All About Art On The Upper East Side

Anyone who’s already visited New York City will be well-aware of the cultural charms of the Upper East Side and from Central Park to the East River there are a plethora of places to choose from if you’re on the hunt for museums and galleries. Guest author Chris takes us on a brief tour.

Art and Fifth Avenue go together like Warhol and canned soup which is why the choices collated for this article make for the perfect tour of NYC if you’re looking to gawk, enjoy and be inspired by the area which is commonly referred to as Museum Mile.

The Frick Collection

This imposing grey building houses some of the finest old masters and French furniture in the whole of America and if you’re looking for small yet perfectly formed then the Frick is most certainly for you. Vermeer, Renoir and Goya can all be found here and represent some excellent examples of European art away from the continent. With an all-encompassing reference library as well as numerous sculptures, seminars and live music evenings, the Frick is an absolute institution on the Upper East Side.

The Museum of the City of New York

Typically neo-Georgian in style and close enough to Central Park to be observed and enjoyed from a distance, the MCNY is one of the bastions of NYC art that is synonymous with life on the Upper East Side. Containing an amazing wealth of material dedicated to the city and the people of New York it’s no surprise that this award-winning art gallery is one hundred percent worth your time. Exhibits include: Broadway costumes, military memorabilia, rare literature and some amazing photos by none other than Stanley Kubrick – the perfect venue for a fascinating history lesson.

Degas Painting at the Met by Alaskan Dude on flickr

The MET

Obviously appearing on any list of iconic art galleries, the MET is to New York what the Tate is to London and as the largest museum of its kind in the whole of the USA, you’ll probably want to allow yourself at least a couple of days to squeeze it all in. Collections have been drawn from all over the world since the dawn of civilization with ancient Asian art, African studies and examples of classic Greek sculptures underpinning an incredible array of art and culture. Occupying around a couple of million square feet and encouraging a discretionary entry fee – the MET says everything that you wish to know about NYC’s dedication to art and world culture.

The Guggenheim

If you’re wishing to discover art within your architecture then surely the Guggenheim has to be up there with the best of them. Iconic swirls set within a seemingly endless snail shell of light and space make this the perfect place to sit and stare with late night openings offering all manner of interesting visitors to compliment the artwork that’s on display. With everything that the contemporary art-lover could wish for, including film screenings, performances and specialist exhibitions, the Guggenheim is much more than a gallery it’s a work of art within its own right.

The Whitney Museum of American Art

You may have been led to think that many of the world’s art galleries were created to house works by artists that are no longer with us. Whilst this may be true in some cases, the Whitney certainly doesn’t follow suit. With almost 20,000 pieces featuring sculpture, photography, modern media and paintings by almost 3000 different contributors, this is a fascinating center of culture where you can discover the American art of both the 20th and 21st centuries. Featured artists include the likes of: Pollock, Warhol, Rothko as well as lesser-known up-and-coming contributors that are fresh on the American scene.

If you’re looking for art, culture and inspiration then the TrekAmerica website has a whole host of options spread the length and breadth of the USA including, of course, New York City.

Guest author Chris remembers the first time he stepped foot into the Guggenheim as vividly as if it was only yesterday – inspirational art in NYC!

Images from flickr.com used under the Creative Commons license. Image credits: t-mizo, Alaskan Dude, mattharvey1.