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What to do and see in New York City, New York (NY): The Best Things to do Good for a Rainy Day
Conquering New York in one visit is impossible. Instead, hit the must-sees – the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art – and then explore off the beaten path with visits to The Cloisters or one of the city’s libraries. Indulge in the bohemian shops of the West Village or the fine dining of the Upper West Side. The bustling marketplace inside of Grand Central Station gives you a literal taste of the best the city has to offer.
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1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 54,604 reviews
At New York City's most visited museum and attraction, you will experience over 5,000 years of art from around the world. The Met is for anyone as a source of inspiration, insight and understanding. You can learn, escape, play, dream, discover, connect.
Reviewed By cmasb - Rickmansworth, United Kingdom
We have wanted to visit here for ages and finally made it. It did not disappoint. There is no way you can see everything in any museum of any stature such as the Met. Choose what you are interested in and focus on just a few items. Our passions include European paintings from the 15th to early 19th centuries and we were indulged: incredible works by Velasquez, Goya, David, Brueghel, Rembrandt, Hals, Vermeer etc etc. You cannot be disappointed. We also visited the Graeco-Roman and Egyptian galleries, which were also fascinating. It was busy even on a Monday in schooltime. We booked tickets ahead, which saved us time queuing, so it might be worth your time doing the same thing. We had a nice but rather expensive lunch in the cafeteria in the basement. Sandwiches at $15? They didn’t even have caviar in them (but were tasty).
2. Frick Collection
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 8,658 reviews
The Frick Collection is your home for art from the Renaissance to the early twentieth century. Founded by Henry Clay Frick (1849–1919), the museum offers visitors intimate encounters with one of the world’s foremost collections of European fine and decorative arts. The Frick—now in its temporary location at Frick Madison, at the Breuer-designed building at 945 Madison Avenue, while its historic buildings undergo renovation—features celebrated works by Rembrandt, Fragonard, Ingres, Bellini, Vermeer, and more. The Frick Art Reference Library, a leading art historical research center, was established one hundred years ago by Helen Clay Frick and provides access to its rich collections for scholars and the public alike.
Reviewed By JuliaManhattan - New York City, United States
Architectural critic Paul Goldberger may have said it best: "The Met is admired but the Frick is beloved." You can sit in peace in Henry Clay Frick's magnificent mansion, contemplating his extraordinary collection of old masters, all living serenely in a setting filled with Rococo and Renaissance furniture, and accumulated superb decorative arts, including Limoges enamels, Meissen porcelain, and Italian bronzes.
3. Ground Zero Museum Workshop
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,906 reviews
Ground Zero Museum Workshop: Images & Artifacts from the 9/11 Recovery, in the Meatpacking District near Chelsea Market and the High Line Park. A 5-Star Rated Tour. Want to feel what it was like to be with FDNY Firefighters on the front lines after the 9/11 attacks? Want to educate your kids about this tough subject in a gentle and non-threatening way? Experience the Stunning Images of Official Ground Zero Photographer Gary Marlon Suson. "Rare Photos" (New York Times) are displayed, some in lifelike 3D installations, as well as artifacts & rare video. Rated in Trip Advisor's "Top 25 Museums in the USA" for 2013 and 2014 and in Trip Advisor's "Hall of Fame." Presented in BOSE Surround Sound Audio. 100 Stories. Praised by parents as a "safe" introduction to 9/11 for their young kids. Guests are allowed to pick up rare World Trade Center artifacts. Daily 1.5-hour audio tours from 11am-3pm Wednesday through Sunday include a tour guide and the self-guided audio narration in Dolby Stereo, in English, Italian, French and Spanish. Proceeds shared with Fire Department Charities. Walk-ins welcome. CLOSED MONDAY and TUESDAY. "Incredible Images" says Fox News Channel. Museum is housed in the exact building from where the Official Ground Zero Photographer shot his first images of 9/11. Known worldwide as the "Biggest LITTLE Museum in New York." The "first stop" before heading to visit Ground Zero. On display are "The Frozen Clock" - "The Bible Page" - artifacts such as the largest piece of World Trade window glass in existence and many more well-known images featured on FOX NEWS, BBC and CNN. Small gift area sells books and posters. No graphic footage nor images from morning of 9/11 are shown at GZMW. Tastefully and realistically presented. This award-winning tour is a wonderful prequel to your visit to the National 9/11 Memorial + Museum. Reservations accepted. Handicapped accessible. Private and student tours also available. New 2017 Winter Hours: Closed Monday + Tuesday. Open Wednesday thru Sunday 11am-3pm.
Reviewed By candklow - Houghton-le-Spring, United Kingdom
This museum is like no other and can’t begin to say how highly we’d receommend everyone to visit. Being able to touch some of the recovered artifacts from the tragic 9/11 incident, to seeing in detail the fantastic photography work by Gary Marlon Suson is a very emotionally humbling experience. We were fortunate enough to actually meet Gary personally, which made our visit all the more memorable - although the museum its self is something we wouldn’t forget easily. Not just seeing Gary’s photography, but hearing the emotional passion he had and has for capturing in the most respectful way an uncomprehendable event for us, was the highlight of our NY trip. It’s fairly safe to say the Ground Zero Workshop Museum would be our #1 must do for NY, and we’d certainly visit again when we next come to NY. I’d recommend you book because the museum is fairly small. But the intimacy adds to the experience.
4. Grand Central Terminal
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 44,259 reviews
Grand Central Terminal is the most extraordinary public space in New York City. Opened to the public in 1913, this historic train terminal is a world-famous landmark in Midtown. Its rich history is a story of immense wealth and great engineering. Grand Central is one of the busiest train stations in the world, with approximately 750,000 visitors every day. It is the home of Metro-North Railroad, a subway station, iconic restaurants, shops, and the world's most alluring Apple Store. Some of the highlights to see along your tour of Grand Central include the opal-faced clock, valued at $20 million, above the Information Booth, the Largest Tiffany Glass Clock in the World below the 48-foot, 1500-ton Transportation statue overlooking 42nd Street at Park Avenue, and the mystifying acoustics of the Whispering Gallery in front of the Oyster Bar and Restaurant. Audio and guided tours are available for those with a passion for history. More information regarding tours and ways to plan your visit can be found on the Grand Central Terminal website.
Reviewed By TheCuriousCowgirl - Dallas, United States
Because thousands of commuters pass through Grand Central Terminal every day, there's a market, filled with delicious pre-prepared foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and even a small outpost of the EAT Gifts. As a tourist, this is a GREAT place to pick up delicious goodies for an impromptu picnic in Central Park, or snacks for midnight cravings in your hotel. If you have a little more time, consider having a meal at the Grand Central Oyster Bar. First opened in 1913, this restaurant is a true NYC gem, offering up over twenty varieties of fresh oysters, a large menu of fresh, grilled and fried seafood choices, and an ambience and history that makes The Oyster Bar a very fun dining experience! Just outside the entrance to the Oyster Bar, is a space with a high vaulted ceiling. The four corners offer a bit of magic. If you and a friend will stand on opposite corners, you can speak directly into the wall, and the geometry of the space will carry your message up the wall, across the ceiling, and to your friend on the other side, earning the area the informal title of "the whispering walls." It's a ton of fun, and kids will get a HUGE kick out of sending and receiving messages! If cocktails are more your speed, The Campbell Apartment is a super swanky spot. The space was first rented out in 1923 by William Kissam Vanderbilt II, whose family built the terminal. It was once the ornate private office of early 20th century railroad exec and financier John Williams Campbell, andlater a studio for CBS Radio and a jail used by Metro-North Railroad. Today, it's a step back in time, and a little hard to find, making cocktail hour both glamorous and a little mysterious. If pure history is what you are after, take some time to admire the the zodiac mural on the ceiling of the Grand Concourse, one of New York City’s most beloved pieces of public art, created by French pastelist and etcher Paul César Helleu in 1912. The signs of the zodiac from October to March are outlined in gold leaf and modeled with nearly 2500 tiny, stippled gold leaf stars.Be sure and walk outside to 42nd street, and admire the gorgeous facade, particularly the imposing sculptures of Mercury, Hercules, and Minerva at the top. I never tire of the view, both during the day and at night, and few sites make me feel more truly in the heart of Manhattan than time spent in Grand Central Terminal.
5. Woolworth Building
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,054 reviews
Learn how the biggest retail tycoon of the early twentieth century and a star architect changed the NYC skyline forever. Designed by the renowned architect Cass Gilbert in 1913 to be Frank W. Woolworth’s NYC headquarters, the Woolworth Building was the tallest in the world for 17 years. Long closed to the public, architectural tours of its magnificent vintage lobby are now available.
Reviewed By Coffeeprincess - Spennymoor, United Kingdom
Great to see inside one of the most iconic NYC buildings in architectural history. The tour starts outside the building from the adjacent park, where the gothic facade in terracotta is explained in detail. We then viewed the grand cathedral-like lobby, the back staircase where the bank was situated, and finally the basement which contains the old bank vault. Our guide, Lisa, really brought the building and the Frank Woolworth story alive, much better than reading a conventional guide book could do. The building is still a business centre with many offices, so staff are continually coming and going which adds to authenticity of the tour. Tourists are therefore not allowed to enter the building unless they are part of the tour. The 60 minutes flew by, which gives an indication of how the guide kept our attention and interest. Overall, it was thoroughly enjoyable. I would recommend the 60 minute tour to everyone with a passion for NYC architecture.
6. Tenement Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,555 reviews
The Tenement Museum preserves the history of immigration through the personal accounts of those who built lives in the Lower East Side. Visitors can view restored apartments from the 19th and 20th centuries, walk the historic neighborhood, and interact with residents to learn the stories of generations of immigrants who helped shape the American experience. The museum is available by guided tour only. Each tour focuses on a specific theme and takes visitors to different areas of our two historic tenement buildings or neighborhood.
Reviewed By OurThoughts4 - Toronto, Canada
The Tenenment Museum is located in a neighbourhood worth exploring before or after the tour. The bookstore of the Museum is worth spending sometime in. Staff very accessible and informative from the cashiers to the tour guide. Our tour guide for the Hard Times tour was an excellent storyteller and was able to make history come alive as well as make the links to current social issues in a thought provoking and respectful way. The tour was enhanced by having some local New York visitors also on tour and making links to their day to day life now - particularly as it relates to neighbourhoods and homes available. Definitely can be hot on the tour but paper fans are provided and little stools for part of the group to take breaks on. A bit of a challenge not being able to lean against the walls.
7. Ellis Island
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7,211 reviews
Visitors can retrace the steps of their ancestors at this famous landing point that welcomed millions of immigrants to the United States.
Reviewed By cinnamoncc - Hollidaysburg, United States
I visited Ellis Island because the boat travels there after visiting the Statue of Liberty but it turns out Ellis Island is somewhere you could spend an entire afternoon. We visited the cafe for hot chocolate and met a mock “immigrations officer” that told us stories of the islands history and the islands immigration process. We then visited the immigration museum but did not have time to visit all the exhibits. We will definitely be going back!
8. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 17,916 reviews
Located in the heart of midtown Manhattan, The Museum of Modern Art is home to the world's greatest collection of modern and contemporary art. The collection includes Vincent van Gogh's "The Starry Night" and Andy Warhol's "Gold Marilyn Monroe," along with works by Jackson Pollock, Jasper Johns, Cindy Sherman, Elizabeth Murray, and many other great artists of our time. MoMA's collection also showcases photography, film, architecture, design, media, and performance art. Visitors can also enjoy shopping and fine and casual dining options. Mondays are reserved exclusively for members and their guests. Closed for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Reviewed By Lighthousemitch30 - Kew, Australia
The MOMA was an enjoyable experience. Although we visited during the peak Christmas period there was plenty for all of us to see Galleries included works from Dali Gauguin Van Gogh and some massive Monet canvasses Free audio a must Particularly enjoyed the modern architecture exhibitions from Frank Lloyd Wright and Bauhaus Sculpture garden is free and Open to the public
9. Whitney Museum of American Art
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,145 reviews
The Whitney Museum is New York's home for modern and contemporary art of the United States. Located in Manhattan's vibrant Meatpacking District, the Whitney presents the work of living artists alongside perennial favorites by Edward Hopper, Georgia O'Keeffe, Jacob Lawrence, Alexander Calder, and many others. Through August 8 immerse yourself in the abstract world of Julie Mehretu. Featuring more than seventy artworks, including monumental canvases and a new site-specific work inspired by New York City, Julie Mehretu offers the most comprehensive view of the artist’s practice to date. Advance ticketing is required: book timed tickets today and prepare for your trip at whitney.org.
Reviewed By 653fayef - New York City, United States
Start at the top floor and start with the Hoppers from the permanent collection.... Work your way down to the unusual modern art....sculpture.... Go out on the terraces and see the interesting sculptures
10. The Met Cloisters
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5,095 reviews
Branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art that was constructed out of sections of French medieval monasteries, offers an extensive collection of statues, paintings, stained glass windows and tapestries.
Reviewed By JohnK3353 - Brooklyn, United States
If in the mood for time transportation, check out the glorious Cloisters Museum in northern Manhattan. Yes, a bit of a schlep to get there (take the A or 1 subway) but worth it. Once there, a quietly serene transportation back to the Middle Ages - like walking through an exquisite monastery - the whole 9 yards, what with winding staircases, tiny chapels, gardens, crypts, and galleries loaded with amazing Christian art. And several gorgeous gardens, with breathtaking views of the Hudson River and the Palisades (cliffs) of New Jersey on the opposite side of the river. Never mobbed with tourists (unlike its Mother Museum The Met), the Cloisters can be enjoyed on dual levels. Medieval art in a unique museum that doesn't seem like a museum, or just a quiet place for reflection and/or contemplation, in a placid environment. In manic, maddening, Manhattan.
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