Opened in 1931, the Whitney Museum of American Art is perhaps the most important museum dedicated to American art and artists. Its collection encompasses contemporary American art from the 20th and 21st centuries, with a particular emphasis on the work of living artists. More than 3,000 artists have contributed to its permanent collection of more than 21,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, videos, films, and photographs. The show’s biennial exhibit features work created by guest artists, uniquely highlighting recent developments in American art.
What You Should Know About Visiting The Whitney
- Visitors to the Whitney can enjoy free daily tours of the collection and exhibits. Reservations are not required.
- Untitled, a contemporary American restaurant, serves morning coffee and pastries and is open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.
- Studio Cafe serves light meals starting at lunchtime. It has floor-to-ceiling windows and a view of the Manhattan skyline. Outdoor seating is available in the summer.
More about the Whitney Museum of American Art
After the Metropolitan Museum of Art rejected its endowment and collection, sculptor Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney established the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1931 to house the collection of more than 500 works by American artists that he had acquired beginning in 1907. It was considered The leading patron of American art until her death in 1942.
The Whitney is known for his works in Modernism and Social Realism, Precision, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Minimalism, and Post-Minimalism. Artists featured at the museum include Alexander Calder, Mabel Dwight, Jasper Johns, Georgia O’Keeffe, and David Wojnarowicz.
Past and current locations
Its first location was in Greenwich Village on West Eighth Street. The expansion of the museum has forced relocation several times. In 1966, he moved into a Marcel Breuer-designed building on Madison Avenue. In 2015, the Whitney Museum moved again to a new house designed by Renzo Piano. It is located between the High Line and the Hudson River in the Meatpacking District. The building is 200,000 square feet and eight stories with several observation decks.
Read more about the history of the Whitney Museum.
