Two Local Museums Opening This Week
Museums are starting to open throughout the city, and two on the Upper West Side are set to open their doors.
The Nicholas Roerich Museum at 319 West 107th Street opened for the first time since the pandemic began on Wednesday. The small museum showcases art by Nicholas Roerich, a Russian jack-of-all-trades. Untapped Cities said it is “like a mini-Frick Collection but with a few exceptions–the museum is free, and all the artwork and artifacts were painted and discovered by Nicholas Roerich himself. Housed in this three-story Upper West Side town house are over 200 works of art ranging from paintings of the Himalayas to scenes from historical references to sketches from his early days designing sets for Russian ballets like The Rite of Spring composed by Igor Stravinsky.” To sign up for entrance, call 212–864–7752 during working hours.
And The American Folk Art Museum at 2 Lincoln Square (66th Street) opens to the public on Friday, after member previews on Wednesday and Thursday. “The Museum’s Lincoln Square location will be open five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday from 11:30 AM to 6:00 PM. All visitors will be required to have a ticket prior to entering the Museum’s galleries and are asked to reserve in advance. Admission is always free.” Capacity will be limited to 25% of prior levels.
Other local museums, including the Museum of Natural History, are set to open next month.
Something good to look forward to!
LOVE THAT IT WILL RE-OPEN! WILL THE SHOP REQUIRE A TICKET TO ENTER? IT IS MY ‘GO-TO’ SHOP FOR GIFTS AND OTHER THINGS I LOVE! Yes I am a member.
The American Folk Art Museum is a shell of it’s former self. 95% of their amazing collection that was donated from collectors who spent tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars on the items that owned, and then donated has been sitting in storage for over a decade, with a tiny handful of those items pulled out for one exhibit. I went once a few years ago and was shocked how few artifacts were on display. This may be the only museum in America where you can spend more time in the gift shop than browsing the exhibit on display! Only out of town tourists go AFAM.
I’ve seen quite a few terrific exhibitions at this museum in recent years. And, guess what, I’ve lived on the Upper West Side since 1971. Do I need to PROVE that I’m not an “out-of-town tourist”? 🙂
The American Folk Art Museum is a small museum. It has about as much space as say a decent sized restaurant. It is the only New York City museum I know of with no admission price. New Yorkers and tourists can just walk right in. Older people on this board will remember that most New York City museums used to be like that. I do agree that it has an unusually good gift shop.
That’s great news! Love visiting this museum!
I love visiting too!
Every time I go to American Museum of Folk Art I am blown away by this jewel of a museum.
It”s true that the exhibitions are not expansive. This is a small museum. But the exhibits are beautifully curated and I always leave feeling inspired and uplifted. Happy it is opening!
Also,
By the way,
Is anyone here concerned about Asymptomatic Covid spread in Gyms
and
Won’t return to the gym when it reopens?
What will you do if you have a Gym membership?
Super museum. Love it! I’ve really taken to the smaller size and quality of the exhibits.