Although you may not have a creative flair to create that perfect artwork with likes such as Monet or Michelangelo it doesn’t mean that you can’t appreciate good art. And there are definitely a few museums that you wouldn’t want to miss if you’re an artsy fartsy guru when you are out and about exploring New York. But if you think lingering in the foyer of an art gallery is just absolutely boring, you may walk out with a change of heart as you’ll feel slightly more cultured.

The Guggenheim or its ‘official’ name, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, is the most-renowned art gallery in the US and it is situated in Manhattan, New York. The fairly hideous cylindrical building that sits on the corner of the Upper East Side block is home to many touring art collections as well as personal collections of the Museum itself. You would think that you’d have to visit some fancy museum over in Paris to see the paintings of historically known artists but in fact they’re just sitting on the walls third level up in the Guggenheim Museum. Such collections include some early works by Picasso and Van Gogh.

Down the road from the Guggenheim is the Metropolitan Museum of Art or aka The Met. This place is appreciated far more for its exterior than what is actually inside, or so it seems. Grand stairs, tall pillars and architectural reminisce of Ancient Rome – who wouldn’t want to hang out with a group of friends on the front steps of such a cool looking building? Besides, if you’re a fan of the TV show Gossip Girl then those stairs out front may perhaps look slightly familiar.

The Met also comes alive with the buzzing atmosphere of people who enjoy a chilly winter’s day walk checking out local artists who sell their own art creation at their individual stalls which have been setup out front. This is a great place to pick up a cool artwork for a very cheap price either something to take home or to give as presents. The artists themselves are all very friendly and would be more than welcome to share their ideas and have a chat with you about their individual pieces.

You can also pick up a giant pretzel to pick on as you make your way across Central Park, to the ‘west’ side of Manhattan and over to the American Museum of Natural History.

There are several of these history museums located around the country but this one seems to beat the rest. Why? Not only was it used for the Ben Stiller movie, The Museum, but when you enter inside, you will feel overwhelmed by enormity of the place; so grand and just bustling with people. You’ll feel like you’re back on a school excursion again as you wander through hoping that T-Rex wouldn’t come alive but at the same time wishing that the polar bear on the other side of the glass was real. You can even take a quick science lesson in one of the labs in the museum where they teach you how to test for your own DNA – fascinating stuff!