New York City is home to hundreds of cultural institutions and historic sites, many of which are internationally known. This list contains the most famous or well-regarded organizations, based on their mission.
Museums
Also included are non-profit art galleries, arts centers and cultural centers with galleries.
- See List of museums in New York City for a complete sortable list in alphabetical order.
- See List of museums in New York for museums in the rest of New York state.
Encyclopedic
Region and tradition
African and African American
Asian and Asian American
Indigenous and African Caribbean in Latin America
European Jewish and Jewish American
Western by era
Traditional European art
Modern art
Other Western and Native American
Artistic medium
Books, drawings, illustrations, prints
Photography, film, new media
Sculpture
Design, decorative arts, architecture
Entertainment
Performing arts
Amusements
Science
History
American history, local history, historic monuments
Military, police, fire
Transportation and maritime
Financial
Historic houses
Children's
Contemporary spaces
Contemporary museums
Contemporary galleries
Neighborhood art centers
Miscellaneous
Defunct museums
- American Museum of Immigration, Liberty Island
- Barnum's American Museum, Manhattan
- Chelsea Art Museum, Manhattan, closed in 2011
- Children's Museum of the Arts, closed in 2022 and declared bankruptcy in 2024.
- Con Edison Energy Museum, Manhattan
- Choco-Story New York, 2017-2019
- Discovery Times Square Exposition, closed in 2016
- Fisher Landau Center, Long Island City, closed in 2017
- Forbes Galleries, closed in 2014
- Ground Zero Museum Workshop, history of the September 11 attacks and the workers at the World Trade Center site. Status unknown after 2014
- Guggenheim Soho, Manhattan
- Kurdish Library and Museum, Brooklyn, collections now owned by Binghamton University
- Met Breuer, building turned over to the Frick for temporary use.
- MICRO Museum, Brooklyn, closed exhibit space
- Morbid Anatomy Museum, Brooklyn, closed in 2016
- Museum of the American Piano, Manhattan, website
- Museum of Biblical Art, closed in 2015
- Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, closed in 2012, collections now part of the Society of Illustrators
- Museum of Primitive Art, closed in 1976, collections now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
- National Museum of Catholic Art and History, closed in 2010
- New York Jazz Museum, Manhattan
- New York Tattoo Museum
- Onassis Cultural Center
- Ripley's Believe It or Not!, Manhattan, closed in 2021.
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex, opened in Soho in 2008, closed in 2010
- Sony Wonder Technology Lab, closed in 2016
- Sports Museum of America, Manhattan, opened in 2008, closed in 2009
- 9/11 Tribute Museum, Manhattan, opened in 2006. Closed its physical location in 2022.
Proposed museums
- Climate Museum
- Museum of Food and Drink
- Museum of the Street
Zoos and gardens
- Bronx Zoo
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden
- Central Park Zoo
- Community gardens in New York City
- Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
- New York Aquarium
- New York Botanical Garden
- Prospect Park Zoo
- Queens Botanical Garden
- Queen Elizabeth II September 11th Garden (formerly the British Garden)
- Queens Zoo
- Queens County Farm Museum
- Staten Island Botanical Garden
- The New York Chinese Scholar's Garden
- Staten Island Zoo
- Wave Hill
Performing arts
Lincoln Center
- Alice Tully Hall
- David Geffen Hall, formerly known as Avery Fisher Hall, home of the New York Philharmonic
- David H. Koch Theater, formerly known as the New York State Theater, home to New York City Ballet
- Film Society of Lincoln Center
- Jazz at Lincoln Center
- The Juilliard School
- Metropolitan Opera
- New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
- Vivian Beaumont Theater
Music
- Bargemusic
- Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra
- Carnegie Hall
- City Parks Foundation
- Kaufman Music Center
- Manhattan School of Music
- Mannes College of Music
- New York City Opera
- The New York Pops
- Symphony Space
Theaters
- 92nd Street Y
- Apollo Theater
- The Billie Holiday Theatre
- Brooklyn Academy of Music
- Bowery Ballroom
- Film Forum
- Hammerstein Ballroom
- La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
- New York City Center
- The Public Theater
- Radio City Music Hall
- Roundabout Theatre Company
- Samuel J. Friedman Theatre - formerly the Biltmore Theatre
- Skirball Center for the Performing Arts
- Snug Harbor Cultural Center
- The Town Hall
- Williamsburg Art & Historical Center
Historically significant sites
Historic House Trust
Most of the following are Registered Historic Places covered in the county lists.
National Parks of New York Harbor
Despite its name, National Parks of New York Harbor does not oversee any national parks proper.
- African Burial Ground National Monument
- Castle Clinton National Monument
- Federal Hall National Memorial
- Fort Wadsworth
- General Grant National Memorial
- Governors Island/Governors Island National Monument
- Hamilton Grange National Memorial
- Statue of Liberty National Monument (including Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty)
- Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
World Trade Center site
- International Freedom Center
- National September 11 Memorial & Museum
- Tribute in Light
Other historic sites
- Brooklyn Navy Yard, building 92
- Fort Schuyler
- Lower East Side Tenement Museum
- Irish Hunger Memorial
- Trinity Churchyard
- Weeksville Heritage Center
Libraries
- Biblioteca Instituto Cervantes
- Brooklyn Public Library
- Central Library
- List of Brooklyn Public Library branches
- Columbia University Libraries
- Arthur W. Diamond Law Library
- Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
- Butler Library
- C.V. Starr East Asian Library
- Gottesman Libraries
- Rare Book & Manuscript Library
- Cloisters Library and Archives
- Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum
- Dag Hammarskjöld Library
- Elmer Holmes Bobst Library at New York University
- Frick Art Reference Library
- The Morgan Library & Museum
- New York Public Library
- Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library
- Bronx Library Center
- New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
- New York Public Library Main Branch
- Science, Industry and Business Library
- Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
- List of New York Public Library branches
- New York Academy of Medicine Library
- New York Society Library
- Poets House
- Queens Public Library
- List of Queens Public Library branches
- Shevchenko Scientific Society
See also
- Cultural Institutions Group
- List of museums in New York
- List of university art museums and galleries in New York State
- Museum Mile, New York City
- Tourist attractions in New York City
References
External links
- Media related to Libraries in New York City at Wikimedia Commons
- Media related to Museums in New York City at Wikimedia Commons
- Media related to Parks in New York City at Wikimedia Commons
- Media related to Theaters in New York City at Wikimedia Commons
- Directory of Special Libraries and Information Centers (Gale)
