MoMA PS1

This excellent museum in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens is one of the largest institutions in the United States that’s dedicated exclusively to contemporary art.

Founded in 1971, MoMA PS1 showcases the thought-provoking work of contemporary artists from around the world. The collection covers a broad range of forms, including prints, paintings, mixed media, sound art installations and more.

Previous landmark exhibitions in the gallery include 1981’s New York/New Wave, which documented the synergy between NYC’s downtown art and music scenes and featured music, graffiti art and poetry. Groundbreaking 2008 exhibition Wack! Art and the Feminist Revolution explored the legacy of art influenced by feminism through an equally broad range of media, such as sculpture, photography, painting and performance, and featured over 100 artists from 21 countries.

As you wander through the museum’s many exhibitions, be sure to look out for its long-term installations – some are more subtle than others, and many have been on display here since the 1970s. Meeting is part of artist James Turrell’s celebrated Skyspaces series and invites participants to step into a cuboid room and gaze skywards through a rectangular opening in the ceiling. At the other end of the spectrum, downstairs in the dimly lit boiler room is where you’ll find Sol LeWitt’s thought-provoking Crayola Square.

Drop by Mina’s restaurant for all-day dining Mediterranean style: think Greek mezze, craft beers and great coffee. The museum bookstore stocks head chef Mina Stone’s cookbook alongside a fine selection of books on art, design, architecture, photography and more.