Art moves people, challenges them, sparks creativity, and so much more. And we’re lucky enough to have some of the best art exhibits in the world, right here in NYC!
That’s why we’ve scoured museum websites to pull together all of the most exciting exhibits that are currently showing or coming soon. A few go beyond traditional art museums, but it’s all about blurring the lines, right?
Check out these 20 wonderful art exhibits happening in NYC right now:
1. Small is Beautiful
Open through October 15, 2023
This is the biggest littlest international art exhibit in the entire world! Check out over 130 exclusive miniature artworks and 80 photographs by 32 local & international artists from around the globe. There’s all sorts of whimsical and intricate miniature designs that range from a tennis match played on watermelon to the home of Lord of the Rings character Gandalf! Get ready to step into this mini world like you never have before!
Prices: $27+
š¤ Purchase your tickets here.
Where: 718 Broadway
2. Sedef Gali’s “FRAGILE WORDS”
ArtHouse NY by Sedef Gali
Open through October 31, 2023
Ground-breaking Turkish artist Sedef Gali brings her latest exhibit to NYC showcasing all sorts of emotional and cultural complexities. Alongside the opening of this studio and concept space, she brings “FRAGILE WORDS,” a collection of works ranging from oil on canvas to food dye, nail polish, and self-made powdered pigment. The exhibit touches on themes of suppressed emotions, lust, sexism, and gender issues. Learn more here.
Where: 570 Broome St
3. The Book of Hov
Open through December 4, 2023
A brand new time capsule honoring the iconic Brooklyn rapper Jay-Z just opened at the Brooklyn Public Library! The exhibit features āthousands of archived objects, includingĀ original recording masters, never-before-seen photos, iconic stage wear, prestigious awards,Ā andĀ recognitions, as well as videos and artifacts from every facet of Jay-Zās professional life.ā You can check out record plaques, album art recreations, and so much more.
Prices: Free
Read more about The Book of Hov here.
Where: Brooklyn Central Library (10 Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn)
4. Manet/Degas
Open through January 7, 2024Ā
Dive into the friendship, rivalry, and antagonistic relationship between Ćdouard Manet and Edgar Degas, who competed throughout the 1800s to define modern painting in France. Manet/Degas consists of over 150 paintings between the two artists which touched on themes of family relationships, friendships, and intellectual circles that influenced their artistic and professional choices. Juxtaposing them side by side makes for great analysis. Learn more here.
Prices: Museum admission ($17-$30)
Where: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (1000 5th Ave)
5. Chagall, Paris – New York
Opens October 6, 2023 – TBA 2024
In this latest immersive experience at Hall des LumiĆØres, Chagall, Paris will be devoted to the prolific and unclassifiable painter, Marc Chagall. In collaboration with Culturespaces, Franceās leading private manager of museums and cultural heritage, you can expect lights and artworks projected onto the walls and and floors…showcasing works from the entirety of his career. It’s colorful, fascinating, and mesmerizing. Learn more here.
Prices: $18-$30
Where: Hall des LumiĆØres (49 Chambers St)
6. Bridget Riley Drawings: From the Artistās Studio
Open through October 8, 2023
British artist Bridget Riley is in the forefront of this new exhibit, which compiles more than six decades of her careerāfrom the 1940s to the 2000s. Celebrated as one of the most important abstract painters of her generation, the collection showcases more than 75 reference studies from the artistās studio. From large-scale paintings to black-and-white abstractions, you get a glimpse into the movement she proudly was spearheading.
Price: $22
Learn more about the exhibit here!
Where: The Morgan Library & Museum (225 Madison Ave)
7. ā¦things come to thriveā¦in the sheddingā¦in the moltingā¦
Open through October 22, 2023
Contemporary artist Ebony G. Patterson offers an array of lavishly detailed mixed media installations to NYBG titled “ā¦things come to thriveā¦in the sheddingā¦in the moltingā¦” From a monumental peacock sculpture to swarms of glitter-encrusted vultures, Patterson uses the beauty of exotic flora to create breathtaking displays of art and nature.
Prices: $35
Learn more about Patterson’s exhibition here.
Where: New York Botanical Garden (2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx)
8. Ancient Rome: The Exhibition
Open through November 19, 2023
Explore the great wonders of Ancient Rome with brand new exhibit full of historical reconstructions, storylines, and artifacts. Immerse yourself in the grandeur of Romeās history, all while checking out recreations of ancient armor, military machinery, architecture and much more!
Price: $20
Read more about Ancient Rome: The Exhibition here.
š Buy tickets to Ancient Rome: The Exhibition here!
Where: 378 Broadway
9. Spike Lee: Creative Sources
Opens October 6, 2023 – February 4, 2024
Take a rare glimpse into the world of iconic New York filmmaker and director Spike Lee like never before. This immersive installation coming to Brooklyn Museum includes a collection of objects drawn from Leeās personal collection. Touching on major themes of his life like Black history and culture, Brooklyn, sports, music, cinema history, family, and politics…you’ll find all sorts of items like historical photographs, sports and movie memorabilia, and more!
Prices: $16
Learn more about the upcoming Spike Lee exhibit here!
Where: Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn)
10. The Roof Garden Commission: Lauren Halsey
Open through October 22, 2023
While you’re at The Met, head to the rooftop to check out American artist Lauren Halsey’s commissioned exhibition. Her massively scaled installation takes inspiration from her energy and imagination of the South Central Los Angeles Community where she was born and continues to work. The exhibition’s focus stems from from Egyptian architecture and her Los Angeles neighborhood, in which she reimagines hieroglyphics, Afrofuturist architecture and more.
Price: Museum admission ($17-$30)
Read more about Halsey’s exhibit here.
Where: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (1000 5th Ave)
11. PierreĀ Soulages: From Midnight to Twilight
Open through November 4, 2023
A major exhibition dedicated to the career of legendary late French artist Pierre Soulages just opened, also known as “the painter of black.” With unprecedented loaned items from the Met, Guggenheim, and more, the collection of works will be dedicated to his life and showcase his recognizable Outrenoir (ābeyond blackā) paintings, created between 1979 and 2019. There is also a separate documentary room dedicated to his legacy and 1 year anniversary of his death. Learn more here.
Price: Free
Where: LĆ©vy Gorvy Dayan Gallery (19 E 64th St)
12. ED RUSCHA / NOW THEN, MoMA
Open through January 13, 2024
American artist Ed Ruscha is set to feature over 200 of his works (spanning paintings, drawings, films, and more) at MoMA next month, which will explore his contributions to postwar American art. Marking his first solo exhibition at MoMA, visitors will be able to check out Ruscha’s familiar style of transforming ordinary subjects…like roadside gasoline stations or the 20th Century Fox logo. Read more about the exhibit here.
Prices: Museum admission ($25)
Buy tickets to the Museum of Modern Art here!Where: Museum of Modern Art (11 W 53rd St)
13. Best in Show: Pets in Contemporary Photography
Open through January 2024
Get ready to get furry, as this brand new Fotografiska exhibit explores how domestic pets and feathered friends have played a role in culture and how they represent their owners! Through 24 global photographers, you’ll be able to analyze pets from all perspectives, including life partners, status symbols, and beyond! Read more about the exhibit here.
Price: $21-$31
Buy tickets to Fotografiska New York here!Where: Fotografiska (281 Park Ave S)
14. Women’s Work
Open through July 7, 2024
What is “women’s work” anyway? In this new exhibition consisting of about 45 objects, it demonstrates how āwomenās workā (historical trends encouraging women to take certain jobs) defies categorization. Items like medical kits and military uniforms are on display, proving just how essential women’s labor efforts have been to the backbone of American society. While celebrating the strides society has made in equality over the years, the exhibit simultaneously shines light on inequalities that still persist today. Learn more here.
Price: $13-$24
Where: New-York Historical Society (170 Central Park West)
15. This is New York: 100 Year of the City in Art and Pop Culture
Open through July 21, 2024
To celebrate 100 years of the Museum of the City of New York, they’re showcasing a brand new exhibit that explore ours beloved city across all art forms. Through both famous and lesser-known depictions of New York in film and television, visual and performing arts, music, poetry and literature, and even fashion, the exhibit showcases the magic of NYC and what makes it so special. We’re talking everything from an interactive installation of songs inspired by each borough to an immersive 16-screen experience drawn from hundreds of movies about the city made over the past century. It’s the ultimate New York homage.
Prices: $20
Read more about the exhibit here!
Where: Museum of the City of New York (1220 5th Ave)
16. Stars, Fotografiska
Open through September 16, 2023
Say hello to the the largest-ever U.S. exhibition, and first New York museum solo show of the legendary celebrity photographerĀ Terry O’Neill! His newest collection Stars is an assemblage of rare retrospective photos of pop culture faces during his lifetime as a photographer. Using his electrifying editorial portraiture to portray “the human side of fame,” the exhibition will show off the likes of Elton John performing in Los Angeles in 1975, Audrey Hepburn playing cricket in 1966, and so much more. This stunning arrangement of intimate “off-duty” photos of popular icons is a sight to behold.
Prices: $21-$31
Where: Fotografiska (281 Park Ave S)
17. INTER_, SoHo
Open now
Take a journey of self-discovery at this groundbreaking and interactive art experience in SoHo. Consisting of a multi-sensory environment where your presence becomes part of the art, the mind-bending installations and digital creations here invite you to explore mind, body, and reality. There’s also an INTER_planetary section of the exhibit that explores Earth’s elements like ether, earth, water, air and fire. This storytelling experience that spans visual, spatial, audio, and experiential elements simply cannot be missed!
Prices: $33-45
Learn more about INTER_ here.
Where: 415 Broadway
18. Ghost Stories: A Mysterious, Macabre Interactive Tour
Open now
Happening on select weekends is a Ghost Stories tour, an interactive tour of all things frightful in the Metropolitan Museum of Art! Get ready to travel across time and cultures to see things like Flying Dutchmen and funerary masks, still life art and sculptures from Egypt, Europe, and beyond. Plus, you’ll even hear some ghoulish stories about the museum itself… Do you have what it takes to make it through the Ghost Stories tour?
Price: $47.50
š« Buy tickets to the Ghost Stories tour here!
Where: The Met (1000 5th Avenue)
19. The FRIENDSā¢ Experience
Open now
Recreating a TV set is one of the most immersive and artistic experiences you can get, especially if it’s for a classic 90s sitcom. At the FRIENDSā¢ Experience, it’s your turn to fantasize about being among Monica, Rachel, Chandler, and the whole crew. In this experience, every detail is recreated to perfection and you’re even able to view some of the original props from the show! This revamped and iconic TV set is the perfect place for a FRIENDS fanatic.
šļø Buy tickets to the FRIENDSā¢ Experience here!
Price: $41.50
Where: 130 E 23rd St
20. RiseNY
Open now
Are you ready to fall in love with New York City all over again? RiseNY is a 3 part art exhibit, museum, and ride that will take you through the history of the Big Apple. Starting with a short documentary by award-winning director Ric Burns about Times Square’s influence on the city, you’ll move into a variety of art exhibits about NYC’s pop culture and arts scene throughout history. Everything from the Notorious B.I.G‘s tracksuit to a Beatles drumhead is housed here. Finally, hop into a soaring immersive ride that will fly you over the iconic skyline. This breath-taking and surreal experience will surely leave you speechless!
Prices: $25-$43
šļø Purchase tickets to RISE NY here!
Where: 160 W 45th St