> Source: https://worldmuseumguide.org/countries/united-states/new-york-city/ — updated 2026-09-25. Markdown mirror generated at build time from the same content as the HTML page. Title: 8 Best Museums in New York City (2026) United States · 8 museums # The best museums in New York City (NYC) ## Quick answer The best museums in New York City (NYC) are the Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. World Museum Guide covers 8 museums in New York City, United States, with verified admission prices, opening hours and how long to allow for each. Check each guide for prices and free days. Visitor information last reviewed 30 June 2026. Check the official museum site for current details. ## New York City museums compared: price, time needed and closing day | # | Museum | Admission | Time needed | Closed | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | [The Metropolitan Museum of Art](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/metropolitan-museum-of-art/) | $30 | 3–5 hours | Wednesdays, Thanksgiving, December 25, January 1 and the first Monday in May | | 2 | [American Museum of Natural History](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/american-museum-of-natural-history/) | $37 for adults from outside NY State | 3–4 hours | Thanksgiving and December 25 | | 3 | [Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/guggenheim-new-york/) | $30 | 1.5–2 hours | Open daily | | 4 | [Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/moma/) | $30 | 2–4 hours | Thanksgiving and December 25 | | 5 | [Brooklyn Museum](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/brooklyn-museum/) | $20 suggested | 2–3 hours | Monday and Tuesday | | 6 | [The Frick Collection](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/frick-collection/) | $30 | 1.5–2 hours | Tuesdays | | 7 | [The Morgan Library & Museum](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/morgan-library/) | $25 | 1.5–2 hours | Mondays | | 8 | [Whitney Museum of American Art](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/whitney-museum/) | $30 | 2–3 hours | Tuesdays | Standard adult prices, checked from 2026-06-30. Confirm on each museum's official website before you go. ## New York City museums, ranked ### [The Metropolitan Museum of Art](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/metropolitan-museum-of-art/) Art Museum · Best for art lovers & history enthusiasts The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially 'the Met', is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. $30 · ⏱ 3–5 hours · Closed Wednesdays ### [American Museum of Natural History](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/american-museum-of-natural-history/) Art Museum · Best for families & history enthusiasts The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) on Central Park West is one of the world's preeminent scientific and cultural institutions, founded in 1869 and now encompassing 25 interconnected buildings across four city blocks. Its collections exceed 34 million specimens and cultural artifacts — among the largest holdings of any natural history museum on Earth. $37 for adults from outside NY State · ⏱ 3–4 hours ### [Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/guggenheim-new-york/) Art Museum · Best for art lovers & first-timers Founded in 1939 as the Museum of Non-Objective Painting, the Guggenheim moved into Frank Lloyd Wright's revolutionary spiral building on its Fifth Avenue site in 1959. $30 · ⏱ 1.5–2 hours ### [Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/moma/) Modern & Contemporary Art · Best for art lovers & contemporary art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of the largest and most influential museums of modern art in the world. $30 · ⏱ 2–4 hours ### [Brooklyn Museum](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/brooklyn-museum/) Art Museum · Best for art lovers & families The Brooklyn Museum is the second-largest art museum in New York City and one of the oldest and largest in the United States, housed in a Beaux-Arts building designed by McKim, Mead & White that opened in 1897. Its 560,000 square feet make it physically larger than the Manhattan Met, yet it remains Brooklyn's neighborhood museum — rooted in one of America's most diverse boroughs. $20 suggested · ⏱ 2–3 hours · Closed Mondays and Tuesdays ### [The Frick Collection](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/frick-collection/) Art Museum · Best for art lovers & history enthusiasts Henry Clay Frick built his Beaux-Arts mansion in 1914 to house his collection. It opened as a public museum in 1935 with the residence largely intact. $30 · ⏱ 1.5–2 hours · Closed Tuesdays ### [The Morgan Library & Museum](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/morgan-library/) Art Museum · Best for history enthusiasts & art lovers Built between 1902 and 1906 by McKim, Mead & White as J. P. Morgan's private library, the Morgan opened to the public in 1924. Renzo Piano's 2006 expansion added new galleries and a glass atrium. $25 · ⏱ 1.5–2 hours · Closed Mondays ### [Whitney Museum of American Art](https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/whitney-museum/) Art Museum · Best for art lovers & first-timers Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney founded the museum in 1930 with her own collection of works by then-overlooked American artists. The museum moved into Renzo Piano's stepped building beside the High Line in 2015. $30 · ⏱ 2–3 hours · Closed Tuesdays ## How to plan museums in New York City ### Overview New York's Museum Mile and Midtown cluster include the Met (nearly 6 million visitors), MoMA, Guggenheim, and the American Museum of Natural History. Pay-what-you-wish policies at some institutions benefit NY state residents. ### Suggested itinerary Day 1: Met Fifth Avenue (European + Egyptian wings). Day 2: MoMA + Rockefeller Center area. Day 3: AMNH (dinosaurs + Hayden Planetarium) → Central Park walk. ### Best time to visit Weekday mornings. Met and MoMA quietest first hour after opening. Avoid school holiday weeks for AMNH. Visiting on a budget? See every [free and discounted museum in New York City](https://worldmuseumguide.org/free-museums/new-york-city/). ## Museums in New York City: FAQs ### What are the best museums in New York City? The best museums in New York City are the Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. World Museum Guide ranks 8 museums in New York City by visitor numbers and collection strength. ### How many museums in New York City does World Museum Guide cover? World Museum Guide covers 8 museums in New York City, United States. Each guide lists admission, opening hours, highlights and how long to allow. ### Which museums in New York City are free? No museum in our New York City guide is free for every visitor. Free or reduced on certain days or for certain visitors: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Pay-what-you-wish for NY State residents and NY, NJ & CT students (NJ/CT students in person with ID)), American Museum of Natural History (Pay-what-you-wish general admission for NY State residents with ID), Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (Pay-what-you-wish Tuesdays and Sundays, 4:00–5:30 PM (reservation strongly recommended)) and Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) (UNIQLO Friday Nights: free for New York State residents every Friday, 5:30–8:30 PM (reserve ahead, proof of residency)). ### Which day are museums in New York City closed? Closing days differ by museum: The Metropolitan Museum of Art closes Wednesdays, Brooklyn Museum closes Mondays and Tuesdays, The Frick Collection closes Tuesdays, The Morgan Library & Museum closes Mondays and Whitney Museum of American Art closes Tuesdays. Plan each day around at least one museum that is open. ### Which museums in New York City are open on Mondays? Open on Mondays: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Frick Collection and Whitney Museum of American Art. Closed on Mondays: Brooklyn Museum and the Morgan Library & Museum. Hours can change on public holidays, so check each museum's official website. ### Which museums in New York City are open late? Late openings: the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Friday and Saturday until 9:00 PM), Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) (Fridays until 8:30 PM) and Whitney Museum of American Art (Friday until 10:00 PM). Evening visits are usually the quietest time to see the highlights. ### Which museums in New York City are best for kids? For families, start with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History and Brooklyn Museum. Each guide lists how long to allow and the best time to visit. ### Met vs Met Cloisters? The main Met on Fifth Avenue holds the encyclopedic collection. The Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park specialises in medieval art — separate location, included with Met ticket. ## More New York City museum answers - [Are museums free in New York City? →](https://worldmuseumguide.org/answers/are-museums-free-in-new-york-city/) - [What day are museums closed in New York City? →](https://worldmuseumguide.org/answers/what-day-are-museums-closed-in-new-york-city/) - [Which museums are open on Monday in New York City? →](https://worldmuseumguide.org/answers/museums-open-on-monday-in-new-york-city/) ## More in the United States [All United States museums](https://worldmuseumguide.org/countries/united-states/) [Washington D.C. (7)](https://worldmuseumguide.org/countries/united-states/washington-d-c/) [Los Angeles (3)](https://worldmuseumguide.org/countries/united-states/los-angeles/) [Chicago (2)](https://worldmuseumguide.org/countries/united-states/chicago/) [San Francisco (2)](https://worldmuseumguide.org/countries/united-states/san-francisco/) [Boston (2)](https://worldmuseumguide.org/countries/united-states/boston/) [Bentonville (1)](https://worldmuseumguide.org/countries/united-states/bentonville/) [Dallas (1)](https://worldmuseumguide.org/countries/united-states/dallas/) [Denver (1)](https://worldmuseumguide.org/countries/united-states/denver/)