Two weeks ago Helga and I went to The Drawing Center in SoHo. Located on Mercer Street, this…read moregallery has exhibits year round. We were here to see the artwork by a Roma artist who had been incarcerated at both Auschwitz and Ravensbruck. Ceija Stojka's "Making Visible" exhibit was painful to view. She had painted a few growing up with caravans and horses and a pleasant life. Then the paintings of being in a concentration camp were dark and ominous. Each painting had a tiny red swastika and some with dark skeletal figures were brooding. This artist started painting years after her release and was not famous during her lifetime. Anna and Valerie work at the Drawing Center and were able to give us answers to our questions. An artist had seen her paintings and chose to exhibit them. A talk about the paintings was also going to be held.

I visited the Drawing Center this past weekend to see their current exhibit, Ceija Stojka: Making…read moreVisible. It functions as a gallery, with a few connected rooms. It's definitely on the smaller side, but it's large enough to house some pretty comprehensive exhibits. Although they focus on drawings, the exhibits aren't so limited - and you might find some work that surprises you. The facility is modern and bright and has a small gift shop where you enter. It's free to visit, so there's no need to stop by the desk where the employees sit. It would still be nice to be welcomed when you come in, but the service wasn't very welcoming or friendly (even when I made a purchase at the gift shop at the end of our visit). The exhibit we saw was incredible. I highly recommend visiting if there's an exhibit that interests you. I'll be back for another exhibit in the future, I'm sure.

I visited Di Donna last Saturday to see their current exhibit and was blown away. So what is it? Di…read moreDonna Galleries specializes in museum-quality exhibitions and sales of European and American art from 1900 to 1970, with an emphasis on surrealism. They were founded in 2010 and moved into their current space on Madison Avenue at East 64th in 2016. (Love to visit art museums when you visit NYC? Don't sleep on the city's art galleries. Because Di Donna's exhibits are as museum-quality as they promise on their website.) Here's how it works. It's free to visit. (FYI they are closed on Sundays.) You'll walk up to a white door on Madison Avenue (it's marked to let you know you're in the right place) and press a call button. Then you'll be let into a hallway and you'll walk down it to the elevator which you take to Di Donna's floor. Then you walk into a small but intimate and modern gallery space (about three separate gallery rooms). It's free to visit, and there were a few staff members at a desk to answer questions and selling an exhibition catalogue. The exhibit I saw on Saturday (which closes on June 13, 2026) was Dalí: The Great Years. The exhibit was great. Many of the pieces were on loan from the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. Since I've never been there, I probably hadn't seen any of them before unless they'd been loaned out for other exhibits I saw in the past. The exhibit was well-organized (it is chronological so it was easy to know where to start, where to go next, and where to finish) and had helpful information to read while exploring the galleries. I had a great time at Di Donna, and I've already signed up for their email list so I'll know when their next great exhibit opens!

Sandwiched between two ultra high-end retailers (Loro Piana & maybe Tom Ford?), the space was small…read morebut well-done. They did an amazing job of pulling together a collection of Dali's from private collections and museums, to showcase some truly striking works that you likely would not see anywhere else. Bravo.

Small, wonderful gallery representing the LGBTQ community. I spent about 30 minutes here, but…read morereally enjoyed each piece. The staff were SUPER friendly, and it's free (though I donated the suggested donation of 10 dollars). I'm excited to read the (full length) magazine they provide. Pieces presented are colorful, stimulating, thought provoking, and controversial. Close to several SoHo galleries, most of which are free, so you can make a full day of this area.

The Leslie-Lohman Museum was a pleasant stop in Soho! The museum features two galleries with…read morerotating exhibits. The museum is free, but a $10 donation is encouraged. The museum kind of blends in with its surroundings - no sizable signs to make it stand out. But it's easy to find! The museum is on the smaller side but upon my visit in July 2025 featured two lovely exhibits that featured a variety of mediums - sculpture, video, painting, photography. There is a nice, clean gender-neutral bathroom. There appeared to be a few books for sale behind the check-in counter, but there is so gift shop. I would stop in again if I had the time, but I don't think this needs to be a necessity stop for someone just visiting NYC on a short trip.

I visited the American Folk Art Museum for the first time last Sunday before an opera at the Met…read more The museum is teeny tiny but had an interesting exhibit when we visited: "Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artists" (open through September 13, 2026). The museum's unique focus on folk art makes it interesting to visit despite its size. It's free to visit, so I recommend it for a quick visit if you're already in the neighborhood (Lincoln Center is right across the street), but I wouldn't go out of my way to visit unless they have an exhibit you're very interested in. There is a great little gift shop; since the museum is so small, you can't miss it but save a few minutes to explore it, too.

This was my first time going & with a friend as this was planned for my birth…read moremonth(April).Apparently there's construction going on so it was kinda hard to find it even with Google maps.It's free entry & surprisingly 1 floor to look around.It took me & my friend 1 hr to look at the art.Also my friend knows 1 of the artist that has his 2 pieces of his art.I'll go back again with another friend as he couldn't make it & maybe I'll buy something from the shop on the next trip.

Earlier today I saw one of the artists I follow on IG was having a solo showing at a gallery close…read moreby. Was suprised to find no listing on yelp for the place...maybe it just opened? Figured I would brave the cold and walk the dozen blocks. Arrived and waited outside of a locked door with a few others for about five minutes. Place was small and crowded. Had a bar in the back that seemed to only sell small cans of yuengling? or something similar. I definitely was not expecting a Manhattan gallery so not dissapointed but others may be. Will say I respect the place for not being put off at hosting a talented graffiti artist opposed to strictly "street" artist. Enjoyed what the artist (mutz a.k.a. moody) was doing and met a few cool people so I'll give 4 stars instead of three. Hope they host more Graff artists.

The building is in a very unassuming location on a residential street. I attended a multi arts show…read morein the space, it is a nice multi purpose venue. The acoustics in the back room are really great considering how small it is. The bathrooms are really small and don't have properly locking doors which was a con for me considering they open into the main area. The ceilings are high enough for stage lighting which was being used while I was there. There is alslots of on the street parking on the block.

I'm surprised I'd never heard of this place prior to getting an ad on social media for a Keith…read moreHaring retrospective. First off, it's an impressive and imposing building, a former ConEd electrical substation so you've got a sturdy building with high clearances. Then you take on the fact that Walter De Maria (whose installations are still on view elsewhere in the city) used this building as his home and studio, and as a De Maria fan that's worthy of note. So whatever art is on, you have a unique setting. As for the art, there are 4 viewable galleries (shop at the ground floor), and the top floors have windows that give great views of the city. (An elevator will take you between floors so it is accessible though stairs are available too.) As mentioned, there was a Haring show happening when I visited. I wasn't terribly sure about the $20 price, unable to discern if it was going to be more like a gallery than a museum exhibition. But it was a museum-quality show and it took me about 45 minutes to make it through. The setting worked especially well for Haring - some of the art on show was subway chalk drawings he had made, and when they were paired with the brick backing of the room it looked authentic to the subway station where he created the work originally. Well worth the money. For this show at least there was a timed admission but it was not crowded and despite the respectable attendance you can still have an intimate experience.

I visited the Brant Foundation last Sunday to see their current exhibit on Keith Haring (which…read morecloses on May 31). It was my first visit, and I was really blown away by the space. It kind of falls somewhere between a gallery and a museum - their full name is "The Brant Foundation Art Study Center" - so what exactly are you in for? It's an exhibition space - no permanent collection - so they are open for exhibits and closed while the next exhibit is being installed. And it has a hefty admission price (I paid $20 for my admission to the Keith Haring exhibit). But if there's an exhibit you're interested in, there's nothing like the Brant. The space is incredible. The Brant is located in a former Consolidated Edison substation, so it has 7,000 square feet of space that looks industrial and loft-like, yet has incredible ceiling height and light. They also have two adjacent gardens. It's one of the most incredible spaces I've seen an art exhibit. On top of that, the exhibit was incredible. By scanning a QR code, you could pull up each of the pieces in the exhibit by floor of the Brant and read about them. As almost all of Keith Haring's work was untitled, I do wish they had included more context and information about the works included, but I was still floored by the exhibit and the works they were able to put together for the show. When I was shopping in their gift shop before leaving, I realized just how many incredible exhibits they've put on in their history. As soon as I got home, I signed up for their email newsletter so I don't miss their next great exhibit.

Halcyon was one of our best finds yet. This beautiful gallery had the most unique artwork. Sounds…read moreof Liberty, by Dominic Harris showed a digital art piece of moving butterflies. The butterflies formed the American flag. Each butterfly was painted by hand. The incredible part of the work was to touch one of the butterflies and it flew to another resting spot on the piece of art. Fantastic! The artist loves butterflies so that image will appear in much of his work. Carla, art consultant who spoke with us was knowledgeable and pleasant. The other room featured a collection of Andy Warhol pieces. Go see this gallery if you're in the area.

Went to The Center for Jewish History for The Anne Frank the exhibition & truly enjoyed my…read moreexperience. Very touching & immersive. Because of the audio guide & the powerful narrative i felt up close & personal with the holocaust history. The center is very organised, the staff friendly and welcoming. No big bags, coat & photos during the exhibit. They have a coat check, clean bathroom & nice shop in front that sell books & souvenirs.

Went to see the Anne Frank exhibit during Free Fridays,…read moreuntil 8/29. Pls see their website for details. I lined up around 2pm and was early enough since doors opened at 2:45p. I suggest having more signage bec the timed-ticketholders were lining up as well. Another visitor was kind enough to direct them inside. A sign about free access was set up but around 2:15p, then an employee went along the line and instructed us to get timed tickets via a QR code. Only 1person needs to be on the line to obtain tickets; up to 4 pp. Some visitors were allowed to sit inside if unable to stand for long periods. We entered in batches by ticket-time. The exhibit is on the 2nd Fl, along a path, which was winding and narrow at times. Got a handheld device for the self-guided audio tour - hover near numbered/" i " buttons and hear info about that area. It did get crowded since visitors were standing around to finish the audio and see photos/videos/items. This exhibit is so informative and emotive so I took my time, anyway can go through at own pace. For me, 1 1/2 hours. No photography allowed. Elevator and Restrooms available. 14th St subway station stops - F/M on 6th ave, Union Square.