This is the entrance to the museum, on Gansevoort Street in the Meatingpacking District of Manhattan.
The Whitney Museum of American Art opened a new building on the Hudson Waterfront a year ago. I’m embarrassed to say it took me an entire year to visit the museum, but I did attend twice in one week to get the feel of both daytime and after dark. There’s a lot you might want to know about this new museum, but I’m going to stick to the architecture, the terraces, and the artwork.
The Architecture
This is the side view of the Whitney Museum, from the Hudson River Park.
As you might have read, the Whitney was formerly located in the building on 75th and Madison, designed by Marcel Breuer, which has been acquired by the Met and turned into the Met Breuer. The new building located just across the highway from the Hudson River and at the start of the highline was designed by Renzo Piano.
The Terraces
A view of the museum from Gansevoort Street. You can see the Terraces on the back of the building.
The building has 8 floors (+ a basement) and four terraces on the backside of the building offering river and city skyline views. Someone recently asked me how they could meet their needs of going to a museum, but also spending some time outdoors. The Whitney is a great solution to this warm weather problem. You can flow from indoor to outdoor gallery enjoying interesting art along the way. In addition to the great views and a cafe, the terraces house several sculptures. You can see White Snow by Paul McCarthy, Black Star by Frank Stella, and a few other pieces while taking in the amazing views of the city.
Black Star, Frank Stella on a Spring Evening. Manhattan skyline in the background.
This wrap around terraces allows for a peek at the Hudson River.
The Artwork
The Whitney is home to American contemporary art. It was founded by sculptor Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, whose artwork can be found in the Museum as well as a portrait of her in one of the current exhibits. With its spacious galleries, The Whitney can now display more of its collection than ever before. Currently on view on the top floors is the Exhibit Human Interest: Portraits from the Whitney’s Collection. You can also see June Leaf: Thought is Infinite on the ground floor. The newest exhibit Mirror Cells opened last week, but I didn’t make it to view that exhibit yet.
This sculpture, Chinoise, was created by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, the founder of the Whitney Museum.
Line Up, Gary Simmons, 1993.
Blue and Yellow and Red-Orange, Ellsworth Kelly, 1964-65. One of 27 color lithographs.
These are just a few of the pieces of artwork you will find in the Whitney Museum of American Art. If you get the chance while in New York, you should definitely take the time to stop by this new building and check out the art and the views from the terraces. It is a unique experience in one of Manhattan’s most interesting neighborhoods!
I love museums in NYC with outdoor areas. The MET is a great place to hang out on the balcony with friends while looking out over Central Park and this sounds like another great place to chill out. Unfortunately I never got to visit the Whitney while I was in NYC however I will keep it in mind for my next visit!
Yes! The museums in NYC just keep getting better and better. I never even made it to the museum when it was at its old location. I am trying to take advantage of the sites of NYC more these days!
This museum looks great. I really need to make it a point to visit more museums during my travels. I am hoping to visit NYC this fall — so I think I will visit this one since I enjoy looking at art 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
It’s also open late on Fri/Sat, so you have a little extra time to squeeze in all of the things you want to do!
What a cool museum! I love the architecture – especially the outdoor terraces. Looks perfect for a NY summer. I’ll have to stop by next time I’m in the city.
Yes, definitely don’t miss it. The new exhibit that opened last week looks amazing too!
Definitely a must-visit for the artsy type. Can’t say that I am but this looks interesting place to hang out, see some art and time looking over the skyline.
You could definitely make an afternoon of it, and it is also right by the Highline and the Hudson River Park. It’s also surrounded by great shopping, food, clubs, and bars!
I’m not really a museum fan, especially art but this is my fault as I really just don’t understand it. I love the architecture of the building though. The gold shoes are pretty cool though, and the thought of being able to get out on the terraces would be great.
Yeah, there are several gold shoes there and if you look closely they are identifiable brands. The piece was created to leave the question of who filled those shoes and how did they get to be in that line up. Really interesting. If you don’t love the art, you would probably be happier walking the nearby Highline and snacking on some delicious treats from the vendors up there!
I’ve never been to this museum and now I want to go! The architecture is gorgeous and I love the terraces that each floor has. I would want to sit out there (on a warm day) and sip on a latte and enjoy the view 🙂