Like it or not, winter is coming.
While hibernating indoors seems like the obvious choice, New Yorkers are planning to spend their time more meaningfully. (No, Netflix — we’re not still watching.) Instead of succumbing to the cold, New Yorkers are zipping up their black puffer coats and making the most out of the conditions.
Spoiler: they’re still indoors. According to a recent Secret NYC poll, the overwhelming activity of choice for the winter is heading to a museum. 46% of participants are planning on exhibit hopping, compared to a measley 19% who are bound for book bars and the respective 18% who are planning on indulging in movies and hitting the gym.
According to the experts, there are a few reasons why the interest in exhibitions and galleries is in its peak.
“As life feels increasingly stressful and unpredictable, I think people are drawn to experiences that make them feel grounded and connected,” says Digdem Serter, Director of Visitor Services at Brooklyn Museum. “Museums and galleries meet that need as vital spaces for both personal reflection and shared community.”
With its newly added, record-breaking Monet exhibit, Brooklyn Museum is certainly fulfilling that mission. (FYI, “Monet and Venice” is the state’s largest exhibit on the artist in a quarter century — plus it features his underrated work that has often gone unnoticed.)
“Speaking from the Museum’s perspective, while our methods and approaches to exhibition have continually evolved — such as adding more immersive environments, interactive technology, and hands-on experiences — the Museum has remained consistently focused on engaging visitors in the latest scientific understanding of the natural world and universe around us,” says Sarah Gronich, a media relations coordinator at the American Museum of Natural History.
Even with the most extensive experiences, we all return to AMNH for the same reason: dinosaurs. The attraction’s latest exhibit, which opens to the public on November 17th, “Impact: The End of Age of Dinosaurs” takes visitors back in time 66 million years to learn about the extinction of the larger-than-life species.
From science and art to philosophy and pop culture — and everything in between — there is no shortage of areas to explore. Stop by our favorite exhibits and galleries, as well as NYC’s most underrated museums, for a cozy winter day well spent.