Guggenheim Museum

2/24/2013

It's so spirally!

1/11/2012

Classic and beautiful. The Guggenheim is perhaps my favorite museum in the city.

I am not a museum buff, and I am not one of those people that can spend a whole day at a museum. If you are also one of these people, maybe the Guggenheim is for you. You can definitely have a good experience in 1.5 hours.

The Wright building is amazing. The building winds around like a corkscrew with art on the walls. There are also some permanent collections as little side rooms that are fun to walk through if you are not the biggest fan of the main exhibit. Audio guides are available.

The current exhibit is Cattelan, and all the pieces are hanging from the ceiling. Personally, I didn't like it much, but some people love it. I can't wait for what's next!.

9/1/2011

There are art museums where it does not matter what exhibits are being featured as the building itself brings life to the art.  This is one of the best for that.

While I do not remember the artist's name, I do remember the feeling of space within the art, and that had a great deal to do with the space of the building.

Walking up the spiral and then down give one a sense of journey.  Along the way, the side exhibits (some special, some owned, like their impressionist) and cafe adds to the escapist feeling.

Go early, enjoy the art of the building and whatever else is being showcased and lose yourself.

8/28/2009

Despite numerous trips to NY, this was the first time I had been to the Guggenheim. After my experience, I have no doubt that it clearly resides at the bottom of the pack when it comes to the triumvirate of New York museums. If you've got the time to kill, feel free to swing by; if you're on a time-crunch, the Met and MoMA are far superior. Not that the Guggenheim doesn't have its benefits, but let's start with the issues first.

1. It has by far the longest lines of any museum. Upon entering the MoMA or Met, and you'll pay for your ticket almost right away. At the Guggenheim, we had to wait 10+ minutes to pick up tickets.
2. It has the most expensive student tickets of the three museums. When we got to the front, the ticket guy actually asked us when we graduated and gave us a stink eye (OK, so I'm not technically a student, but I think I still look like one! In any case, the girlfriend actually IS a student, so I think that counts).
3. You're only allowed to take photographs from the ground floor. No pictures of the exhibits. Wait, what? Then why did I drop $600 for this SLR?
4. The design of the museum, while cool, is ill-conducive to a museum setting. A lot of the exhibits sit in the open corkscrew hallway, so you're constantly bumping into people. Even worse, the entrance to the galleries are incredibly tiny, so the two-way traffic is worse than the streets on Manhattan. Doubly smart: putting the gallery copy right at the main entrance, so not only are you fighting traffic both ways, you're also bumping into people that are trying to read.
5. The exhibit ends at the very top, with no easy elevator access down. So wait, you had me walk all the way up and now want me to turn around? What is this, Currahee?

Ok, venting aside, the museum is actually pretty cool. I imagine everyone here knows that the building is one of the most unique in NY. They're currently featuring a Frank Lloyd Wright retrospective that highlights his entire life. It features some really cool blueprints and models of concept buildings that were never created. I'm afraid that the dedication to this retrospective has taken away from some of the permanent galleries, which were clearly lacking in both quantity and quality. So if you're looking for profound art, I suggest the other two museums.

Honestly, if you're just visiting, the Met and MoMA should be your priority. In fact, the Guggenheim is so close to the Met that you can just swing by, enter and take pictures, and leave without paying for the exhibit. However, if you're a big architecture fan, then this FLW exhibit is just the thing to get you all hot and bothered; it's seriously amazing.

9/21/2010

I was excited to come here after seeing the sweet architecture on television.  I was sad to discover that there is no photography permitted inside.  :-(

Anyway, this museum is super small, but really unique and fun to peruse.  Looking down the center of the spiral walkway from the top of the museum gallery is just awe-inspiring.  As suggested to me by a friend, I took the elevator to the top and followed the exhibits in a downward spiral with gravity by my side...which turned out to be more relaxing than walking all the way to the top.  I recommend walking through the Guggenheim in this fashion.

They had a strong emphasis on the photographic arts when I came here, and their video displays were really interesting.  They also had a couple exhibits that went out of the main spiral that were interesting as well.

Overall, a well laid out gallery with plenty of sites on which to feast your eyeballs!  Worth a one time visit, but nothing about it made me want to return.

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  outside (no photography allowed inside)

  outside (no photography allowed inside)
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  the museum

  the museum

10/27/2011

It's hard not to get inspired by the architecture of the building, inside and out. I love the fact that you can go all the way up and then visit the exhibits in an organized and stress-free manner as you slowly descend. I often get very overwhelmed when I visit a big museum, but the Guggenheim allows me to enjoy the exhibits at a relaxed pace. Also, the permanent pieces are outstanding. Just looking at the structure from bottom to top gives me chills. If you haven't been inside, go soon. You won't regret it.

9/7/2012

The Guggenheim is not on my best hits list for favorite museums in the city. I think it's largely because we're so spoiled for choice in New York. There's so much incredible art, and even better, a good portion of the best stuff is free. So though it makes me sound a little cheap, the Guggenheim admit ticket is a little hard for me to justify, especially since I'm not really a fan of a lot of the art there. I like the impressionists and I've always loved Kandinsky. Seeing Jackson Pollocks and Rothkos in person really does add immeasurably. I had no idea they really are so powerful. But a lot of it I'm a little more meh about. Can't really hold that against the museum. Everyone has different tastes. And I've been a couple times. It's just that, in our spoiled-for-choice in artistic gorgeousness city, I normally choose to be elsewhere.

But you know, bless those pesky out-of-town visitors who make you go with them to see the Statue of Liberty for the twenty-second time, and insist they can't leave New York without getting to the top of the Empire State Building (along with you and your empty wallet), and who, at the end of one whirlwind sightseeing week say "How about the Guggenheim? We haven't been there," and drag you and your aching feet along.

Seriously, bless them.

Without them I wouldn't have seen the Rineke Dijkestra exhibit. And that, that I found to be worth the price of admission. I did find myself spending 90% of my time this trip in the annexes, outside the main ramp, but I thoroughly enjoyed the every moment. I don't normally love the audio tour. Sometimes it's helpful, sometimes it's not. But the audio for Dijkestra included interviews with the artist as well as her subjects, and I was pretty riveted. I'm not sure if her photos would be your thing. Art's that way. A lot of the below reviewers have been particularly unmoved by Dijkestra (See e.g., "I can see teenagers dance at a club on my own street." (Really? I can barely see anything in a club.)) But I was a fan for sure. The composition of her photos, the expressions of her subjects, her themes, just wow. I left with a coffee table book, and a slightly gaping jaw. Google her. If there's a chance you think you'd feel the same, I'd cough up the admission fee just as a gamble.

Worst case scenario, it's still not the top of the Empire State Building (again).

12/4/2009

This gallery is a must see for any design or architecture maniac, and depending on the exhibition which is current, probably a must see for any art lovers.  It puts the new DAM space to shame.

I have been here twice--once many years ago for a Picasso exhibit and this week for the Kadinsky retrospective.  The difference in the two was notable--this is a space which is easier for the visitor if it is filled with fewer numbers of large works.  The Kandinsky show was almost exhausting--but spiritually fufilling!  

At first I thought it was my "bum knee" but my 23 year old daughter agreed that the number of pieces, combined with the abstract concepts of the Kadinsky ethos, make it fairly demanding going.  We spent about three hours there and rushed through some portions from fatigue.  I also found the taped program to be somewhat tedious and not organized in a way I found helpful.

However, there is nothing better than this building-- you walk up a circular white ramp six stories to view the pieces, and behind you is a view of the spiraling white half walls of the ramps above and below you, culminating in a domed ceiling of opaque skylights.  At the coffee shop at one level, there is a skyline view of Central Park.  

I think music is the highest art form in terms of abstraction and inspiration, but the Guggenheim and Kandinsky come a very close second.

11/22/2012

The Guggenheim was on my bucket list since forever.  There was a Picasso exhibit when we visited, and it was nice that the portable audio tour guide was included in the admission price.  I have a new respect for this artist.  I'm a huge fan of Frank Lloyd Wright, so this was a special treat for me.  I wish I lived here, as this would be a regular place I would visit.  It's amazing.

8/11/2011

I'm a fan of modern art.

I get that contemporary artists intend to evoke feelings and concepts as opposed to depicting things as they are. I don't have a PhD in art history, but I do enjoy museums and am often captivated my modern artists and their work.

I was so looking forward to going here and I was a bit underwhelmed. I hate to admit it, because I pumped myself up so much about it, but it's true.

I liked going through the building more than I enjoyed the actual exhibits. I guess I should have done a bit more research, but I didn't find there to be much context for any of the works, and I wished more women and minority artists were represented here.

I think I may have gone on the wrong day, so I'd love to visit again when  a different artist is featured. But four floors devoted to one person whose work, while beautiful wasn't especially progressive or thought provoking in my view, felt a bit flabby and overwrought with seeking out meaning that perhaps wasn't there.

8/3/2009

I took a special trip to NYC to visit the Guggenheim for the 50th Anniversary as well as the FLW exhibit.  I am so glad I made the trip to do this!!  When we arrived the line wrapped around the building adn it was pouring rain.  I almost decided to skip it, thinking it was going to take a few hours to get in.  It really only took 30 minutes to get our tickets and start seeing the exhibits.  I am SO glad I waited!

I am an architect (in training) so my appreciation of the exhibit may be influenced by that, but the drawings and models of FLW were simply amazing!  I have tons to FLW books and I have been to many of his buildings (including my neighbor's house in Kansas City: yelp.com/biz/sondern-adl…) but this was different.  To see his masterful plans, sections, and elevations in person was just amazing.  His details are so beautiful!  

It was great to see many drawings and rendering I have never seen before.  Especially beautiful were three nighttime renderings of his.  The were dot paintings on black paper, sort of impressionistic...I had no idea he did renderings like that.  They looked very modern for their time!

I didn't really stop to read too many of the long descriptions on the walls as I already know so much about him, but the ones I did read seemed to be written well.  The order of the exhibit makes the most since if you start at the bottom and walk up.  You can see the progression of his work.  He started out with more boxy shapes with exquisite details that ended with more space-age, pod-like designs.

The building itself looks great.  The last time I saw the Gug, it was kind of falling apart.  Plaster was coming off the front, and cracks were forming everywhere.  Today it looks great...but not plastic/perfect.  Many imperfections still remain, but I think that was intentional.  

The 50th anniversary of the museum, along with the 50th anniversary of Wright's death mark this exhibit in the newly restored building as a very special time to be there.  If you have any interest in FLW, architecture, or NYC, you must get to the Guggenheim before this exhibit ends August 23rd!

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  @ the FLW exhibit

  @ the FLW exhibit

6/14/2009

This is my fav museum in the US.  The Thannhauser collection and the audio tour make it memorable - Van Gogh, Renoir, Gauguin, Picasso, Cezanne, Manet.  And it's free on Saturday from 5:45p on.  A suggested donation is $10 per head, which is much better than the normal $18.  They are very strict with photos, unlike the Moma and MET.  You can take as many on the floor level of the architecture of the spiral but forget it anywhere else.  The current exhibition of the architecture of Franklin Lloyd Wright is kinda boring (is it his bday or something?  the SJC airport had a presentation as well).  

Would come back but not for this exhibition.   And it's kinda out of the way from the subway stop (86th).  The MET is much closer.

7/23/2011

Thought it be better than it was.

Good:
+ "linear" path (catch the elevator to the top floor and follow the spiral back to the ground floor)
+ tasty street food vendors right outside the front door

Bad:
- Shorter/smaller than I though it would be
- can get crowded
- silly "no photography" policy, I could understand no FLASH photography, but it's NO photography of any kind on any level (except the ground floor/lobby (no art in that area)

12/16/2012

Went for art after the dark event to see Picasso  (Black and White). There was a restriction on carrying drinks above the ground floor, other than that the exhibition was great but short due to surging number of visitors.

1/15/2013

I have been here for Frank Lloyd Wright and Picasso. The set up is amazing. the walk around as you view makes sure the crowd stays reasonable. Get here early. It's one of the best museums in the world. Deal with it.

4/8/2009

I think this place has been a little over hyped. I definitely enjoyed the interior decorating and the architectural idea because it is a VERY unique one. I love the spiraling to the top and the little bit of top heaviness that the place exhibited.

However, the interior art was of another story. Lots of pictures by people that I have seen here on the west coast as well but also lots of pictures that were towards one theme. Naked people with various sexual orientations with lots of tattoos, blood, piercings and painful looking scars. What is this movement? I'm not sure if the art here really offered me much to see, nor was it as interesting as the museum's architecture itself. And for how much you pay to get it .... well you can pretty much see it all on the outside.

5/31/2009

I have a love-hate relationship with the Guggenheim (*sigh* mostly HATE), and as someone who loves art and has spent her entire life making art, looking at art, studying art, and doing things related to art in some manner, its painful to have it be this way.

I love the architecture - my Dad's influence - from both the exterior and the interior. It creates such a dynamic space, especially the winding ramp that leads from the bottom to the top. The problem is that usually the curators don't use that space as well as they probably could. Sometimes they do, and when that's the case the exhibit is fantastic! But usually the organization (or lack thereof) makes it awkward to view the art they place along the winding ramp, and even more so when its crowded and you're trying to navigate between people and objects without getting yelled at by guards. Worse yet are kids, who use the ramp as their personal playground to run up and down with abandon. I love kids, but never in this context.

The more serious problem? The exhibits in the past years have, for the most part, been awful. They really just haven't put together good, interesting exhibits, especially compared to all the other museums located along Museum Mile. And considering the admission price (Adults $18, Students $15), the Guggenheim is really not worth a visit unless you are SURE that the exhibit is a must-see. The Met at least has a 'suggested donation' that you don't have to pay in full, but there's no negotiating this ticket. And considering the quality of past exhibits, its probably not worth it to become a member and enjoy free admission.

4/1/2011

I want to love this place but there is something so cold and lacking about it both in the building, the staff and the concept.

First of all it is not 10 dollars as many of the reviews are claiming, it is 18 dollars, yes that does include an audio tour but the audio tour tells little more than is already on the placards.

The collection is small including the temporary exhibits and you can see the entire collection in detail in two hours. While the main exhibit I saw of modern art from the 1914-1918 was good, Kandinsky to me very overrated and there was as much diversity in the former exhibit.

The building while impressive is quite heavy handed and the museum and the building are such a vanity project. I like Wright and modern art but together they seem so cold and remote in this space and the building dwarfs the art.

Another truly annoying thing was that the elevator wasn't working at all. While I have no mobility issues currently, I have enough friends who have to use wheelchairs either all the time or some of the time to know that with the slippery floors and the incline it would not be enjoyable to roll a manual chair up that ramp and i doubt it qualifies under the ADA as a wheelchair ramp.

With so many other museums in the city, this is not a must go one although I am glad I did get to check it out. If there is a certain exhibit or if you don't really like spending hours in a museum this would be a good choice.

The one that was really good is I was able to get a huge book of Cathy Opie's work for only 5 dollars in their store. Having seem an exhibit she was in at the Getty in LA I really wanted the book but full price it is around 60 dollars.

5/8/2011

It's "pay as you wish" on Saturdays from 5:45pm onwards (they close at 7:45pm), which is great for people who wants to save a bit of money ;-)  

But be forewarned, the line can get pretty long if you don't get their early enough.  Even though we got there at 5:45pm, the line had snaked to the side of the museum.  But once the lines started moving, it wasn't too bad.  

Free audio guided tours are available as well, but we didn't opt for it.

It was pretty cool to be finally inside the Guggenheim Museum, to take in the architecture of the museum itself and the artworks on display.  The exhibition they have on display right now, until June 1st, 2011, is "The Great Upheaval:  Modern Art from the Guggenheim Collection, 1910-1918."  

Note:  There are 2 bathrooms available on every rotunda, however, the bathrooms are for one person only.  So, if you really have to go, you can try going to the next rotunda, and hope there isn't a line for it.  The bathroom I ended up using was very clean.

4/1/2011

The Guggenheim Museum is absolutely amazing. If you're an art lover you will not be disappointed by this one. For $18.00 you get the audio tour which is especially helpful since there are very little information plaques.
The ONLY disappointment was there are no pictures allowed- that's right you are not allowed to take ANY photos of the art with a camera or cell phone.

4/7/2011

It's rare that I will ever review a cultural institution 'cause, let's face it, it's just a professional courtesy. Museums aren't really selling anything most of the time. They are kinda just there to enjoy. But the Guggenheim is one I had never been to until this past Monday, and it cost I think $18.00 to get in. So I think maybe it warrants a review here- at least as to why it's not my favorite museum in NYC.

Don't get me wrong- the Guggenheim is perfectly adequate. But when faced with the epicness of the Met or the kitschyness of the MoMA, it falls short. Just in the fact that it is smaller, for one, and that's collections, while impressive, don't compare much to the others. I only found maybe four or five things that really struck me; that's not a log, ultimately. I don't think it was worth paying $18.00 for, either.

A security guard mouthed off to me when I wasn't doing anything wrong, so there was also that.

Also, for a Monday afternoon, it was packed beyond belief. You wouldn't imagine it would be that bad in early April, but hoo boy it totally was. My dad had an okay time, so that was something. But if your favorite part is getting a hot dog after you leave? I mean, that was mine, and that's saying something. The gift shop is also super unimpressive. They should look at the MFA store in Boston- a much better example of a museum gift shop done right.

The cute little public access reading room is probably my favorite part- there was a part time librarian at one of Columbia's medical libraries who told me a lot about the museum that I found interesting and cool. I might have spent more time there, but my dad was getting pretty bored with her old lady chatter. Worth checking out if you go there.

12/8/2008

The Guggenheim manages to motionlessly undulate as you explore it which which makes for a nearly-rhythmic experience inside this Frank Lloyd Wright-design seashell. That is, until you run into a dead end, a wall or the door to a bathroom with an exit sign above it.

theanyspacewhatever, a group exhibition of site specific work is up until January 7 is definitely worth a look.

While there, don't miss Carsten Höller's Revolving Hotel Room (if you'd acted sooner you could've reserved it from $700/night). And make sure to view Maurizio Cattelan's Daddy Daddy from the top floor (it's a face-down Pinocchio floating in the fountain below that no visitor can resist photographing).

Need some artistic inspiration? You're bound to find it at the Guggenheim.

9/3/2012

Very nice building structures!

11/8/2009

Frank Lloyd Wright was a man who know how to take a monotonous set of buildings and spice things up in a city.

After sets of cubes and boxes, you'll find what seems to be an upside conical building known as the Guggenheim museum. Upon entering, you can look up and marvel at the architecture and the seemingly spider-web influenced rooftop glass ceiling.

It is a bit dizzying, spiraling up the floors, looking at work after work of Kandinsky's rainbow vomit on canvas.

Anish Kapoor's "Memory" will leave you reaching into your deepest thoughts, only to find darkness in the void.

Overall, I thought the Guggenheim was a great experience.

11/10/2008

I hadn't been to the Guggenheim in years but on my recent return, it felt familiar.  I met up with an old friend from the Bay Area I hadn't seen in a while.  Considering the fact that neither of us live in NYC but happened to be here at the same time made it a nice place for a reunion.

Architecturally, I love this place.  I like walking up and down spirals and the views from the bottom up and from the top down are fun.  The Catherine Opie photography exhibit was interesting.  I particularly liked the surfing and ice house collections.  The light installation, the bedroom set and the area set up with seating in front of a movie screen were my favorites aspects of  theanyspacewhatever exhibit.  The benches nearby proved to be a good spot to take a break and catch up on what can happen in a life during a 2 year span.  

I'm glad I came back but I'd wait to return until there was an exhibit I was really interested in.

7/1/2013

Visited on Thursday, September 27th and it was worth the return visit to see the James Turrell exhibit.  The exhibit was amazing and I loved watching how people were interacting with it...laying on the floor, sitting on the benches...that added to the art experience for me.   However, the exhibit really screwed up my logistics of the museum and I feel like I missed out on seeing other things...or was that intentional?   The really only bad thing was the two bitchy queens working the cash register in the smaller museum shop...wow, one wouldn't shut up talking to the other guy.  He was ignoring the line of people waiting to pay while he told some story, and was completely rude and not very helpful to a woman looking to purchase a bag that they had on display but not in stock in that shop.  Granted, he directed her to go to the main shop...but being in tourism, I feel that more effort could have gone toward the customer service experience.  The space was too intimate for me to make a comment without making a scene to the rest of the customer.

10/25/2010

The current exhibition "YouTube Play: a Biennial of Creative Video" is the result of a call for entries by Guggenheim: Anyone anywhere could submit a video to be shown at the Guggenheim, as long as it was made in the last two years and not more than 10 minutes. 23000 submissions came. The top videos are now showing at the Guggenheim. They are also online at youtube.com/play

Among my favorites is one about addiction to the web appropriately titled "Yelp"... youtube.com/watch?v=Z6Tw…

If you like anime "Strindberg and Helium at the Beach" is terrific youtube.com/watch?v=Lw8c… ...  

"Bathtub IV" uses a "tilt-shift/time-lapse" technique to make the picture look like miniature toys youtube.com/watch?v=Us6k…

There are many good ones... "Bear untitled -- D.O. Edit" depicts the violent breakup of a hunter and a bear in a deadpan video-game style youtube.com/watch?v=cdBZ…  And, last but not least, here's a fool-proof way to make a entertaining video of yourself playing a musical instrument.  "Guitar: Impossible (stop motion music short by MysteryGuitarMan)" youtube.com/watch?v=MuU0…

Thanks Guggenheim -- the YouTube Biennial will encourage more artists to make their videos accessible online (more impact on media culture if more people see your art than the handful who frequent galleries/museums). Next year there'll be even better entries as more people know about it now.

6/3/2011

I've probably been to the Guggenheim more times than I have been to any other museum in the world.  I keep coming back partly because my student ID gives me free admission (and it's usually pretty pricey -- I'm trying to really get my tuition's worth of free stuff) and partly because I just love wasting the day away in there.  I also love the architecture and how easily it lends itself to a leisurely stroll around the museum.  As an added bonus, if you start at the bottom and work your way up, you've actually gotten quite a workout because of the slight incline.  (Thank you, Mr. Wright for contributing to both my cultural and physical improvement.)

While I enjoy the various exhibitions that come and go, I really appreciate the permanent collection on the second floor.  I could stare at Woman with Yellow Hair all day and the Chagall with the cat in it still haunts me in my dreams (in a good way...I think).  The docents also give pretty kick-ass tours.  I've been known to stalk the occasional private tour and try to pass myself off as the adopted daughter of a progressive Midwestern family ("WHAT? I'M ASIAN?!").  

I just really wish it wasn't so crowded all the flippin time and that they allowed pictures on more than the ground floor.  I have found that when it's dumping snow or rain, people are a lot less likely to go to the museum.

8/11/2012

Frank Loyd Wright. People love saying his name and gushing over his buildings. The Guggenheim is clunky and dreary on the outside, it sits like a bloated white tank while inside a limited cylindrical slant leads to mostly bland paintings. However, depending on the current exhibit, there are few impressive pieces but still, there's a sense that the art is shoved to the side of a crooked ledge, not in an actual room or hall, for example, for proper viewing and full immersion and appreciation.

5/2/2012

One thing to note about this museum is that the current exhibits occupy far more of the museum than the permanent collection. The exhibits were interesting, but not amazing, and they have a small permanent collection of paintings on display. If you have to make a choice, I would say you should see the Met and MOMA before going here. The museum is small enough that I think a viewer will spend one to three hours here depending on how quickly they go.

11/6/2009

-Seriously, place is a bit overrated
-Not that hot, but not that bad either, I suggest go when it is free next time or have someone else pay for you.
-Only thing that saved this from a one or two star review is becuase I got in free when it was Museum Mile day.
-$18.00 is a bit much to me for not that much interesting stuff
-Security is a bit OD with the you can't take pictures line
-Sure it is modern art and original art so that is something enjoyable
-It was cool to see the "infamous" spiral walkway seen in many movies in the past

4/17/2011

After a great visit in the fall it was only after a recent trip to the Whitney that I realized I had neglected a well-deserved post for the Gug. (if Solomon R. Guggenheim, for whom the Museum is named after, were an office friend, I would call him the Gug).

First off, the design by Frank Lloyd Wright is worth the price of admission. The sloped circular ramp which acts as the stairs up the tall building both keeps the exhibit evolving in an easy flow as well as makes for a nice workout for your glutes however, I was truly enchanted by the lovely pieces that were curated for this interesting museum of era's from the Byzantine empire to photographs from the 1920's, with the Cezanne's being my personal favorite.

As well, we went on a lovely Sunday in the fall which meant it was full of kids and while this should cue the hateful thoughts from those of us who are childless, the museum provided enough distractions, such as coloring pages of the exhibitions, to make the experience both interesting in its own right and by seeing how children connect with the art, perhaps for their first time.

While admission may be required rather than the bulk of museums that have suggested donations, it truly is an experience and worth the admission for an exhibit you are longing to see or a first experience of the building itself and the lovely curated pieces.

6/15/2012

i like this museum for its unique architecture, namely, the spiral walkway inside, which allows you to move from one exhibition floor to another.  unfortunately, when i visited, they were under construction/adding new exhibits, so patrons were not allowed to walk the spiral ramp, we had to take the elevators, which was not as interesting.  i would say, half the museum was unavailable due to the installation of the new exhibits, so we were unable to see a chunk of it.  the few exhibits we did see, art from elementary school kids, photographs from a 70s artist, french paintings, were very cool.  note that during construction, the admission price for adults was decreased to $10 (from the normal $18).  since only half the museum was available, it definitely felt a lot more crowded.

8/17/2012

Very iconic architecture, but inside, the art is not very interesting, depends too on the exhibit I suppose.  Bu a must see for all visitors

3/10/2012

Enjoyable visit.  They were featuring the works of John Chamberlain while I was there with my artsy daughter.  The Kandinsky's and the masterpieces from Cézanne, Gauguin, Manet, Monet, Picasso, Pissarro, Renoir, and van Gogh were even more enjoyable.  Very easy to get here by subway trains 4-5-6.  Go if you have 1-2 hours to spare.

2/7/2011

The Guggenheim is a great museum overall; you already know about the art, architecture, so on.  However, I am giving a whole- hearted 5 stars because of the wonderful membership team.

I purchased a gift membership for a friend for Christmas.  I double checked: I filled out the 'to' and the 'from' fields accurately, but in what I must assume is a hectic fulfillment season they actually made a mistake and mailed me the card with my name on it, instead of the recipients.  It's a little awkward to give someone a membership card, and have to explain that no no no, you're not re-gifting; yes, I know that your name isn't Laura.

In dealing with the membership team to get this fixed though, everyone was extremely courteous and really went above and beyond in making sure my friend got her membership accurately- they even followed up when the USPS made a mistake and the envelope got returned, and after re-mailing they called 2 weeks later to make sure that everything had been adequately resolved.  So often, dealing with customer service is a headache, but I never had trouble accessing an actual person (vs. automated responses).  I may not ever have my name on a wing at a museum, but the membership team at the Guggenheim gives everyone first class treatment.

1/9/2011

Kinda pricey for such a small exhibit ($18/person and it only took us around 2 hours to see all the art work), and there were long lines. We were there when they exhibit Chaos and Classicism. The free audio guide was great though and explanatory
The no photography policy is a let down.

3/28/2013

This is probably the best art museum I have been to so far. It has a really impressive collection of famous artists like Picasso and Kandinsky. The architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright is also a good attraction. There was a pretty cool piece inside the rotunda where there were long, clear plastic bags filled with a bunch of different colors of water. The admission fee is pretty high ($18 for students and $22) for adults but is worth it. The 2nd floor modern art section is probably the weirdest part. If you're an artist or a snob then you can probably find something artistic in every piece in this section but to me the empty red box and video of a guy slapping himself while mumbling bible verses was a little bit strange. The floors above that are worth it though and have a ton of cool things in them. There's even a nice bathroom on the 5th floor that has a bunch of abstract lines of tape and paint on them (perfect for teenage girls taking selfies in the bathroom). They also have a nice gift shop and restaurant for people who didn't loose all their money paying admission fees. Overall it was a good experience.

10/28/2010

Going to NY, I hadn't known anything about the Guggenheim.  I enjoyed the first impression view of this museum. The contemporary-stylized architecture was a site for a sore eye.  Very cool and impressionable.

Inside, the museum goes straight up. Looking directly up, you can see all the floors and how they may swivel like circular stairs--but instead expanded.

The art inside may appear dark, bewildering, and ominious. Very interpretive depending on how deep you go, but every artist had a motive. That is what I enjoyed about the museum. It is is very deceptive like many others, just in a very different concept.  Sometimes you stand there for minutes trying to decipher. It basically included works by contemporary artists and impressionists from paintings, to photographs, and film.

2/22/2011

The Guggenheim is a fantastic museum.
The admission price is great! Only $10 which is a ganga deal!
The recorded guide was helpful and it was also nice that they had a mini cafe.
My only complaint for this museum is that you are not allowed to take pictures. The only area you can take pictures is in the lobby.