Can't decide which New York City museum to visit? Use this list of popular New York City museums to help you decide which New York City museum to include on your vacation itinerary.
1. Ellis Island Immigration Museum
Located in the New York Harbor, approximately 12 million steerage and third class steamship passengers were processed on Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954. Immigrants who entered the United States through the port of New York were legally and medically inspected at Ellis Island. In 1990 Ellis Island was renovated and transformed into a museum dedicated to educating visitors about the immigrant experience.
2. American Museum of Natural History
Since opening to the public in 1869, the American Museum of Natural History has evolved and grown. In addition to the Rose Center planetarium and regular exhibits, the museum hosts a revolving series of exhibits, so there is always something new to see.
3. Guggenheim Museum
The Guggenheim Museum, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, is best known for its spiral structure and unique museum layout. The permanent collection and temporary exhibitions at the Guggenheim highlight modern paintings, sculpture and film.4. Metropolitan Museum of Art
5. Museum of Modern Art
Timothy Hursley ©2006
Founded in 1929 as the first museum dedicated entirely to contemporary art, MoMA is host to an impressive collection of modern artistic efforts.
6. Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Accessible only by guided tour, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum offers visitors the opportunity to see into the immigrant past of the Lower East Side while visiting the actual apartments where immigrants lived and hearing stories about their lives. They also offer tours in Spanish and American Sign Language.
7. Museum of the Moving Image
Photo by Heather Cross, licensed to About.com
The Museum of the Moving Image focuses on film, television and digital media, and its impact on culture and society. Located in Astoria, Queens, the museum is easily accessible by subway, just a short ride from Manhattan, and is a great destination for film-buffs and families alike.
8. New York Historical Society
On West 77th Street at Central Park West, the New York Historical Society offers visitors an opportunity to see a collection that reveals much of New York's history. The collection includes Tiffany lamps, decorative objects, paintings, and furniture.
