A day at the Museum of Modern Art

Art, shopping and Biden for the win!

Our days spent together are memorable on their own, but we’ll always remember our time at the Museum of Modern Art. The museum is recognized as one of the world’s most influential museums in the world, notable for its modern and contemporary art, which includes paintings, drawings, films, sculpture and more. It had been on Annie’s to-visit list for the longest, she wanted to to share the experience of being immersed in the Monet Water Lilies room all together but luck was not in our favor as the exhibit was closed. However, there were still plenty more to fascinate and engage all of us.

We began our exploration of Judd’s minimalistic and 3-dimensional art, and found creative ways of looking at reflections for some cool effects. We saw a couple of Van Gogh masterpieces, the "Postman" and "Starry Night", and were captivated by the intricacies of Marc Chagall “I and the Village” and simple but impactful piece of Matisse “Dance” amongst many other outstanding works. Despite being enamored by the space, exhibits and shopping, our desire to be out on the streets in midtown New York was a strong force we didn’t deny ourselves. Our visit fell on the same day the AP called the 2020 Presidential Election results and we craved the celebratory experience of being surrounded by fellow New Yorkers. We held our excitement together as we shopped in the gift store but the undercurrent of joy kept pushing us towards to exit because there is no greater feeling of jubilation than being on the streets with fellow New Yorkers in Midtown such a long awaited moment.

Maybe it’s the fact that we were hardly out during the pandemic but it's notable to say we found the museum to be accessible and inviting, the few staff members we encountered were friendly with some going above to ensure we had a positive visit. We also felt really safe which is of utmost importance during this time. And yes, there were definitely some art pieces that didn’t make sense to us but there were still plenty more that engaged us.

Things we appreciated:

- There were plenty of benches in gallery areas which we found to be convenient to study the art and/or rest.
- Some of the art pieces had a plaque nearby with activities “For Kids” next to it, describing the artwork and artist technique. There were also interesting questions stirring up conversations around the piece.
- The expansive, accessible and appealing shopping area is filled with plenty of creative pieces for any budget.
- The museum is home to the Sculpture Garden, an outdoor oasis providing a quiet sanctuary in Midtown.

Disability Highlight:

 Going forward, I’ll be taking the time to highlight prominent persons with disability at the places we visit. Oftentimes disabilities are purposefully left out of narration creating erasure and decontextualization, however without these disabilities you can ask, “Would such creativity exist ?” Van Gogh had a long list of health speculations ranging from epilepsy, bipolar disorder and anxiety. His greatest piece of work “Starry Night” (sold to MoMA for a whopping 1 billion dollars!) was created while in a mental institution and had cut his own ear off.

The Pandemic Safety Experience:
- Reserve tickets online ahead of time.
- Expect entry lines and temperature checks.
- Elevators are reserved for families with young children and persons with disabilities.

Suggested Duration: 3 hours or more

Accessibility Information :
- We visited two floors and the gift shop which were all accessible.
- Wheelchair accessible entrance is on 53rd and 54th streets between Fifth & Sixth Avenues.
- Wheelchair accessible restrooms and changing tables available on all floors. Single use/family restrooms are located on several floors. All gender bathroom are on Floor 1, 3W, 5, and T1
- Wheelchairs and portable stools are available free of charge, these can be requested in the lobby area.
- Service Animals are welcomed.
- Strollers are allowed throughout the museum except on escalators.
- Social narrative is available to prepare guests on the autistic spectrum prior to their visit, click here to download.
- Loops are available at all ticketing desks. Visitors can download an app onto their devices once in MoMA's lobby to access audio for select artworks throughout the galleries.
- Guest Assistants throughout the lobby are using iPads to communicate in writing with visitors who prefer to communicate this way.
- Click here for a comprehensive list of services available on Access.
- Explore some of the museum collection virtually, click here for Google Arts & Culture link .

Location :
11 West 53rd Street
Phone: 212-708-9400
Website: www.moma.org/

Access Contact: accessprograms@moma.org or (212) 408-6347

Schedule : Check their linked here website for the most up to date hours of operation.

Admissions :
Free for Caretaker
Adult $30
Senior (65+) + Person w/Disability $22
Child (16 and under) Free
Student $17

Dining options are available and accessible. Click here for more information.

Public Transportation: This is a very central Midtown location therefore suggesting the use of the MTA app or Google Maps. These are some of the buses that stop by the museum: M1, M2, M3, M4 M103, M5, M7, Q32.

Important: Information is subject to change, please visit https://www.moma.org/ for the most up to date details.
Oct 2024