Photo: The Jewish Museum New York, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Containing artifacts spanning 4,000 years of art and Jewish culture, with a collection of 26,000 objects – paintings, sculpture, works on paper, photographs, archaeological artifacts, ceremonial objects and broadcast media. The museum also hosts the annual SummerNights concert series and the annual New York Jewish Film Festival.
The Jewish Museum is an art museum housed at 1109 Fifth Avenue, in the Felix M. Warburg House, along the Museum Mile on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City. The museum holds a collection of approximately 30,000 objects, including religious artifacts, fine art, and media, making it one of the largest museums dedicated to the Jewish culture worldwide. The museum is known for its expansive cultural and historical scope, staging art exhibitions that center "Jewish heritage and viewpoints while appealing to broader audiences".
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A branch of the Smithsonian Institution, the Cooper Hewitt is devoted to over 240 years of contemporary and historic design, with changing exhibits.
Probably the most famous of the Guggenheim foundations (others found in Bilbao and Venice), which hold avant-garde modern art by artists such as Kandinsky and Mondrian, the New York branch is housed in a unique and famous building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and rendered in a rounded, organic form and completed in 1959. Be sure to take the elevator to the top floor, then follow the spiral viewing floors downwards to the street level. One of eight buildings by Wright to be listed as a world heritage site.
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A full season of concerts, lectures, and other events takes place here. The Y's Kaufmann Concert Hall is one of the premiere concert halls in the city, and its lecture and concert series feature many well-known groups and individuals. Some fans particularly recommend the chamber music concerts featuring members of the New York Philharmonic. The Y also offers classes in various subjects through art, culture, and entertainment. Judaism is also a major part of the community here as well, being a Jewish-based organization with a variety of classes based on religion.
Museum for German and Austrian Art
A vast collection of early-20th century Austrian and German art and design, including famous artists such as Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh alongside less well-known, equally fascinating designers and artists. They host a German-language film series, which is a good value if you can get tickets. Due to the unprotected display of many fragile items, children under the age of 12 are not permitted in the museum except during special family events, though they are allowed to go in the café and the museum store.
Yet another unique but rich treat on 5th Avenue, the AIHS is a non-profit organization that educates visitors on Irish American culture and history. Immersive and traditional events are held often along with exhibits showcasing the array of unique art and music. If performing and visual arts aren't your thing, you can visit the library instead with over 10,000 books, newsletters, newspapers, and pieces of literature dating back to the 1700s that feature a wide variety of otherwise unknown topics that are great for anyone interested in European culture and history.
The Ukrainian Institute has a plethora of history on the culture-ridden Eastern European country of Ukraine, promoting the variety of art, music, and literature from the past centuries. In fact, you can not only be educated on but learn the Ukrainian language here. Art exhibits, concerts, films, lectures, literature readings, poetry, and even educational programs for both adults and children all contribute to the education of this fascinating yet too often forgotten culture.