[mks_dropcap style=”circle” size=”52″ bg_color=”#57992f” txt_color=”#000000″]I[/mks_dropcap]t’s Friday (and thank goodness for that!), but it’s not too late to take part in Museum Week 2016. This international event dates back to 1992, and has grown more and more popular each year. With the help of the hashtags #museumweek and #secretsMW, art and culture aficionados have an even easier time identifying the must-visit spots this year. If you happen to be in New York, you’re in luck. In addition to major museums like the MET, MOMA, Guggenheim, and Museum of Natural History, there are hundreds of smaller museums that get in on the Museum Week action. Here are three smaller (and incredibly unique and engaging) museums in New York City to check out this week.
1.) Noguchi Museum
“The Noguchi Museum” by Shinya Suzuki is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Located in Queens, the Noguchi Museum was founded and designed by the influential Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi. He built it with the intention of displaying what he considered to be the most representative examples of his art and design. Since opening in 1985 (three years before Noguchi’s death), the Noguchi museum has been committed to preserving the work and legacy of this artistic luminary of the 20th century. One of the current exhibitions deals with Noguchi’s contributions to the realm of functional ceramics, and it’s as playful as it is revelatory.
2.) Children’s Museum of the Arts (CMA)
Kuttelvaserova Stuchelova / Shutterstock
If you’re spending the weekend in New York City with kids in tow, head to the CMA. This interdisciplinary, non-profit arts center is geared especially for children, but is sure to captivate adults, too.[mks_pullquote align=”left” width=”300″ size=”24″ bg_color=”#dd9933″ txt_color=”#000000″]The current exhibition, Sew What?, explores contemporary artists working with textiles and fiber.[/mks_pullquote] Some of the artists featured include Louise Bourgeois, Adrian Esparza, Eliza Kentridge, Larissa Mellor, Timothy Paul Myers, Sheila Pepe, Robb Putnam, Alicia Scardetta, Susan Beallor-Snyder, and Nathan Vincent. Visitors can try their hand at textile creation with the interactive weaving wall. The CMA hosts many children’s classes and activities. Check out their events calendar and get in on the fun!
3.) South Street Seaport Museum
“Carved Wooden Soldier” by emilydickinsonridesabmx is licensed under CC BY 2.0
If you’re hankering for a bit of history, step back in time to the 19th century at the South Street Seaport Museum. It holds approximately 30,000 objects related to New York’s history as a port city, and its role in the U.S. economy. These collections are comprised of ship models, paintings, scrimshaw, drawings, prints, photographs, letterpress printing, navigational instruments, and other fascinating objects. The museum also owns 6 ships that date from the late 1800’s. The museum’s informative displays paint a vivid picture of New York City life and commerce in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Did you participate in Museum Week this year? Which museums did you go to and what did you see? Let us know in the comments section!
