Attraction
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met on Fifth Avenue is one of the world's great encyclopaedic art museums, spanning five thousand years of art from every corner of the globe.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
MoMA in Midtown holds one of the most important collections of modern and contemporary art, from Van Gogh and Picasso to film, design and photography.
At a glance
- Type
- Modern art museum
- Area
- Midtown, New York, United States
- Opening
- Open daily
- Official site
- moma.org
Good to know
- Free for under-16s
- Free Friday evenings for NY State residents
- Sculpture garden
- Discounted entry for visitors with disabilities
- Free care partner
Why we recommend it
The Museum of Modern Art on West 53rd Street tells the story of modern and contemporary art from the late nineteenth century to today, and its collection is among the most important of its kind. Familiar names fill the galleries, from Van Gogh's The Starry Night and Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon to Monet's Water Lilies, Warhol and Pollock, but the museum is just as strong on photography, architecture, design, film and performance.
The galleries are arranged chronologically over several floors, with the earliest works on the upper levels, so many visitors take the escalators to the top and work their way down. Between floors, the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden is a calm outdoor courtyard with works by artists such as Rodin and Picasso, and a good place to sit for ten minutes. A ticket covers all galleries and special exhibitions, so there is no need to choose between the collection and the temporary shows.
The museum is open from 10:30am to 5:30pm every day except Friday, when it stays open until 8:30pm. Galleries start closing about 15 minutes before the museum does, and MoMA is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Children aged 16 and under go free, and students, seniors and visitors with disabilities pay reduced prices, with a care partner admitted free. On Friday evenings from 5:30pm to 8:30pm, New York State residents can reserve free tickets through the Uniqlo Friday Nights programme.
Allow two to three hours for a focused visit. Weekday mornings are the quietest time; Friday evenings are lively but busy. All bags are inspected on arrival and large items may need to be checked, while large umbrellas must be left in the rack at the entrance. MoMA's sister venue, MoMA PS1 in Long Island City, Queens, is free for all visitors and makes an interesting follow-up for contemporary art fans.
The main entrance is on 53rd Street near Sixth Avenue, a few minutes' walk from the 5th Avenue–53rd Street and 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center stations. Rockefeller Center and Top of the Rock are just south, Fifth Avenue's shops are a block east, and the museum's own design store sits across the street.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) FAQs
What are MoMA's opening hours?
10:30am to 5:30pm daily, and until 8:30pm on Fridays. It is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Is MoMA free on any day?
Children 16 and under and members always go free, and New York State residents can reserve free entry on Friday evenings from 5:30pm to 8:30pm.
Do tickets include special exhibitions?
Yes. Tickets include admission to all galleries and special exhibitions.
Where is the entrance?
On 53rd Street near Sixth Avenue, at 11 West 53 Street.
Are there discounts for visitors with disabilities?
Yes. Visitors with disabilities pay a reduced price and an accompanying care partner is admitted free.
Is MoMA PS1 included?
MoMA PS1 in Queens is free for all visitors, so no ticket is needed there.
How long should you allow?
Two to three hours is enough for the highlights and the sculpture garden.
What is the bag policy?
All bags are inspected on arrival, some items may have to be checked, and large umbrellas must be left in the umbrella rack.