List of Museums in New York City

If you were to search the Internet to find out how many museums there are in New York City, it would be hard find a definitive answer. The number of museums that are open for business in the 5 boroughs of New York City is often in flux, but one thing is sure there are well over 80 museums that cover a wide range of subjects.

Here is our comprehensive list of museums in New York City in Alphabetical order by name covering all five boroughs. If you love museums, New York City is the place for you.

Museum	Category	About
American Folk Art Museum	Art	Magnificent 18th and 19th century Art by self taught artists.
American Museum of Natural History	Natural History	A massive collection of habitat dioramas with lions, tigers, bears and more, the art of peoples from around the world...and of course dinosaur bones. A must see when visiting New York City.
Asia Society and Museum	Art, Cultural	A groundbreaking collection of both traditional and contemporary Asian and Asian American art.
Brooklyn Children's Museum	Children's	The first Museum in the US dedicated to children with innovative exhibits designed to educate and entertain kids from infancy to High School age.
Brooklyn Museum	Art	An extensive collection of art from ancient Egypt, African art, European paintings and contemporary art.
Children's Museum of Manhattan	Children's	Features a unique environment of interactive exhibitions and programs designed to inspire children to learn about themselves and the diverse cultures of this world
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum	Design	With more than 210,000 design objects, this branch of the Smithsonian is devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design with interactive displays that are informative and captivating.
El Museo del Barrio	Cultural	A Latino cultural institution that has a wide-ranging collection with art, exhibits, live performances and other special events demonstrating the richness of the Latino, Caribbean, and Latin American cultures.
Ellis Island Immigration Museum	Cultural	Between 1892 to 1954, 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island on their way to a new life in a new country. Glimpse their stories at the Ellis Island Museum.
Guggenheim Museum, Solomon R.	Art	Frank Lloyd Wright designed modern-art museum with a vast collection of modern and contemporary art.
International Center of Photography (ICP)	Photography	Dedicated to photography and visual culture, its museum at 250 Bowery has exhibitions and programs that explore the history, and future, of image making.
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum	Science, Maritime	One of our favorite museums, you'll get to walk on the deck and visit the bridge of an actual aircraft carrier and board an actual submarine. Its a must see when visiting New York City.
Japan Society	Art, Cultural	With more than 100 events each year featuring presentations of Japanese art and culture, as well as Japanese Language classes and crash courses for travelers to Japan, the Japan Society presents a glimpse of Japanese culture right her in New York City.
Lower East Side Tenement Museum	NYC Life, Cultural	Visit apartments that recreate immigrant life in the 19th and 20th centuries in the Lower East Side of New York City.
Museum of Arts and Design (MAD)	Art, Design	As stated in the museums mission statement, its goal is to "emphasize a cross-disciplinary approach to art and design, and reveals the workmanship behind the objects and environments that shape our everyday lives"
Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA)	Cultural	A fabulous presentation of the history, heritage, and culture of people of Chinese descent in the United States with more than 65,000 artifacts, photos, memorabilia, documents, oral histories, and art work in its collection and archives.
Museum of Jewish Heritage	Cultural	Learn about the Jewish experience before, during and since the Holocaust.
Museum of the City of New York	NYC Life, Art, Culture	This museum celebrates New York City's past, present and future through its collection of prints, photographs, decorative arts, costumes, paintings, sculpture, toys, and theatrical memorabilia.
National Museum of the American Indian	Cultural	The permanent and temporary exhibitions at this museum, as well as public programs that include music and dance performances, films, and symposia, celebrate the rich culture of Native American peoples.
New Museum	Art	Specializing in the presentation of new art created with new ideas.
New York Hall of Science	Science	Situated in Corona Queens, the Hall of Science has "450 exhibits, demonstrations, workshops and participatory activities that explain science, technology, engineering, and math." Great for the kids and adults.
New York Transit Museum	Transportation	Located inside an actual decommissioned subway station, The New York Transit Museum tells the story of the people and feats of engineering that created one of the world's largest transportation systems. Get on board vintage train cars, buses and pass through turnstiles from throughout the centuries.
New York Historical Society Museum & Library	NYC Life, Art, Culture	The oldest museum in New York City with more than 1.6 million works of art on display,
P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center	Art	An exhibition space made available to emerging artists. You'll see innovative artwork from various genres.
Queens Museum of Art	Art	Focuses on the presentation of the highest quality visual arts and educational programs of interest to the diverse group of people that live in the New York City metropolitan area, with particularly emphasis on what's important to the residents of Queens.
The Rubin Museum of Art	Art	See, learn about and enjoy the art of Himalayan Asia through exhibits, and special programs that include films, lectures and concerts.
Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden	Cultural, Art, Horticultural	28 uniquely New York City buildings (including a world class concert hall), 9 botanical gardens and a working farm make up this historical location. You can peruse contemporary art, stroll through breathtaking gardens and purchase farm fresh produce at this truly unique and inspiring location on Staten Island.
South Street Seaport Museum	Maritime	Through the use of ships, interactive exhibits, and educational experiences, this museum is dedicated to telling the story of New York City's rise as a major seaport that played a significant role in the development of the Unites States of America into the great nation it is today.
Staten Island Museum	General	Since 1881, this museum has been "exploring the dynamic connection between natural science, art and history"
Statue of Liberty National Monument	Cultural	See this neoclassical sculpture that symbolizes the freedom we Americans hold dear in conjunction with the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.
The Bronx Museum of the Arts	Art	This contemporary art museum focuses on connection diverse audiences to the urban experience through its permanent collection, special exhibitions, and education programs.
The Cloisters Museum & Gardens	Medieval European Art	A branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art dedicated to the art, architecture, and gardens of medieval Europe with over 2,000 exceptional artworks and architectural elements in its collection. Its located in northern Manhattan's Fort Tryon Park.
The Frick Collection	Art	A world renown collection of old master paintings, European sculpture and decorative arts housed in a Gilded Age mansion that was once the home of industrialist Henry Clay Frick.
The Jewish Museum	Cultural	This unique collection has nearly 30,000 works of fine art, Judaica, antiquities, folk art, ceremonial objects, and broadcast media that showcases the global Jewish experience.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met)	Art	With more than two million works of art from across the globe, the MET has something for everyone...works by the masters, contemporary art as well as works from ancient Egypt, Rome and cultures around the world from every century. If you enjoy art, the Met is the best place to visit during your trip to New York City. This is another of our favorite museums.
The Morgan Library & Museum	General	A vast collection of books, illuminated, literary, and historical manuscripts, and old master drawings and prints.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)	Art	This world renowned museum has such famous works as Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh, the Les Demoiselles D'Avignon by Pablo Picasso, and many more. It's another one of our favorites.
The Skyscraper Museum	New York	This museum celebrates New York City's rich architectural heritage and examines the historical forces and individuals that have shaped its ever changing skylines
The Studio Museum in Harlem	Art	Founded in 1968, this museum promotes the works of artists of African descent.
Whitney Museum of American Art	Art	Presents has a large collection that exhibits the full range of twentieth-century and contemporary American art.