Best museums in NYC (an art history major's obsessed ranking)

Maya Ortiz

@mayaortiz_nyc

9Items

Okay so as a NYU art history major AND a Chelsea gallery assistant AND someone who owns literally too many museum memberships, I have THOUGHTS on the best museums in this city!! Ranked these based on vibes, the actual art, and yes obviously how good the pizza is nearby because a museum day without a slice is not a real museum day. Bushwick to the Cloisters, I've done the trek for every single one of these, no regrets, ten out of ten would go again.

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Best museums in NYC (an art history major's obsessed ranking) — 9 items
Name	Comment	Address	City	Pizza Pairing
1The Metropolitan Museum of Art	The Temple of Dendur alone makes me feral!! An entire day trip disguised as one museum, I'm literally obsessed with the period rooms.	1000 Fifth Avenue	New York, NY 10028	Grab a slice at Sofia Pizza Shoppe on the Upper East Side after, it's the move.
2The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)	Standing in front of Starry Night is a full spiritual moment every single time, no cap. The design floor is criminally underrated btw.	11 West 53rd Street	New York, NY 10019	Joe's Pizza has a Midtown spot nearby, classic NY slice energy.
3Whitney Museum of American Art	The terraces with the Hudson views are unreal and the American art collection is so chef's kiss, I get gallery-assistant jealousy every visit.	99 Gansevoort Street	New York, NY 10014	Walk it off toward Bleecker Street Pizza after, worth every calorie.
4Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum	That spiral ramp is basically the art world's Instagram backdrop and I'm SO here for it, the architecture is literally the exhibit too.	1071 Fifth Avenue	New York, NY 10128	Patsy's Pizzeria uptown is the after-museum treat, trust me.
5Brooklyn Museum	The Egyptian galleries and the feminist art wing together?? Unmatched combo, this museum has serious range and I'm obsessed.	200 Eastern Parkway	Brooklyn, NY 11238	Roberta's in Bushwick is basically my second home, hit it after or before.
6New Museum	Contemporary art heaven, this is where I go to feel something new and weird in the best way, always leaves me buzzing.	235 Bowery	New York, NY 10002	Scarr's Pizza on the Lower East Side is a five minute walk, non-negotiable stop.
7American Museum of Natural History	Not technically an art museum but the dioramas are literally sculptural masterpieces, I will die on this hill, the blue whale room is iconic.	200 Central Park West	New York, NY 10024	Land Thai is closer but honestly grab a slice at Gotham Pizza before heading in.
8MoMA PS1	The scrappy experimental cousin of MoMA and I am OBSESSED with the energy here, way less crowded and always something wild going on.	22-25 Jackson Avenue	Long Island City, NY 11101	Two Boots LIC nearby has you covered post-gallery.
9The Cloisters	Medieval art in an actual reconstructed monastery overlooking the Hudson, it's giving fairy tale and I am SO into it, the unicorn tapestries live rent free in my head.	99 Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort Tryon Park	New York, NY 10040	Bring a slice from the city up for a Fort Tryon Park picnic, honestly the best plan.