Museum of Modern Art

After a 2-year renovation completed in 2004, MoMA grew to almost twice the size of the original. The renovation, designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, highlights space and light, with open rooms, high ceilings, and gardens—a beautiful work of architecture and a perfect complement to the art within. This is where you’ll find van Gogh’s Starry Night, Cezanne’s Bather, Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, and the great sculpture by Rodin, Monument to Balzac. Whenever I visit, I like to browse the fun “Architecture and Design” department, with examples of design for appliances, furniture, and even sports cars. MoMA also features edgy new exhibits and a celebrated film series that attracts serious cinephiles. But the heart of the museum remains the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden, which has been enlarged; the museum’s new design affords additional views of this lovely space from other parts of the museum. And MoMA has installed a museumwide Wi-Fi network so that visitors can access a mobile website on handheld devices with HTML browsers (such as Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch). They can then load up audio tours and commentary; content is available in eight languages as well as in specialized versions for children, teenagers, and the visually impaired. MoMA is one of the most expensive museums in New York, but it does have a “free” day: Fridays from 4 to 8pm. Don’t miss its gift shop, either. It has a good range of posters from its collection for starters. Can’t afford to buy the real van Gogh Starry Night? Get the poster here. MoMA has a blog called “Inside/Out," which is a joint effort with its hip affiliate, P.S.1: www.moma.org/explore/inside_out.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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