Museums

Spanning more than 20 blocks, Museum Mile runs along 5th Avenue, and is home to some of New York’s most well-known museums: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Museum of Natural History. Located closer to Pace, students can also the National Museum of the American Indian or the Sports Museum of America. The best part? Most museums offer discounts to students.  New York's major museums offer free nights throughout the week. Make sure to check each museum's website for information about specific open admission dates and times.

For more information, visit:  


Museum of the Moment
 

mocapacenycMuseum of Chinese in America (MOCA)
http://www.mocanyc.org/

A national home for the narratives of diverse Chinese American communities, MOCA brings 160 years of Chinese American history to life through its engaging exhibitions and educational and cultural programs. This summer, MOCA will host the Asian American International Film Festival's short film program. The museum's grand opening celebration will be held on September 22.

  

Museums a Walk Away:

Museum of Jewish Heritage
http://www.mjhnyc.org/index.htm

Created as a living memorial to the Holocaust, the Museum of Jewish Heritage focuses on educating people about the 20th century Jewish experience before, during, and after the Holocaust.  This museum is different from others in that, through collections and testimony, it tells the story of the Holocaust from the perspective of those who were there. Located just steps from Pace's downtown campus, stop in and see the Robert M. Morgenthau Wing, an 82,000 square-foot wing of interactive learning, cultural programming, reflection, education, and action.
 

National Museum of the American Indian
http://www.nmai.si.edu/

Dedicated to the life and history of the Western Hemisphere, the National Museum of the American has three locations, with the George Gustav Heye Center just off campus in Lower Manhattan. The Center, which is designated a National Historic Landmark, offers a range of exhibitions, screenings, and programs exploring the diversity and strength of the Native people of the Americas.

A Subway Ride Away:

American Museum of Natural History
http://www.amnh.org/

One of the city’s most popular museums, stop by and check out the halls of dinosaurs and mammals, take an hourly Highlights Tour, showing you the museum’s most treasured exhibits, check out the space shows and MTV2’s  digitally animated alternative music show SonicVision at the Hayden Planetarium, the Polar Rink, a new outdoor skating rink, and the countless programs, lectures, and workshops this great museum offers.
 
 
Ellis Island Immigration Museum
http://www.ellisisland.org/genealogy/ellis_island_visiting.asp

Ellis Island Immigration Museum can come much closer to the heart with providing assistance to view your own family’s immigration history and documentation. The museum tells the story of 12 million immigrants who came to America through the doors of New York’s Ellis Island. Nearly half of all Americans are descendants of those 12 million people. Stop by the Wall of Honor which celebrates the naturalization of new Americans.  With more than 700,000 names currently inscribed, it’s the longest wall of names in the world.
 
 
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The largest encyclopedic art museum in the entire world under one roof, you can spend days at the Met and not see everything. The Met’s collection has something for everyone, ranging from Rembrandt paintings to ancient Egyptian vases to truth and illusion in contemporary photography. If you have limited time, make sure to take a Highlights Tour to catch some of the museum’s big collections in just one hour. Check out the College Group at the Met, a group of local college students who produce events and programs for students like you, or if you’re interested in medieval art, visit the Met’s branch in upper Manhattan: The Cloisters Museum and Gardens.
 
 
Museum of Modern Art
http://www.moma.org/
 
The first museum dedicated to modern art, the MoMA’s collection has been growing since it opened its doors in 1929. If you are looking for art in a less traditional sense, this is the museum for you. Before you go, check out the MoMA’s collection online, which is divided into six groups: Architecture and Design, Drawings, Film and Media, Painting and Sculpture, Photography, and Prints and Illustrated Books. Check out some of Andy Warhol’s famous pieces or stop by in late June when van Gogh’s The Starry Night returns to the MoMA.
 
 
Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum
http://www.madametussauds.com/NewYork/- Get 20% off tickets on the web site

How would you feel about sitting in a room with Marilyn Monroe, Nelson Mandela, Derek Jeter, and Madonna? OK, so that's not going to happen, but maybe checking out their wax figures will make you feel like it's happening.  While this is no MoMa, the attention to detail at this huge tourist destination will astound you. And if that isn't enough to get you there, President Barack Obama is now there!
 
 
The Guggenheim Museum
On the exterior, one of the most architecturally impressive buildings in New York, and on the inside, some of the world’s most impressive names:  You can find Picasso, Rousseau, and even van Gogh at this modern and contemporary international museum. Stop by the Kandinsky gallery and take advantage of the free Gallery Talks and curator-led tours. 
 
Note: On Fridays beginning at 5:45 p.m., admission is "pay what you wish.”
 
 
 
Museum Mile Festival
 
While this is not an actual museum, this annual festival closes traffic along Museum Mile to make room for a block party with music and artistic entertainment and demonstrations, also including free admission to all nine participating museums:
 
El Museo del Barrio - 105th Street
The Jewish Museum - 92nd Street
Neue Galerie New York - 86th Street