Brooklyn Museum
New York City · United States · Founded 1895
Quick answer
Brooklyn Museum in New York City, United States — 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. Open Wednesday to Sunday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM; closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Admission: $20 suggested admission. Allow 2–3 hours.
Visitor information last reviewed 30 June 2026. Check the official museum site for current details.
Brooklyn Museum at a glance: hours, tickets and time needed
| Opening hours | Wednesday to Sunday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Closed | Monday and Tuesday |
| Admission | $20 suggested admission |
| Booking | Tickets usually available on the day |
| Time needed | 2–3 hours |
| Best time to visit | First Saturday of the month for free evening admission (5–11 PM) with live programming. |
| Getting there | Metro: 2 or 3 train to Eastern Parkway–Brooklyn Museum — the station exit opens directly onto the museum's front plaza at Washington Avenue |
| Address | 200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11238, USA |
| Official website | brooklynmuseum.org |
Checked 2026-06-30 against the official website. Prices and hours change — confirm before you travel.
What is Brooklyn Museum known for?
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.
The collection is genuinely encyclopedic: ancient Egyptian art including a reinstalled mummy chamber, American art from colonial portraiture to contemporary work, one of the nation's finest collections of feminist art anchored by Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party, and growing holdings of Asian, African, and Pacific art. The Sackler Center for Feminist Art, opened in 2007, was the first dedicated feminist art center in any museum.
The museum's First Saturday program — free evening admission on the first Saturday of each month with live music, performances, and gallery talks — has become a Brooklyn institution drawing thousands of visitors. The building faces Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, making it the anchor of a green cultural corridor.
General admission is suggested-donation ($20 recommended), making it one of the most accessible major museums in New York. Special exhibitions are ticketed separately.
Best for: Art Lovers · Families · First-timers
How long do you need at Brooklyn Museum?
Allow 2–3 hours. A focused route through 4 must-see highlights at Brooklyn Museum without museum fatigue. Follow the stops in order:
- 1
The Dinner Party
📍 Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, 4th Floor
A monumental installation with 39 place settings for mythical and historical women — from Sappho to Georgia O'Keeffe — on a triangular table.
- 2
The Peaceable Kingdom
📍 American Art, 5th Floor
One of more than 60 versions Hicks painted of this Quaker vision of Isaiah's prophecy — lions lying down with lambs in a Pennsylvania landscape.
- 3
Male and Female
📍 European Art, 2nd Floor
An early Cézanne painting of figures in a landscape — part of a European collection that includes Courbet, Rodin, and Monet alongside strong American holdings.
- 4
The Mummy Chamber
📍 Egyptian Art, 3rd Floor
A reinstalled gallery presenting mummies, coffins, and funerary objects within recreations of tomb environments — one of the most visited sections and a Brooklyn Museum signature since its founding.
What are the must-see works at Brooklyn Museum?
4 highlights that define the collection: The Dinner Party, The Peaceable Kingdom, Male and Female and more.
The Dinner Party
Judy Chicago · 1974–1979
📍 Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, 4th Floor
A monumental installation with 39 place settings for mythical and historical women — from Sappho to Georgia O'Keeffe — on a triangular table. The founding work of the Sackler Center and a landmark of feminist art.
The Peaceable Kingdom
Edward Hicks · c. 1833
📍 American Art, 5th Floor
One of more than 60 versions Hicks painted of this Quaker vision of Isaiah's prophecy — lions lying down with lambs in a Pennsylvania landscape. The Brooklyn version is among the finest.
Male and Female
Paul Cézanne · c. 1870
📍 European Art, 2nd Floor
An early Cézanne painting of figures in a landscape — part of a European collection that includes Courbet, Rodin, and Monet alongside strong American holdings.
The Mummy Chamber
Ancient Egyptian · c. 1539–1075 BCE
📍 Egyptian Art, 3rd Floor
A reinstalled gallery presenting mummies, coffins, and funerary objects within recreations of tomb environments — one of the most visited sections and a Brooklyn Museum signature since its founding.
Collections and highlights
- • Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art
- • Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party
- • Ancient Egyptian art and mummy chamber
- • American Identities galleries
- • Arts of Africa and the Pacific Islands
- • Decorative arts and period rooms
- • Contemporary art — Kehinde Wiley, KAWS
- • First Saturday free evening program
Tips for visiting Brooklyn Museum
- 1.
Best time to visit
First Saturday of the month for free evening admission (5–11 PM) with live programming. Weekday mornings for quiet gallery viewing.
- 2.
Crowds & busy periods
First Saturdays draw 5,000+ visitors — arrive early for popular exhibitions. The Dinner Party gallery has a timed-entry system on busy days.
- 3.
Tickets & booking
Suggested donation at the door ($20 recommended); special exhibitions ticketed separately at brooklynmuseum.org.
- 4.
Food & cafés nearby
The Counter café inside the museum; Prospect Heights restaurants on Vanderbilt Avenue (5-minute walk) — Tom's Restaurant, James, and Olmsted.
- 5.
Accessibility
Fully accessible. The building's scale is manageable compared to the Manhattan Met — easier to navigate in a half-day.
How do you get to Brooklyn Museum?
- metro 2 or 3 train to Eastern Parkway–Brooklyn Museum — the station exit opens directly onto the museum's front plaza at Washington Avenue
- bus B41, B45, and B69 buses stop at Washington Avenue and Eastern Parkway at the museum entrance
- walk From Prospect Park — the museum's entrance faces the park across Eastern Parkway; from Grand Army Plaza — 5 minutes south along Flatbush Avenue
Address: 200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11238, USA
Brooklyn Museum: frequently asked questions
Is admission really suggested?
Yes, general admission is pay-what-you-wish; special exhibitions are ticketed.
Is the museum near Prospect Park?
Yes — its front steps face Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
How long should I spend at Brooklyn Museum?
Plan 2–3 hours for the highlights of Brooklyn Museum. Our 4-stop route — The Dinner Party, The Peaceable Kingdom, Male and Female and more — is designed to fit that time. Add extra time for temporary exhibitions, the shop and the café.
What is Brooklyn Museum best known for?
Designed by McKim, Mead & White and opened in 1897, the Brooklyn Museum is the second-largest art museum in New York City. Key highlights include Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party, Ancient Egyptian art and mummy chamber.
How do I get tickets for Brooklyn Museum?
Admission: $20 suggested admission. Tickets are usually available on the day, but booking online saves queue time in peak season. Official site: https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/
What is Brooklyn Museum First Saturday?
On the first Saturday of every month (except January and September), the Brooklyn Museum opens free from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM with live music, dance performances, gallery talks, art-making workshops, and a pop-up market. It is one of New York's most beloved free cultural events, drawing 5,000–8,000 visitors per evening. Target First Saturdays are sponsored and feature expanded programming.
Is the Brooklyn Museum better than the Met for Egyptian art?
The Met's Egyptian collection is larger and includes the Temple of Dendur. However, the Brooklyn Museum's Egyptian galleries are more intimate and recently reinstalled with better contextual interpretation — including the Mummy Chamber, which presents funerary practices in an immersive environment. For most visitors, Brooklyn's Egyptian collection is more than sufficient and far less crowded than the Met's.
Why is Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party at the Brooklyn Museum?
The Dinner Party was donated to the Brooklyn Museum in 2002 by Elizabeth A. Sackler, who also funded the Sackler Center for Feminist Art — the first center of its kind in any museum. After years of controversy and rejection by other institutions (including the University of the District of Columbia), Brooklyn embraced it as a founding statement of its commitment to feminist art and diverse narratives.
Is Brooklyn Museum open on Mondays and Tuesdays?
No — Brooklyn Museum is closed every Monday and Tuesday (closing days: Monday and Tuesday). It is open Wednesday to Sunday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Plan a different museum for those days, and check the official website for holiday changes.
What are Brooklyn Museum's opening hours?
Brooklyn Museum is open Wednesday to Sunday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM, and closed Monday and Tuesday. Hours can change for holidays and events, so check the official website before you go.
Is Brooklyn Museum free to visit?
No — standard admission is $20 suggested admission.
