Hi friends, welcome back! The Whitney Museum of American Art has been on my list for quite a few years, and Jon and I finally got around to checking it out. We are not big art connoisseurs, so we really had no idea what to expect of this museum that showcases 20th and 21st century American Art. The museum is open Wednesday through Monday, and free Fridays from 5-10pm and the second Sunday of every month. Tickets cost $30 for adults, but I was able to snag two free tickets from my library.
The Whitney Museum was founded by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (her parents owned The Breakers Mansion in Newport) in 1930. Besides being an heiress, she was also an accomplished sculptor and art collector. She opened the Whitney Studio and Whitney Studio Club to showcase her artwork as well as pieces from other up and coming artists. The studios had success and Gertrude offered the Metropolitan Museum of Art over 500 pieces of American art and the funds to create wing to showcase the works, but they declined so she created her own museum in Greenwich Village.
The museum’s collection grew so it eventually relocated to 945 Madison Avenue on the Upper East Side (you may recognize this building from my Madison Avenue Walking Tour). It was in this iconic building from 1966-2014 until it outgrew that space too.  Currently the Whitney is in a new building in the Meatpacking District space with 50,000 square feet.
The Whitney has over 20,000 pieces in their permanent collection and has displays on six floors. It also has a few outdoor terraces with incredible views of the city and Hudson River. Jon and I visited on a gloomy day, but we still enjoyed the views.
We probably should’ve listened to an audio guide online, but we just moseyed around. Some things we just couldn’t figure out how it made its way into the museum.
Other pieces we wouldn’t mind having in our apartment.
I did appreciate how open the galleries were and it didn’t feel too crowded considering the weather.
I really appreciated the sweet treats in the café. On the ground floor there is also a French bakery that would be a perfect spot to visit after touring the museum.
At the end of our time here we were glad we went, but equally glad we got free tickets. To be fair we are not fans of modern art and had the same type of reaction after visiting the MoMa. If you like modern art you’d definitely enjoy visiting The Whitney, but if not I’d stick to visiting the Met. What do you think of this museum?
Visiting the Whitney Museum of American Art has been on my wish list for a while – there’s just something alluring about places where the paintings, sculptures, photos and other modern artistic works cover nearly every square inch of the gallery. I love the views from the museum and the sleek modern design of the building and I would love to see the structure at night with its well-lit glass outline reflected in the Hudson River. Thanks for the tour and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
It is a neat place to wander around, they did a great job displaying everything. The views are pretty spectacular, even on a gross day. It seems the design of the building is a work of art too, not detail there was left out.
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First time I have heard of this place Lyssy. I am the same about art. Taking the guide can be good if it highlights the important pieces and you are on a tight timeline. But, otherwise, I do not care what the artist had for breakfast or what his mood was. I like to look at a piece and decide if I like it or not. Great views from the museum even on a rainy day. Happy Monday Lyssy. Allan
They also had films like of someone collecting branches near water, I just don’t get how that is art that belongs in a museum. I prefer the Marie Kondo method of if a painting or sculpture sparks joy. It did have great views there even on a gross day.
A great spot to spend rainy afternoon. I’m not very knowledgeable about art either, but like to see good collections. Maggie
It was a great way to spend an afternoon, I like when museums aren’t too big and you can see everything in a few hours. I like people watching at museums too, always an interesting mix to see 🙂
I wouldn’t say I was a lover of Modern Art but I’m always curious about the creative processes behind any work. I revisited the Whitney in 2022 and much enjoyed its new space. I often wonder what I’d collect given unlimited resources?
It is interesting to see how people express their creativity, I was never good at art class. The new space is great. That’s a great question, I’d say I’d collect ornaments when I visit all the fancy hotels you post about around the world.
Brill response!
I am the same way with modern art museums… It looks interesting and it sounds like a really large museum but I tend to like more classical or impressionist style paintings and sculptures.
I agree, the older work seems to have more character.
I don’t often go to museums, but Whitney Museum looks lovely! As it specializes in American art, it reminds me a lot of LACMA here on the West Coast, also dedicated to the great American artists out there. Looks like a wonderful day getting cultured!
It was a nice museum and we’re trying our best to take advantage of being so close to so many museums while we can. I think I’d enjoy visiting the LACMA. It was the perfect way to spend a rainy day!
I know very little about modern art but I do like galleries – we visited the Whitney a few years back and enjoyed the collection – and then could walk back uptown along the High Line. Can’t remember if we paid that much for the ticket….sounds a lot but sure everything has gone up so much….
The location is great and now Little Island is open too. I love walking up and down the High Line, we used to live right near the end of it so we’d walk down to grab dinner. The ticket does seem expensive, I think that’s how much tickets at the Met are but they have apparently 2.2m square feet compared to the Whitney’s 50,000.
I definitely don’t “get” modern art, so I think I’d also try to score free tickets if I were going to visit. I will happily pay for one of those cookies, though!
They had these ham and cheese baguettes that looked even better than the cookies, but we were going to get pizza after so the cookies held us over haha
It’s awesome that you can get free tickets from the library. Looks like it has an impressive collection of art (although modern art isn’t really my thing). And you get to enjoy the views of the city.
It’s a great perk! The free tickets go fast, but you can’t beat the price. It was a nice gallery to walk around, even if the modern art isn’t our thing either. I’ve always been curious about the museum and know I now.
Interesting to look around Lyssy but I tend to agree with you that it’s hard to work out what defines modern art. I simply either like something or not. A good place for a rainy day though especially as the tickets were free.
It is a nice museum and well laid out. I enjoyed people watching just as much as seeing the collections. It made for a great spot to spend a rainy day for sure.
Fascinating collection Lyssy. We invariably end up in museum’s cafes (if there is one) after perusing art collections. I try to approach modern art with a lot of curiosity and an open mind. Though I too usually opt to amble around on my own and rely on my imagination in ‘understanding’ the piece. I do find that doing some reading later on about an artists’ intentions and the meaning behind their work is really interesting.
I don’t really understand art, and I’ve no idea how there are so many art museums and what the criteria are for getting in – maybe I’m just completely ignorant. It looks like a beautiful gallery though 🙂
This looks a really interesting collection, with lots of different styles and types of art on display. The views from the Whitney over the Hudson and the city are lovely (despite the weather!).
Seems like a very interesting museum and I suppose it is also a good reflection of parts of American society and history. I am not the biggest fan of modern art either, but I find it can be fascinating sometimes, though you usually need an explanation about some pieces 🙂 thanks for taking us on this virtual tour!
The Whitney Museum is at the end of the High Line, and every time I’ve passed it I’ve said to myself that I should visit it, and then I forget. Modern art isn’t my favorite either, but it’s a good source of reflection from time to time.
I’m not a fan of modern art for the most part either. I will go to Museums like Tate Modern , but prefer ones that cover a variety of eras or styles.