Queens Museum

11/28/2010

This small museum located in Flushing Meadow Corona Park is right next to the Unisphere.  The two main attractions for me are the Tiffany collection and Panorama.

The Panorama is a scale model of New York City which has all five borough, even small airplanes flying into the airports.  You can walk all around it an try to find your house or other famous landmarks.

Louis Comfort Tiffany had his studio in Corona, Queens.  There are examples of his beautifully colored glass and the different ways he manipulated it to create depth and texture.  

They also have changing exhibits and weekend events in the auditorium.

There is a small parking lot right in front or take the 7 train to Willets Point and walk towards the Unisphere.

9/3/2009

Suggested Donation!

Let me start by saying the Panorama is worth whatever you pay for admission. Beyond that, things start to pale in comparison. However, they have an amazing gift shop, and the park is pretty amazing as well.

6/21/2011

I remembered this museum very fondly after visiting several years ago, and was excited to bring a group of friends this past weekend who had never visited before. The museum itself deserves 4-5 stars, particularly because of the 1964 NYC panorama which is quite a unique gem of city history.

Unfortunately, the staff member who greeted us at the front desk (perhaps "greeted" is too pleasant a term), and repeatedly barked at us about the suggested donation prices clouded my initial enjoyment of the museum and caused me to want to come home and write a few negative words here. As a regular patron of the arts, I understand and respect their need for donations, but felt so angered by his tone that my desire to donate completely dissolved. I hope the staff will reconsider the importance of customer service when asking for (yes, "asking", not ordering) support in the future so this lovely museum can stay alive.

12/25/2010

Call me biased, but I don't care. As a Queens native, the QMA is my pride and joy. You may have some bigshot museums like the Met (of course, I adore it, too), the Whitney, the MoMA, and the Guggenheim, but it's the smaller museums both within and outside the city that really get to the heart of the respective borough, and the QMA delivers it and then some.

As a history freak, this museum is a direct offshoot of the World's Fair of 1964-1965, so their significance is quite symbolic. As a Flushing resident, it's close by, and I'm ashamed to say that I never got to visit this place until THIS SUMMER. That's right, this summer. I was so impressed with not just the panorama, but also the temporary exhibit on "The Curse of Bigness," which was one of the most interesting exhibits I had encountered, due to its more conceptual (but still understandable) roots.

This is a museum that knows how to let loose with their Passport Series, as well. BYOB and everything. It's a zoo, and I love it. This is exactly the kind of museum where snooty, rich folks would drop dead. Similar to how President Andrew Jackson invited the "common-folk" to the White House for his 1829 Inauguration to the upper crusts' horror, the QMA ties itself to the everyday folks of Queens (but perhaps with a little more tact than Jackson). A museum of the people by the people for the people.

10/13/2010

In my opinion, the Queens Museum of Art is definitely one of the premier museums in New York City.  I'm ashamed to admit that although I've been a Queens resident my whole life, I only discovered the QMA about 5 years ago.  The Panorama is indeed an amazing site and is also the largest scale model of NYC ever built.  The QMA also has a vast of array of other exhibitions that change periodically.  

Another favorite exhibit of mine is their permanent World's Fair exhibit with photos, exhibits and memorabilia from both the 1939 and 1964 World's Fairs.  

The QMA is also in the midst of expanding and I am looking forward to the new exhibits that will surely be added.

3/25/2010

This is one awesome secret! It's not really a secret, it's just that it's Queens Museum of Art and nobody believes any borough other than Manhattan is part of New York City. Anyway, this place is badass and not just cause it's one of the landmarks in that Grand Theft Auto 4 video game. It's cause it's just a really pleasant place to go.

They've got a huge miniature model of the city -as mentioned in other reviews. They held this great event last (2009) summer where a ton of people wore togas and jumped into large pools of water while they set giant paper boats on fire. They hold openings all the time with all these awesome minority artists. They serve booze at these openings.

It's a real museum!!!, not like that bullshit New Museum. Have you ever been to that New Museum on Bowery? That place sucks! New Museum is not a real museum. I felt so gypped that time I paid to go there. That place was such a mess and looked like it was just a bunch of abstract art-school student projects. No, Queens Museum is not like that. Queens Museum knows how to do it up right. It is a WORLD-CLASS museum.

It is classy, like I is.

okay... maybe mo' than I is. Go there now!

2/8/2009

This is one of the best museums in New York City.  It is certainly the best museum for your dollar.  The Panorama is, of course, mind-meltingly awesome.  Even when the lights aren't working correctly.  If anything, the Panorama serves as a good illustration of how little of New York City most residents actually avail themselves of.

I don't find that the museum is particularly out of the way.  Moreover, there's plenty of interest in Flushing and Corona.  Louis Armstrong's house.  Lewis Lattimer's house.  Chinese and Korean food in Flushing.  Salvadorean food in Corona.  A nice, if small, botanical garden at the edge of the park.

But even if you just go to QMA, it's a destination in itself.  The Panorama can easily take 30 minutes.  The World's Fair exhibition is at least another quarter hour.  And the exhibits, if hit and miss, are forward-thinking and often exemplary of the more vibrant directions in contemporary art.

1/25/2009

I didn't really get to see much of the museum, but I definitely want to go back. Came here earlier tonight for the Queens International. I would have stayed longer if it weren't so cold out and the trains weren't so completely screwed up. I've always wanted to come because I'm obsessed with New York World Fair history... so I was super excited to see some of the leftovers, even though it was dark and freezing out... The unisphere and the observatory towers, so cool!!!

Of the actual museum, I couldn't see much. It was so crowded for the exhibition... I mostly just hung out on the second floor and saw some of the World Fair exhibit and the AMAZING panorama... Dude. I love it.
Also - small but lovely gift store.

3/1/2009

The red-headed step child of art musuems, Queens Museum is often overlooked in favor of it's more glamorous Manhattan brethern, heck even in Flushing Meadows it's overshadowed by the kid friendly Hall of Science.  However those who do get a chance to make it out here won't be dissapointed.  The centerpiece for this musuem has got to be the Panorama.  It's a wonderously acurate model of the entire 5 boroughs the make up our fair city.  There are also some really nice exhibits on the two NYC worlds fairs, gives a good visual history and some context for all the random buildings you see in the park, like the unisphere, and the state pavilion (you know the flying saucers from Men in Black).  

One thing that many people don't know about is that there is a very nice collection of Tiffany Glass at the museum. May not rate a dedicated trip, but when strolling Flushing Meadows in the spring/summer take some time out of rowing on the lake, the Hall of Science and the Zoo to stop in.

7/26/2012

shhhhhhhh... don't tell anyone about this museum. especially those annoying pseudo NY manhattan people who gauk at 7 train riders and mumble about the outer boroughs and how far away queens is .... blah blah. it is bad enough we have to see you during Met games/ US open tournaments. stay on your Little island and don't venture out into Corona, Queens for delicious food - old school Italian or Latin. Don't visit this very cool museum with filled with artifacts from Golden Days of NY, anD A stunning panorama or cool film/. cultural festivals, including the city's only Queer film series. Don't take cool pictures around the uni sphere or walk around the tennis grounds. don't do any of it. lest we may lose the best part of Northwestern Queens: the absences of the new newyork hipster. and if you really must come, show some respect - leave your borough bashing behind. and by the way, you will never ever never be a REAL NYER.... hahaha

4/21/2011

The panorama is a must-see for any tourist who wants to understand New York from a different angle. Unlike NYC with its closed spaces, here you have an expansive vantage point from which you can try to understand the joys and difficulties in living here. The Tiffany's are also superb and the museum is never overwhelming. Summer cultural festivals and the outdoor movie series are one of the hidden Queens secrets and great to take a date to. Even if the Queens Museum wouldn't have all these virtues, I would still give them top marks as I have nothing but unbridled respect for institutions that pay hommage to the rapidly diminishing middle class as they suggest admissions rather than imposing what a person should pay.

1/17/2011

Awesome panorama!  Even as a jaded New Yorker, I was impressed here!  I spent probably over an hour in this one room walking around pointing out the different buildings, bridges, parks, landmarks, and my house!  

Interesting art shows as well, many focused on Queens, and a great display of Worlds Fair paraphernalia.

2/12/2012

The Diorama of NYC is pretty much the sole reason you should go. It's pretty great. While the art gallery was pretty interesting, I am not sure I can really grade the rest of the museum mainly due to the fact that it probably changes it's art gallery every so often. Than again it is a gallery, which may be something you'd want to see after a certain period of time.

4/2/2007

This museum is small and out of the way, but I try to support the underdogs. The Panorama of New York City is definitely worth visiting. I was circling the whole thing trying to find my house. Hee. The amount of work put into it is amazing.

8/6/2010

I went to the museum yesterday and the Panorama is pretty SWEET! But that's about it. The rest was so so. I was actually most impressed with the giant living room size elevator. HA!

4/22/2007

In any other city the Queens Museum of Art would receive top billing at the local tourist office.  The museum regularly hosts high caliber exhibitions including the current one on the urban planner Robert Moses.  Past exhibits included one on new photography coming out of Mexico City.

Also, if you are a New York resident you should definitely visit the model of the City of New York.  The display features miniature models featuring the buildings of New York color-coded by use--residential, commercial etc.  Moreover, every couple of minutes or so, the entire place gets dark to mimic the transition from day to night and the entire place glitters from all of the tiny lights embedded in the models.

Hopefully, with the announcement that the museum building itself will almost double in size, more people will visit--especially New Yorkers who have a very Manhattan-centric view.

6/7/2010

Holy panorama Batman! This place gives you a whole new feel for your city and a perspective we all desperately need.  Get thee to Queens!

4/17/2008

Been a while since I've been, and there's a reason. This place is out of the way. That said, it's worth the trek. The space is well laid out and interesting. They have a great Dali collection, the Panorama of the City of New York, regular showcases of up-and-coming artists, special works commissioned for the space that comment on NYC, and more, plus changing temporary exhibitions.

12/20/2008

Being in the museum and seeing all the left-overs of the once-glamorous World Expo with the Unisphere in sight make me feel disappointed about not being born years earlier to witness such an event. This museum brings all of you back in time, and oh-please with the "hard to reach" or "semi-ghetto neighborhood in sight" complaints: true explorers only go for things that others do not notice. Take note, adventurers! I really hope they can get more funding in the future!!

12/14/2007

I tell everyone who visits New York City to leave some time to get off the island of Manhattan for a while to explore the so-called "outer boroughs." The Queens Art Museum and Flushing Meadows park are one of the many, many reasons to do so. Queens is so often overlooked and overshadowed by glamorous Manhattan and the increasingly-glamorous Brooklyn. But for the visitor to NYC, I find Queens to be one helluva borough. Take the 7 train out from Grand Central Station and you'll find yourself at this lovely park and top-notch art museum. The panorama of New York is a sight to see in and of itself.

9/19/2007

This has to be one of the most underappreciated museums in all of new york, as even though there isn't a lot to do here, there's still enough to take up a good hour or two and it is the quality of the stuff that really counts.  They usually have a different main exhibit that is somewhat interesting, like the exhibit on Robert Moses only a couple of months ago, but the real draw is the mainstay attraction that is The Panorama of New York City.  It is from the last world's fair in queens (1964 I BELIEVE) and it is a huge 3-D map of all five boroughs with miniatures of nearly every building that you can think of.  All bridges, all parks. everything.  It is amazing.  It's like you just want to go down there and play with it like a toy town.  They even have airports and staten island, of course.  Very accurate in the position of everything.  Next, the exhibits on the two World's fairs that occurred in Queens  are great to look at, because you realize how amazing queens once was, even though it is still amazing in my opinion.  So much rich history and a lot of interesting stuff to look at from these fairs.  I miss them.  If you went to one of the fairs and need a trip down memory land, then go here and take a step back to when the world was in flushing meadow park.  By the way, you should be able to find your house if you look close enough at the panorama.  The Unisphere is also right outside so go there and enjoy the view of the globe as well as all the skaters that frequent the area.  Don't forget to get a little something at the gift shop, if you want.  Don't miss this amazing little museum.