The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) is impossible to miss if you are around the Columbus Circle, thanks to its magnificent façade composed of fritted glass and glazed terracotta tiles. Housed in the Jerome and Simona Chazen Building, the museum is spread across a staggering 54,000 sq. ft. and celebrates the different ways in which artists, artisans, and designers reimagine and reinvent the world we know.
MAD offers an innovative, inspirational, and educational environment to contemplate the evolution of art, craft, and design materials and techniques, interact with the creators, and learn from them.
Background on the Museum of Arts and Design
Incepted in 1956 by Aileen Osborn Webb, a visionary and philanthropist, the Museum of Arts and Design originally aimed to recognize and advocate the genius and workmanship of modern American artists. It challenged artistic hierarchies from 1963 to 1987 by hosting dynamic exhibitions that highlighted evolving social trends, everyday materials, and popular culture. Since 2008, the museum has rapidly expanded and grown its interdisciplinary collections to emerge as one of the top Manhattan attractions today.
Over the decades, it changed addresses multiple times and finally found its perfect abode in the Jerome and Simona Chazen Building to present enthusiasts with a heady mix of exhibitions, events, and educational programs.
Where is the Museum of Arts and Design, and how do you get there?
Situated on 2 Columbus Circle, the Museum of Arts and Design is right in the heart of Manhattan. Bus lines leading to Columbus Circle at 57th Street and 8th Avenue or 59th Street include M104, M30, M5, M7, M10, and M20.
If you are travelling by train, take the A, B, C, D or No. 1 trains to Columbus Circle at 59th Street, F to 57th Street and 6th Avenue, or N, R, Q or W trains to 57th Street and 7th Avenue. You can easily drive to the museum from the Lincoln Tunnel, George Washington Bridge, Queens Midtown Tunnel, or Queensboro Bridge. Park your car at Time Warner Center’s Central Parking (345 W 58th and between 8th and 9th).
What to expect when you visit the Museum of Arts and Design?
Immerse yourself in MAD’s permanent collection of diverse artworks, sculptures and designs dating back to 1950. Lose yourself in an astounding array of materials and processes (both traditional and cutting-edge) used by experts in architecture, interior design, fashion, and other art-powered industries. Don’t forget to visit the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Jewelry Gallery for a sparkling rendezvous with studio and art jewelry as well. The Museum of Arts and Design is the only one of its kind in America to have such a gallery.
You can also attend workshops, masterclasses, seminars, lectures, symposiums, performances, and films in one of the studios, classrooms, or in the 144-seat auditorium. You may watch artists working on their projects up close, learn about their creative process, and understand how their compelling works drive cultural transformation. The Artist Studios at MAD is a unique residency program that allows you to converse with creative minds and receive a once-in-a-lifetime education.
What else can you do when you visit?
Once you have had your artistic fill, step into Robert, the modern American restaurant atop the Museum of Arts and Design. Try scrumptious dishes from Chef Armando Cortes’s menu while enjoying the unforgettable views of Columbus Circle and Central Park. You might catch a live music event or a gorgeous sunset. At the museum’s retail arm, The Store, shop for exclusive jewelry, glassworks, fashion accessories, stationery, and organic toys. After you bid adieu to MAD, explore the verdant expanses of Central Park on a bike or scooter.
Get your tickets to visit the Museum of Arts and Design.
The Museum of Arts and Design offers people of all ages the rare opportunity to study the journey of contemporary art, craft, and design for over 70 years and also engage with brilliant artists who are shaping everyday products and life in a whole new way. You can visit the museum on any day of the week except Monday and anytime between 10 am and 6 pm.
FAQs
Is the Museum of Arts and Design accessible to all?
Yes, the museum is completely accessible with wheelchairs and elevators. Other facilities include gender-inclusive restrooms, captioned interpretive videos, assisted listening devices, and the MAD Mobile Guide.
Does the Museum of Arts and Design rent out spaces for special events?
MAD offers its seventh floor for dinners, press events, presentations, and cocktail parties. The media room can be booked for seminars, conferences, private screenings, rehearsals, and performances. The Barbara Tober Grand Atrium can accommodate 110 people for cocktails.
Is photography permitted inside the Museum of Arts and Design?
Non-flash photography is allowed everywhere unless an artist doesn’t want the pictures of their work to be disclosed outside the museum. However, tripods or videos are not permitted.
Close to bike-friendly Central Park and boasting breathtaking views from the top floor, the Museum of Arts and Design offers an exclusive insight into how materials and techniques related to art and craft have been innovatively used over the years to complement a fast-changing way of life. You will learn about the process first-hand from artists besides participating in educational and transformative events. And to support their creative talents, you can always shop from The Store.