These Best Cities In The United States Of America To See Art
The United States of America has a dazzling array of art destinations, whether you have a passion for antiquities, Native American art, or puzzling modern installations, your ideal city is waiting. Many are housed in architecturally inspirational buildings, frequently worthwhile destinations in themselves. To plan ahead for your next dose of culture, check out our guide to the best art destinations in the US. Let find out These Best Cities In The United States Of America To See Art.
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These Best Cities In The United States Of America To See Art
Washington DC
Art is not the first thing which springs to mind when people think of Washington. Yet, this city has some of the US’ most important and usually free museums, making it a must see for any art lover. The heavyweights include the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Museums, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and the Phillips Collection.
Don’t miss the Smithsonian’s stunning Sculpture Garden, containing dozens of outdoor works by Calder, Miró and Lichtenstein, among others. The National Museum of the American Indian is a worthwhile stop with beautiful craft work on display and its Native American foods café. To understand the contribution made by women to the arts, head to the unique National Museum of Women in the Arts.
New Orleans
The culture options at New Orleans are as diverse as the city’s heritage and history. Explore the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and the Historic New Orleans Collection to gain a better understanding of local history. But also, check out the WWII Museum, considered to be the US’ most important museum devoted to the war.
For a more lighthearted afternoon, you can visit the Southern Food & Beverage Museum, which celebrates Southern food and drink with plenty of delicious events. And if you’ve never had the chance to party at the Mardi Gras, visit Mardi Gras World for a behind the scenes look at the construction of the floats.
LA
LA has a rich offering for culture vultures. Start with the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, located in the historic area of Little Tokyo, which was transformed by Frank Gehry. The Walt Disney Concert Hall is another Frank Gehry masterpiece, and has a diverse program of concerts and recitals. Another downtown resident on Grand Avenue is The Broad. Designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, it houses a permanent display from founders Eli and Edythe Broad’s collection alongside a rotating program of temporary exhibitions.
The mammoth Los Angeles County Museum of Art Los Angeles County Museum of Art takes up an entire corner of Wilshire Boulevard and boasts the title of largest museum in western United States with its extraordinary collection of130,000 objects dating from antiquity to the present. Must sees include Michael Heizer‘s phenomenal Levitated Mass and Chris Burden‘s lamppost installation Urban Light . Then there is the Getty legacy. Firstly, the Getty Villa, modeled after a first-century Roman country house, houses a collection of 44,000 Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities. Secondly, the Getty Center, on a hilltop with its splendid gardens and views, has an impressive collection of photography, paintings and sculptures from the 19th century onwards.
Chicago
The windy city is a great destination for art lovers. Its Art Institute of Chicago has one of the largest impressionist collections, as well key pieces by modern artists like Pollock, Warhol and Dalí. Look out for the new wing designed by Renzo Piano. To get in touch with your creative self, head to the newly re opened Evanston Art Center, which offers short art and craft lessons and workshops.
For a stroll with a difference, the Millennium Park has an impressive array of monumental sculptures, including Jaume Plensa’s video towers fountain and the iconic bean, officially known as Cloud Gate, by Anish Kapoor. It’s also home to Frank Gehry’s performance stage with its frequent concerts, and the Boeing Galleries, outdoor spaces with regularly rotating exhibitions. These Best Cities In The United States Of America To See Art.
Houston
The main art draw in Houston is its sprawling Houston Art and Museum District, a collection of almost 20 museums and cultural organizations. Options include the Houston Center for Photography, the Houston Contemporary Arts Museum and the Menil Collection, which houses the works collected by John and Dominique de Menil and constitutes one of the largest private collections amassed during the 20th century. The de Menils made another sizable contribution to the Houston art scene, founding the Rothko Chapel. The chapel is a multi faith space for reflection with 14 Rothko paintings inside.
