Whitney Museum of American Art
Whitney Museum of American Art features a large collection of significant works by contemporary American artists
Opening in 1931 in Greenwich Village, the Whitney Museum for American Art was borne out of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney's recognition of the difficulties faced by American artists whose work was overlooked by traditional institutions. When the endowment of a collection of more than 500 works by living American artists assembled by Whitney was refused by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she founded her own museum.
In 1966, the museum opened on New York's Museum Mile, housing a permanent collection containing over 18,000 important pieces from the first half of the 20th century and exhibiting the work of contemporary American artists. As of May 1st 2015 the Whitney Museum will be moving to a brand new larger facility located by High Line Park in the Meatpacking District. You can learn more about this impressive new facility in the video under the 'Photos and Video' tab. Notable pieces in the Whitney Museum collection include works by Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Jackson Pollack, Georgia O'Keefe and Jasper Johns.
Free gallery tours are offered daily through the Whitney Museum for American Art's current exhibitions and permanent collections. Visitors can download audio and video guides prior to their visit from the Whitney website and check for an updated schedule of film exhibits and performance installations. The website also provides details on available Whitney Family Programs offering interactive tours and workshops for children up to age 12.
Take a break and have a light cafe lunch at Untitled, the new restaurant at the Whitney Museum for American Art. Located on the lower level, the menu features breakfast all day and contemporary coffee shop cuisine, with brunch and dinner service on weekends.
Nearby attractions include High Line Park.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: Yes.Whitney Museum of American Art Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 10:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: 10:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday: 10:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 10:30 AM – 10:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sunday: 10:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Address: 99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014, USA
Phone: (212) 570-3600
Official Website: Whitney Museum of American Art
Whitney Museum of American Art Reviews
Rated out of 5
visited on a public day, and it was free!! they’ve got cool modern american art and the views are spectacular. had a blast. there’s even a bar on the top floor where you can sip drinks while taking in the city views. just a heads-up, even on public days you need tickets, so don’t forget to book online. oh also had a free music event!
Şeyda Yalçın - in the last week
We went on their free nights on Friday and it was a bit crowded but a nice museum. Some of the exhibits are quite moving but it was a bit hard to get time to view them peacefully with the large amount of people there. The cafe on the roof was super cute and had a decent amount of space both indoors and outdoors to sit and enjoy the view. We watched a bit of the sunset and then walked around the rest of the exhibits. I was pleasantly surprised to find some classically influenced modern art in this museum too! The sculptures were very fascinating and loved the large than life size of some of them. One floor was under construction due to an exhibit moving in so we didn't get to see everything this time, but guess we'll def have to go back to visit again!
Stephanie - in the last week
I love this museum! They have a little bit of everything for everyone from paintings & sculptures. The architecture & the views from the balconies in the different leves are incredible. It’s worth a visit! You can get free tickets for Fridays 5pm-10pm & second Sunday of every month. The gift shop it’s small but they have unique cool stuff. I’ll recommend get tickets in advance they sold out really fast. Can’t wait to come back to see Roy Lichtenstein Retrospective!
Adriana De Pitkin - a month ago
Went to the Whitney for the first time for Free Friday and I enjoyed my visit. There was a lot of unique and interesting installations and a beautiful atmosphere outside on the open, outdoor patio. We wandered the galleries and had a drink at the bar, it was a pleasant visit and a well curated display. There was even a citrus garden. It was a delightful visit.
Jenn P - a month ago
Whitney Museum Free Fridays!
I must recommend checking the Whitney out in the summer! They offer free entry from 5pm to 10pm. You can go online and get your tickets. Which I highly recommend so entry is a breeze.
This was my first time at the Whitney and it was just amazing. Once you enter there is a security check and a DJ playing music on the First Floors. Gift shop and a Restaurant is also located on the first floor as well as a cafe on one of the upper floors.
The museum has several floors of art. They also have lots of outdoor space that overlooks the city.
If you’re in the city on a Friday this is a great place to visit. I will surely try my best to check it out again.
Christopher Kong - 2 months ago
Directions
| Subway Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| L | 8th Avenue | 6 minutes |
| A,C or E | 14th Street | 8 minutes |
How to get to Whitney Museum of American Art by Subway
Take the L train to 8th Avenue, Cross the road and walk south one block on 8th Avenue to W 13th Street and go right; walk west one block to Gansevoort Street and go left; continue on Gansevoort Street to the museum entrance. Alternately you can take the A,C or E train to 14th Street, and proceed as above, but you'll have to walk a total of 3 blocks south on 8th Avenue adding an extra 2 minutes.
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Photo Gallery
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An Illusion of a mirror where no mirror exists is one example of the unusual works to be seen in the Whitney Museum cc licensed photo by Andrew Baron -
Photo Credit: PunkToad - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: PunkToad - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: PunkToad - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: PunkToad - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: PunkToad - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: PunkToad - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: PunkToad - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: PunkToad - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: PunkToad - cc license via Flickr
Video
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