Museum Mile, New York

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is the world's finest collection of modern art. The unique building (likened to a giant white shell) was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1943. Visitors take the elevator to the top floor and walk down the spiral ramp while viewing paintings. The works of Picasso, Chagall, Modigliani, Kandinsky, Leger, Manet and many others are displayed.Wright's single spiral ramp is ingenious and functional, while the outer "shell" design was aimed to make the building appear like a piece of sculpture. During construction, Wright battled city officials who demanded one fire escape per floor. Wright argued that there was only one floor--one continuous one--in his building, so it required only one escape.

The Whitney Museum of American Art is one of the premier showcases for American art. It was founded in 1930 by sculptor Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney after the Metropolitan Museum of Art turned down her collection of works by living artists. The Permanent Collection of some 12,000 works includes paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs and prints. Artists on display feature such names as Andy Warhol, Georgia O'Keefe, Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper John and many others.The building designed by Marcel Breuer for the Whitney is an important landmark in modern architecture. Each floor is cantilevered over the floor below permitting and ever expanding display area inside and an inviting exterior.

The Frick Collection was the art collection of Henry Clay Frick. He bequeathed his collection and his mansion to the city of New York, upon his death in 1919. The mansion, which serves as the gallery, was built in 1913-14 and cost an estimated $5 million to construct. Frick laid out the structure with the intention of leaving the house as a public gallery.The collection, while relatively small includes many fine pieces. On display are old master paintings, French furniture, Limoges enamels and Oriental rugs. Turner, Constable, More, and Vermeer are some of the notable artists whose works are on display.

Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution was founded in 1897 by Amy, Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt (granddaughters of Industrialist Peter Cooper). The museum is devoted to historic and contemporary design, it began as part of the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art and has been a branch of the Smithsonian since 1967.Featuring one of the world's largest collections of design, the Cooper-Hewitt Museum has over 250,000 objects spanning 3,000 years of history. Housed in the former home of industrialist Andrew Carnegie, it is the only museum on Museum Mile with an outdoor planted garden and lawn open during museum hours.

Founded in 1974, by photojournalist Cornell Capa, the International Center of Photography (ICP) is located on a dynamic two-part campus in midtown Manhattan. The museum is dedicated to preserving the past and ensuring the future of the art of photography. The ICP presents approximately 15 exhibitions each year featuring an extensive array of historical and contemporary images by some of the most talented photographers in the world. The School of the International Center of Photography teaches the history, techniques, aesthetics, and practices of photography as well as continuing education classes; two full-time certificate programs; Master of Arts and Master of Fine Arts degree programs; lectures; and symposia.

The Jewish Museum was established on January 20, 1904 when Judge Mayer Sulzberger donated 26 ceremonial art objects to The Jewish Theological Seminary of America to start the museum collection. The collection has expanded tremendously and includes many thousands of pieces.The Jewish Museum has exhibits that explore 4,000 years of Jewish culture and history through art, archaeology, ceremonial objects, video, and interactive media. Newer exhibits feature archaeological treasures representing Jewish life in Israel and the Mediterranean region.The museum features changing exhibitions throughout the year.

The Museum of the City of New York is an interesting museum which focuses specifically on the history of New York. If you are planning on exploring the city from an historical perspective this might be a good place to start.The museum itself has a long history, having been founded in 1923. It is housed in a handsome Georgian Colonial building and contains a varied collection of items, including a large number of photos.Changing exhibits highlight a different of aspects of New York's past and future.

The Goethe Institut New York is a part of the Goethe Institut, an organization which promotes the German language and culture throughout the world. The New York location is one of 126 institutes in over 70 countries. The Institut offers courses and seminars for teachers of the German language. The Institut also coordinates cultural exchange programs. The Institut houses a library with a great deal of material mostly related to Germany.

The National Academy Museum (formerly the National Academy of Design) houses more than 5,000 paintings, drawings and sculptures by Winslow Homer, Frank Lloyd Wright others belonging to the collection of The National Academy of Design. The museum is located in a lavish house donated by arts philanthropist, Archer Huntington, and has patterned marble floors and decorative plaster ceilings.The museum was extensively renovated in the fall of 2011, with new galleries added.

The Museo Del Barrio is a Latin American art museum. Founded in 1969, the museum specializes in Puerto Rican culture, featuring paintings, folk art, historical artifacts, carvings of the saints and a pre-Columbian collection from the Caribbean. Changing exhibitions offer a creative and diverse range of options for visitors.