When I visited the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, I was disappointed not to find one of the paintings I most wanted to see there: The Starry Night. I didn’t know that the famous painting was actually on another continent, in the Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA, in New York. The opportunity to appreciate this work only came months later, during my trip to the United States.
And this was not the only important painting displayed on the museum walls. MoMA has six floors of the best in modern and contemporary art, with more than 135,000 works in its permanent exhibition, in addition to a busy schedule of temporary exhibitions.
This is considered the largest collection of its kind in the world. Among the artists who gained space there are names that are not modest, such as Pollock, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Rodin, Mondrian, Salvador Dalí and Monet, as well as pop artist Andy Warhol. The works range from paintings to photographs, sculptures and a really cool design exhibition.
MoMA undergoes constant renovations and expansions to better accommodate its collection. Today, the place has large empty spaces between the works. This means that there is a shoe sole to walk around the museum’s 58,000 m². There’s no point in even trying: you won’t be able to see everything in just one day’s visit.
Therefore, the best way to enjoy your visit is to plan it in advance and get straight to what interests you. Of course, giving a chance to the works you discover by chance along the way. To help with this task, MoMA offers daily Gallery Talks, a type of lecture with educators who talk about the importance and historical context of modern and contemporary art. Gallery Talks are free and take place every day in the second floor lobby, at 11:30 am and 1 pm.
Did you miss your appointment? Don’t worry, you can still get an audio guide and choose one (or more) tours available on the accessory. Among them, tours of the special exhibitions, the permanent collection, for children or one with visual descriptions of the work, designed for the blind. With the exception of the first, which is only available in English, the other audio-guide tours are narrated in Portuguese. The guides are free, but you need to leave an identity document at reception (I suggest bringing an ID so you don’t have to leave your passport).
If you prefer, you can download the museum app, which helps you stay up to date with current exhibitions, build your own collections, plan your visit or take one of the multimedia tours. Inside, you will also find a great restaurant, an area aimed at children and a little shop that is also an interesting part of the visit, as it sells lots of cool souvenirs, incredible books and decorative pieces.
MoMA: how to visit
MoMA is located on 53rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenue, close to Rockefeller Center and south of Central Park. You can walk to the MET, but it’s about 30 blocks away. The museum is open every day, except Tuesday, from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm. On Fridays, it runs until later and, between 4pm and 8pm, entry is free. If you want to take advantage of this time, it’s a good idea to arrive early as the queues can get ugly.
The entry fee is $25. Children under 16 are free and students pay half price. There is also a discount for over 65s. MoMA admission is also available on several city attraction passes. If you are thinking about purchasing one, it pays to find out beforehand to see if this is the case.
Attention: It is not a good idea to travel to the United States without international health insurance, as hospital costs there are very high. Read here how to find cost-effective insurance.
