By Tennie Sumague
EBC New York Bureau
NEW YORK, NY (Eagle News) – The heat was on Tuesday evening along Fifth Avenue between East 82nd-105th streets for the 38th annual Museum Mile Festival. New York City’s biggest block party was held from 6 to 9pm where seven museums along the Museum Mile trip offered free admission to the public.
Participating museums included the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Neue Galerie New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, The Jewish Museum, El Museo Del Barrio, and the Museum of the City of New York. The festival also provided live music, entertainment and activities for children.
What were the best museums to see during this festival? Here are four of my favorite museums and exhibitions along the mile:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET)
I have been going to the MET since I was a child and I never get tired of visiting this iconic institution which spans the length of four city blocks. Whether it is to see all the exhibits, for people watching from the museum steps or just strolling along Fifth Avenue, the MET should always be on the list of places to see on your own, with friends or with family. Cultural enthusiasts can easily spend almost a day walking through the numerous corridors and exhibits of The MET. However, because I also wanted to see other museums during this festival, I cut this visit short and chose to browse through one of its popular current exhibitions: Age of Empires: Chinese Art of the Qin and Han Dynasties (221 B.C – A.D. 200). The exhibit will be featured from now until July 16.
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
I have lived in New York all my life and have never taken a picture of the Frank Lloyd Wright designed museum until now. Apparently many others were also taking this opportunity to see the museum as the line to enter was extremely long. A live Brazilian jazz band in front of the museum was enjoyable and made the wait somewhat more bearable, but time was ticking with still other museums to see. I made a mental note to return and explore the museum on a less crowded afternoon. Also referred to as The Guggenheim, the museum is home to numerous collections from the Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early Modern and Contemporary art periods.
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
I am a big fan of all the Smithsonian museums, but this museum is now one of my favorites after the Museum of American History in Washington D.C. I never knew this museum existed until now and it is the only museum in the United States that exclusively features historic and contemporary design. During the evening, families brought their children to play vicariously through the treasure trunk design and Imagination Playground. The Jazz Age exhibit should not be missed and will be on display until August 20.
Museum of the City of New York
Need a history lesson on New York City? Then visit this museum which offers exhibits on historical and cultural events that even born and raised New Yorkers could learn from. One exhibit in particular caught my eye- Rhythm and Power: Salsa in New York. The recently opened exhibition takes us through how Latin American music and dance form shaped the New York community in the 1960’s, and displayed memorabilia from Grammy winners Tito Puente and Celia Cruz.
Three hours was not enough time to visit and take in all of the museums along this one mile stretch. If you are ever in New York, take a break from seeing the busy and crowded sights to explore and recharge at one or more of these cultural institutions.
(Eagle News Service)