The Museum of Modern Art (although known worldwide as the MoMA in New York) is probably one of the best modern art museums in the world. Located right next to Central Park, in the area around Rockefeller Center, its collection contains some of the most prized masterpieces by Van Gogh, Picasso, Dalí, Warhol,….
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History of MoMA
The museum opened its doors to the public on November 7, 1929, and was founded by American philanthropists Lillie P. Bliss, Cornelius J. Sullivan, and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. as an educational institution whose mission was “to help people understand, use, and enjoy the visual arts of our time.
When the Museum of Modern Art began exhibiting its works, much of the public at that time despised Cubism and abstract art, because they clashed with the guidelines that until then had set the standard for “true art”.
However, the response from the public was very enthusiastic, and over the next ten years the Museum moved three times to larger and larger temporary locations, until in 1939 the museum finally opened its doors in the building it still occupies in Midtown Manhattan.
The MoMA collection
It is considered one of the sanctuaries of modern and contemporary art in the world, constituting (in the opinion of many) one of the best collections of masterpieces. The museum has a collection of 150,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, engravings, photographs, architectural models, drawings and design objects, and more than 22,000 films.
Inside, the MoMA houses painting masterpieces such as Van Gogh’s Starry Night, Piet Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie Wogie, Picasso’s The Young Ladies of Avignon, Salvador Dalí’s Persistence of Memory, and works by leading American artists such as Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, and Edward Hopper. MoMA also has important collections of graphic design, industrial design, photography, architecture, film and print.
Of the first avant-gardes of the 20th century, MoMA conserves key works by Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Kandinsky, Mondrian, Henri Matisse, etc. It has a Sculpture Garden with works by Auguste Rodin, Alexander Calder, Louise Nevelson, Pablo Serrano and Aristide Maillol, as well as a cinema.
The MoMA Shop
Right next to the museum is the MoMA Design Store, which I recommend you to stop by and visit. If in all museums it is always interesting to take a walk around the store to get a souvenir of our visit to it, in this museum is definitely much more worthwhile, it has in its catalog some very original souvenirs of the city and you can find some pieces awarded for their design by the museum (watches, toys for children, stationery objects, etc …), you will certainly leave it with some original gift for the journey back home.
New York Museum of Modern Art opening hours
- Saturday – Thursday: 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
- Friday: 10:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
- Open until 9:00 p.m. the first Thursday of each month.
- Free admission on Fridays from 5:30pm – 9pm. To avoid lines, it is recommend that you arrive after 6:00 p.m. and refrain from bringing backpacks on Fridays.
Fares (year 2019)
- Adult: $25
- Over 65 (with ID): $18
- Student (with credential): $14
- Children under 16: Free
This museum is included in the New York Pass, the Sightseeing Pass and the Go New York, for more information on all the tourist cards visit our article for choosing the best tourist card for your trip to New York.
Video of the museum
Here’s a video of our last visit to MoMA, so you can see a little inside the museum:
How to get to MoMA?
- Metro:
- Lines B, D, F: Get off at 47-50 Street Rockefeller Center Station
- E, M Lines: Get off at 53rd Street and Fifth Avenue Station
More information on MoMA
It is important to note that backpacks and large bags are not allowed into the museum, although there is a free cloakroom service to leave these objects during our visit. For more information about the museum, visit the official website of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
