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Quick Information

ADDRESS

1071 5th Ave, New York, NY 10128, USA

RECOMMENDED DURATION

2 hours

Timings

11:00–20:00

TICKETS

From $30

NUMBER OF ENTRANCES

5

EXPECTED WAIT TIME - SKIP THE LINE

30-60 mins (Peak), 0-30 mins (Off Peak)

UNESCO YEAR

2019

Plan your visit

Did you know?

The Guggenheim Museum building was designed to resemble a seashell, with the main spiral ramp representing a continuous journey of discovery.

One of the museum's most iconic artworks is the 'Thannhauser Collection', which includes masterpieces by Manet, Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh.

The Guggenheim Museum has a hidden gem on its rooftop: a sculpture garden featuring contemporary art and stunning views of Central Park.

Guggenheim Museum collection

The Guggenheim Museum has an extensive collection of over 1,900 artworks by more than 625 artists from the late 19th century to the present day. The museum is one in the group of museums which includes the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

Permanent collection and site-specific works

The museum showcases notable installations by modern artists including ‘The Matter of Time’ (1994–2005) by the artist Richard Serra, displayed in Room 104. Jenny Holzer’s ‘Installation for Bilbao’ (1997) is located in Room 101. This artwork has nine columns with text flowing in streams of red and blue LED lights.

Bilbao Collection

The third floor houses works from the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao Collection. This collection showcases a journey through some of the leading art movements in the second half of the twentieth century and the early years of the twenty-first. It includes works by renowned artists like Cristina Iglesias, Sol LeWitt, or Mark Rothko.

Going Dark

'Going Dark’ at the Guggenheim explores visibility in art. Over 100 works by 28 artists, mostly Black and female, reveal figures at the edge of sight. This exhibition, on view from October 20, 2023, to April 7, 2024, challenges our perceptions and invites introspection.

The Matter of Time

'The Matter of Time' is an installation by Richard Serra designed specifically for gallery 104. The eight monumental sculptures posed a huge challenge in terms of both manufacturing and installation due to their weight and fragility.

Kandinsky Collection

The Guggenheim has one of the largest collections of Wassily Kandinsky’s abstract paintings in the world. This collection is a testament to Kandinsky’s contribution and legacy.

Interactive Exhibits

A series of art galleries, mixed media projects like interactive exhibits involving film technology and soundscape innovations await visitors at the Guggenheim Museum. These exhibits provide an engaging and immersive experience for visitors.

Must see artworks of the Guggenheim Museum

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Before the Mirror (Devant la glace)

Artist: Édouard Manet

This oil study portrays a lady of the evening admiring her reflection, evoking the timeless theme of Venus before the mirror.

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Brief history of the Guggenheim Museum

  • 1920s - 1939: The history of the Guggenheim Foundation started in the 1920s. The museum was established by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation in 1939 as the Museum of Non-Objective Painting. The first director was artist and co-founder Hilla von Rebay.
  • 1943 - 1959: The museum’s building took 15 years to design and build, indicating that the design process started around 1944. The building was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It was one of his longest works in creation along with one of his most popular projects.
  • 1952: The organization was renamed the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum to honor the late philanthropist and museum co-founder, Solomon R. Guggenheim.
  • 1959: The museum officially opened as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. It contains one of the most impressive and comprehensive collections of Modern art, spanning mid-19th-century Realism to Postmodern sculpture and installation.
  • 1997: The architects Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank Gehry are responsible for designing innovative buildings for the museum’s locations in New York City (1959) and Bilbao (1997), respectively.

​Detailed history of the Guggenheim Museum

Who built the Guggenheim Museum?

The Guggenheim Museum’s building is a landmark work of 20th-century architecture designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It drew controversy for the unusual shape of its display spaces and took 15 years to design and build; it was completed in 1959.

Architecture of the museum

guggenheim museum architecture new york

The exterior of the Guggenheim Museum is a stacked white cylinder of reinforced concrete swirling towards the sky. The museum’s dramatic curves of the exterior had an even more stunning effect on the interior. The building underwent an expansion and extensive renovations from 1990 to 1992 when the annex was built, and it was renovated again from 2005 to 2008. Today, it stands 10 stories tall.

The design of the Guggenheim Museum completely contrasts with the strict Manhattan city grid. The bowl-shaped main gallery to the south of the museum is a familiar landmark for art lovers, visitors, and pedestrians alike. The main gallery contains a six-story helical ramp that extends along its perimeter, as well as a central ceiling skylight.

Find out more about the museum's architecture

Guggenheim Museum | A world heritage site

The Guggenheim Museum is a swirling symphony of concrete and glass where art and architecture blend in a spiral spectacle. In 2019, this architectural masterpiece was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for Frank Wright’s idea of ‘organic architecture’ that defies the norms of conventional design. This includes an open floor plan, a seamless blend of the outside and inside, and other visual features that challenge the mainstream ideas for building design, thus having a significant influence on modern architecture globally.

Frequently asked questions about the Guggenheim Museum in New York City

The Guggenheim Museum’s collection includes around 8,000 works as of 2022. This collection is shared with sister museums in other locations.

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History of Guggenheim Museum

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Timings of Guggenheim Museum

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Architecture of Guggenheim Museum

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