Here is a list of 10 notable art museums in the U.S.
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
The National Gallery was opened in 1937 by Andrew W. Mellon, as his gift to the United States of America. The West Building showcases Mellon’s work and in 1978 the East Building opened with mostly 20th century artwork.
National Gallery of Art 4th and Constitution Avenue NW Washington, DC 20565
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 and houses an enormous collection of art from all over the world. Its collections include over two million works of art and covers approximately 5,000 years of global culture and artwork.
Metropolitan Museum of Art 1000 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10028-0198 www.metmuseum.org
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Founded in 1929, The Museum of Modern Art has an impressive and comprehensive collection of paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints and illustrated books. Often called the "MoMA", it is considered the world's premier modern and contemporary art institution.
Museum of Modern Art 11 West 53 Street New York, NY 10019 www.moma.com
de Young Museum, San Francisco
The de Young Museum was founded in 1895 but was closed for some time for major renovations. The museum reopened in 2005 with new state-of-the-art facilities. The museum’s permanent collection includes American artwork form the 17th century through the 20th century as well as art from Africa and the Pacific.
de Young Museum;lden Gate Park 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive San Francisco, CA 94118 http://deyoung.famsf.org/
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston first opened in 1924 and was the first art museum in Texas. The museum includes extensive collections of Native American art, Frederic Remington paintings, Italian Renaissance masterpieces, the art of Jackson Pollock and other fine works from antiquity to the present day.
The Museum of Fine Arts Houston 1001 Bissonnet Street Houston, TX 77005 www.mfah.org
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago opened in 1893 and is known around the world for its extensive collection of Impressionist art. The museum features one of the world's largest collections of Monet paintings. The Institute's permanent collection also includes art from the early civilizations of Egypt, Greece and Japan.
Art Institute of Chicago 111 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois, 60603 http://www.artic.edu/
J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Philanthropist J. Paul Getty founded the Getty Museum in 1954 but it wasn’t until 1997 the the museum moved to its current location in Los Angeles. The museum includes European paintings, drawings, manuscripts, sculpture and decorative arts that are displayed within stunning modern architecture and fascinating gardens. The Getty Villa resides at the location of the original Getty museum in Malibu, revamped in 2006, focusing on Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiquities.
J. Paul Getty Museum 1200 Getty Center Drive Los Angeles, CA 90049-1687 http://getty.edu/museum/
Guggenheim Museum, New York
The Guggenheim was founded in 1949 and was built by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The unique building houses a wide range of modern and contemporary art from the second half of the 19th century to the present time period.
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum 1071 Fifth Avenue (at 89th Street); New York, NY 10128 http://www.guggenheim.org/
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.
The Smithsonian American Art Museum was founded in 1829 as a federal institution and was the first and most important collection of American art. The museum’s work covers more than three centuries and its permanent collection includes nearly every form of art media. In 1972, the museum opened the Renwick Gallery, dedicated to American craft and decorative arts.
Smithsonian American Art Museum 8th and F Streets, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20004 http://americanart.si.edu/
National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.
The National Portrait Gallery opened in 1968 and holds a variety of portraits including presidents, artists, actors, activists, sports icons and even villains. The portraits are represented through a variety of visual arts to engage the viewer in a retrospective of the United States.
National Portrait Gallery Eighth and F Streets, NW Washington, D.C., 20001 http://www.npg.si.edu/
What are some of your favorite museums in the U.S.?
