You needn’t confine yourself to the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn in NYC to satiate your artistic desires, because the whole state has art in its blood.
Of course, the new MOMA in NYC is an absolute must-visit for art lovers in town, but a whole other world of vibrant art and colour exists outside the Big Apple too. And all are easily accessible from the city.
Here are just a handful of arty experiences you can have in upstate New York and Long Island during your next visit to the greatest city on the planet…
Beacon – Dia Beacon
Dia Beacon, Beacon, NY
Housing an impressive collection of art dated from the 60s to the present, the Dia Beacon museum in upstate New York is a must-visit for any art buff.
Opened since 2003, this former box-printing factory not only houses multiple large-scale installations from the likes of Andy Warhol, Dan Flavin and Richard Serra, but the building itself is a work of art. In fact, it was the Dia Beacon that pioneered the conversion of industrial buildings into contemporary art spaces.
Getting to Dia Beacon is easy-peasy: just take the direct train from Grand Central Station in NYC to the Metro-North train station in Beacon. The gallery is a five-minute walk from here.
Long Island – Jackson Pollock Home
Visit the former home of Jackson Pollock and get an insight into the mind of this iconic American painter. Check out his former studio where he created some of his finest abstract expressionist work in fits of creative spontaneity.
Or just wander around this modest home built in the typical late 19th-century farmer’s style and still furnished the way it was left when Pollock’s partner, Lee Krasner, died in 1984.
Located in The Springs, a hamlet four miles north of the village of East Hampton on eastern Long Island, the best way to reach this National Historic Landmark is by car or coach with Hampton Jitney.
Hudson Valley – Storm King Art Center
Walk amongst giant sculptures and site-specific installations in the gorgeous forested and rolling landscapes of the Hudson Valley at the Storm King Art Center, and experience the harmonious interplay of nature and art.
This massive outdoor gallery collects, exhibits and conserves modern and contemporary artworks throughout its 500-acre grounds, including permanent collections by Andy Goldsworthy, Robert Murray and Isaac Witkin.
To get here, board the train to Poughkeepsie or Rhinebeck and then rent a car to explore the surrounding Hudson Valley area.
Buffalo – Street art tour
Go on a street art tour in bustling Buffalo and check out some of the latest and greatest brick-canvassed murals and sculptures all over the city.
Totally insta-worthy, these impressive works of art – which span multiple styles and subjects – have exploded upon the walls across Buffalo, especially in the last few years, injecting new colour and life into the city.
To get here, take a train or catch a flight (multiple departures daily).
Corning – Glass Museum
Corning Glass Museum, Finger Lakes NY
At the Corning Museum of Glass in the Finger Lakes Wine Country region of New York State, it’s not just about glass art. Spread out through the complex are wings dedicated to the history of the art form, its scientific basis, glass innovations throughout the years and the world’s largest hot glass demonstrations space.
It’s a fantastic way to spend the day, and you’ll definitely be leaving the place with a whole new understanding of glass! The Corning Museum of Glass is open every day of the week and can be reached by bus to Ithaca and then renting a car to explore the surrounding region.
Learn more about the experiences you can have in Upstate NY and Long Island by visiting https://www.iloveny.com/things-to-do/museums/art/.
