Top 5: Under-the-Radar New York City Museums

In a city teeming with culture, it’s hard to narrow down what museums to check out in New York City. But if you’re done with the Met or MoMA, check out some of these less-visited museums for a totally different experience.

Brooklyn Museum

With 1.5 million works of art, this museum certainly isn’t one of New York’s smaller ones, but, because it’s in Brooklyn, it’s not visited as often by out-of-towners as its counterparts across the river. But with amazing permanent collections, traveling exhibitions and Target First Saturdays, where admission is free and the building has extended hours, it’s well worth the trip.

The Cloisters

An outpost of the Metropolitan Museum, this uptown Manhattan location contains the Met’s medieval collection. The grounds, which are modeled after a monastery, make it easy to forget you’re still in the city and are especially lovely during the spring.

El Museo del Barrio

This donation-based museum features Latin American and Caribbean art, particularly from Puerto Rico. Located in East Harlem, away from “Museum Mile,” it’s a way to learn more about one of the city’s largest immigrant groups.

The Frick Collection

Housed in a gorgeous mansion on the Upper East Side, this museum boasts an impressive art collection in a smaller, more intimate setting than its more famous neighbor, the Metropolitan Museum of Art. During the week, it’ll feel like you have the museum all to yourself.

New York Transit Museum

Love it or hate it, New York’s transit system is a major part of life in the city. This unique museum, housed in an old subway station, is an engaging, hands-on look at how New Yorkers have moved throughout the ages.