New York Art School Trip

Along with the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building is one of those iconic New York landmarks that should be included in any tour of the city. Completed in 1930 it was until 1970 the highest building in the World until the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre surpassed it. The building is famous for its art deco styling and the 86th floor Observation Deck has been the scene of many Hollywood Movies.

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is one of the World’s great modern art museums. The state-of-the-art building is laid out over five floors, although it is not so large that you cannot explore it all. Start at the top with the Impressionists where you can see works such as Monet’s Water Lilies, Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Henri Matisse’s Dance. Descending through the floors brings you into the realm of contemporary art including Jeff Koon’s iconic Pink Panther and Jasper Johns Flag. There is an excellent free audio guide to help you navigate through the collection.

The Whitney Museum of American Art is located in the old meat packing district. It was founded in 1930 by Gertrude Whitney, a wealthy art benefactor and member of the Vanderbilt family. The museum has a specific focus on twentieth and twenty-first century American Art, in particular American abstract art which is probably the most important art trend to come out of the USA. Some of the art can be challenging and for many, the main attraction here are the views across the Hudson and the city from the upper terraces of the building.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue is known by all as the Met. The museum contains art from Antiquity to Jackson Pollock and is so much more than just an art museum. It is so large and its collections so extensive that it is impossible to do it justice in one single visit, so any tour here should include a well-structured plan. Art students may be particularly interested in the excellent Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collections, but you will also discover neoclassicism and there are also many important works by leading Renaissance artists including Raphael and Caravaggio.

Housed in the iconic Frank Lloyd-Wright building, the museum grew out of the art-collecting of its patron and founder Solomon Guggenheim who was heir to a vast mining fortune. The vast atrium and ramp allow each of the six floors to flow into each other. The museum houses a collection of Kandinsky as well as works by surrealists and cubists such as Picasso, Paul Klee and Joan Miro. There are also exhibitions of many contemporary artists and photographers such as Robert Mablethorpe.

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous American icons. A gift from France, it was meant to symbolise the political freedom and democracy which had be won during the Civil War. You take the ferry to Liberty Island where you can visit the statue pedestal and explore the Museum. You then continue to Ellis Island where the Immigration Museum records the important role this island had in the processing most of the immigrants to the USA during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Situated in the heart of midtown Manhattan and adjacent to Saks Fifth Avenue, the observation deck on the 70th floor of the Rockefeller Centre is known as the Top of the Rock. Many consider the views to be superior to those from the Empire State Building, and the timed entrance ticket means that there is normally minimal queuing.

The Radio City Backstage Tour takes you behind the scenes in the iconic Radio City Music Hall, the largest indoor theatre in the world. The interior is an incredible time capsule of the Art Deco era and during the tour you hear about the history of the venue and some of the famous names that have appeared here, from Pink Floyd to Harry Styles! You also learn about the Rockettes and their famous Show which is one of the main revenue earners for the theatre.

The One World Observatory (OWO) is situated on the 102nd floor of the Freedom Tower, the new World Trade Centre which lies adjacent to Ground Zero where the original Twin Towers stood. The 47 second elevator ride to the top is one of the highlights, taking you through a visual time-lapse of New York from pre-history to the present day. On a clear day the 360-degree views are spectacular and, being located in the Downtown area, are probably the best in the city.

The skyline view of New York from Brooklyn Bridge Park is unforgettable, and after taking photos you can walk the pedestrian walkway across the bridge and back into Lower Manhattan. This is a boardwalk which runs above the traffic and so there is no traffic to worry about. Spend your time on this and savour the views which are probably at their best as evening approaches and the sun begins to set.

White you're in New York, be sure to take in the excitement of spending an evening at a Broadway Show. Tickets are available at a range of prices and shows will vary from season to season so please contact us for the best pricing and availability

The 9/11 Memorial Museum is located at Ground Zero and is built into the original foundations of the Twin Towers. The museum documents the events of September 11, 2001 using artefacts from the towers and rescue services, as well as personal testimony, both written and recorded.