlative sunset views as the sky turns pink over Brooklyn Bridge.
Museum of the City of New York
The essential introduction to NYC, you’ll find the Museum of the City of New York right up at the top of Museum Mile. This stellar museum explores the past, present and future of New York through groundbreaking exhibitions that explore what gives the city its singular character. Visitors really get under the skin of the Big Apple thanks to objects, images, video, photographs, and interactive digital experiences that span 400 years of New York City history.
The New York Historical
A trip to NYC just wouldn't be complete without a visit to The New York Historical, where four centuries of history, art and artifacts tell the story of America through the lens of New York. Founded in 1804 as the New York Historical Society, this was the city’s very first museum, and its extraordinary, eclectic collection of artifacts – everything from Tiffany lamps to Audubon’s ‘Birds of America’ watercolors and 19th-century American board games – has more than cemented its reputation as one of the city’s essential cultural institutions.
Cultural, religious and general interest museums
Cultural, religious and general interest museums
The ornate interiors of the magnificent Museum at Eldridge St.
Museum at Eldridge St.
Rediscovered by an academic in the 1970s and meticulously restored over the following three decades, the Museum at Eldridge St. has been described as ‘gasp-inducing’ by The New York Times. It's housed in a beautifully restored 19th-century synagogue, complete with kaleidoscopic stained glass windows and glass ceiling domes adorned with intricate Star of David designs. Afterwards, don’t skip the chance to chew on a warm sesame bagel from nearby bakeries like Kossar’s Bagels & Bialys.
Museum of Jewish Heritage
Explore the broad tapestry of Jewish life in the 20th and 21st centuries – before, during and after the Holocaust. The third-largest Holocaust museum in the world, it's located on the southernmost tip of Manhattan, and contains a staggering collection of some 40,000 artifacts, photographs, documentary films and survivor testimonies. Enjoy a moment of quiet contemplation in the peaceful Garden of Stones, a living memorial garden designed by sculptor Andy Goldsworthy and planted by Holocaust survivors and their families.
Museum of Broadway
If you’re a sucker for the business they call show, and can’t help but sing along loudly every time you hear the opening bars of Big Spender, Circle of Life or Defying Gravity, this is the museum for you. Step inside to immerse yourself in the wonderful world of Broadway, including costumes, singalongs, stage sets and more. And, if you can resist the urge to strut your stuff with the chairs from Cabaret, well, you’re made of sterner stuff than us. Take a peep behind the curtain with our complete Museum of Broadway guide.
Staten Island Museum
Something of an all-rounder, this Staten Island stunner is NYC’s only general interest museum, with exhibits that include art, historical artifacts and natural science specimens, with a focus on Staten Island, New York and the surrounding region. Come for the near-legendary mummified cat; stay for the artworks by Andy Warhol and John Sloa, plus historical documents that bear the authentic wax seals of 17th-century English kings Charles II and William III.
Staten Island Children’s Museum
Since you’re already on Staten Island, here’s one for the kids. Founded by a group of parents in 1974, the Staten Island Children's Museum is a place to exercise little minds, bodies and imaginations at New York's only indoor-outdoor interactive museum – think oversized board games, bug zones, pint-sized construction sites and mini theaters. It's located in an 84-acre park, within a historic building in the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens.
Museum of Sex
This one, on the other hand, is strictly for grown-ups. As NYC’s raunchiest museum, the Museum of Sex’s mission is to preserve and present the history, evolution and cultural significance of human sexuality through exhibitions, experiences and programs. Exhibits include erotic art, fetish items and prophylactics through the ages. It's popular and spaces are limited, so book in advance if you're visiting on a weekend, or consider swinging by on a weekday for a more satisfying experience. Oi, stop sniggering at the back!
Enjoyed this little slice of New York?
Follow our MoMA walk-through for families with kids, read our wizard guide to the Harry Potter Butterbeer experience, and go access all areas at the Top of the Rock.
With The New York Pass®, you can skip the stress and save big on dozens of must-see attractions, all with one easy-to-use pass.
Build your unique New York itinerary with our trip planner
We’ll give you the best route to check off all your must-sees, museums, landmarks and more
Great museums for children...
Staten Island Children's Museum
Founded by a group of parents in 1974, The Staten Island Children's Museum is a place to exercise little minds, bodies, and imaginations at New York's only indoor-outdoor interactive museum. It's located in an 84-acre park, within a historic building on the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens.
The New York Hall of Science
With more than 450 interactive and engaging exhibits, The New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) is New York’s only hands-on science and technology center. It's dedicated to inclusivity, running programs for children with special needs, and excels at sparking curiosity and learning for all visitors.
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History is one of the largest and most innovative natural history museums in the world. See the 122-foot-long Titanosaur skeleton, the the Hall of Biodiversity, and explore the Human Origins and Cultural Halls
...and one that's definitely for the adults
Museum of Sex
As the raunchiest museum in New York, the mission of the Museum of Sex is to preserve and present the history, evolution, and cultural significance of human sexuality through exhibitions, experiences, and programs. It's popular and tickets are extremely limited - so book in advance if you're visiting on a weekend, or else visit on a weekday for the best experience.
Social history museums
Fraunces Tavern
The oldest building in NYC, the Fraunces Tavern® Museum (with bar and restaurant) immerses you in American Revolutionary history, and you can eat and drink in the same space as the Founding Fathers. It's here, in the famous Long Room, where George Washington bade farewell to officers of the Continental Army on December 4th, 1783. It's now a complex of five buildings, with nine galleries.
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Built in 1943, the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid and her crew have a distinguished history of service, including tours of duty in both World War II and Vietnam. Now a floating museum, you can explore the Intrepid, and you can see the space shuttle Enterprise up close, a British Airways Concorde, and submarine Growler. Wander through interactive exhibitions, explore historic artifacts, and discover the history of American innovation and bravery.
Museum of the City of New York
The essential introduction to New York City, the Museum of the City of New York explores the past, present, and future of New York, through groundbreaking exhibitions that offer a behind-the-scenes look at what gives the city its singular character.
New York Historical Society
A trip to New York wouldn't be complete without a visit to the New York Historical Society, where four centuries of history, art, and artifacts tell the story of America through the lens of New York.
Cultural and religious museums
Museum at Eldridge St.
Rediscovered by an academic in the 1970s and meticulously restored over the following three decades, the museum has been described as “gasp-inducing” by The New York Times. It's housed in the 1887 Eldridge Street Synagogue, now a magnificent National Historic Landmark.
Museum of Jewish Heritage
Explore the broad tapestry of Jewish life in the 20th and 21st centuries—before, during, and after the Holocaust. The third-largest Holocaust museum in the world, the museum is located on the southernmost tip of Manhattan, rounding out the cultural and educational landscape it shares with the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
Visit New York museums for free with The New York Pass®
With The New York Pass®, you can explore not just the museums, but also the big-name landmarks, local hotspots, and epic tours — all on one pass, all for one price. Not only that, but you'll enjoy savings of up to 50%, compared to buying individual attraction tickets.
