Brooklyn Museum in New York

The Brooklyn Museum in New York is a diverse art museum with over one and a half million works. In one of the largest and oldest museums in the United States, you can find ancient Egyptian art to contemporary art. Works by Monet, Picasso and Judy Chicago, among others, are exhibited here. Located on the edge of Prospect Park, the museum is a perfect place to discover art from a variety of cultures.

What to see at Brooklyn Museum in New York

The Brooklyn Museum has five floors where you can admire works from various collections. On the third floor, you can see an impressive collection of Egyptian antiquities over 3000 years old, including mummies, sarcophagi, sculptures and funerary objects.

The European, African, Asian and Islamic collections add further variety to this Brooklyn art museum. There are also works by American artists, starting with the colonial period in the 15th century and continuing until 1945.

On the fourth floor, you can visit the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, which includes the famous installation artwork The Dinner Party. An icon of feminist art, this artwork was created in memory of important women in history.

In addition to permanent exhibitions, the museum also has changing exhibitions, in which the diversity of the art museum comes to the fore. The museum’s shop sells souvenirs and art from local artists.

Sculpture Garden

The Brooklyn Museum also includes the Steinberg Family Sculpture Garden. This is a garden where you can find several statues which have been saved from demolition. The Statue of Liberty Replica is located here, among other things. Feel free to walk around the garden or get something to eat at the pink Brooklyn Museum food truck.

The Storage

The Brooklyn Museum is known for its large collection, but not all works of art can be exhibited at the same time. That’s why the Visible Storage is there; the store for American Art that displays more than 2000 works. The storage is fun to walk through and shows the vastness of the collection.

History of the building

The history of the Brooklyn Museum dates back to 1823, when the Brooklyn Library was founded. Later, the Brooklyn Institute was born, which offered art exhibitions. The idea for the Brooklyn Museum was born in 1890, which opened seven years later in the building that still houses the museum today.

Located next to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the building is known for its Beaux-Arts style and covers an area of 52,000 square metres. This makes it one of the largest museums in the United States. The style of the museum is most evident in the Beaux-Arts Court, an arched room with a glass floor and a brass chandelier. The roof, which is eighteen metres high and made of glass, makes it a beautiful space.

About Eric »

Hey there, I'm Eric!

I'm a true New York fan with over 20 years of experience visiting and living in NYC. Here on my website, I share all my tips and valuable information to help you make the most of your trip. I personally test and regularly re-test everything on my site to ensure that what I write is useful, honest, and always up-to-date.

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Eric’s Tip: “You can combine your visit to the Brooklyn Museum with a walk through Prospect Park and Brooklyn Botanic Garden. If you are in New York with children, it is nice to also visit the Brooklyn Children’s Museum.”

Practical Information

• Opening hours:
  • Wednesday – Sunday: 11:00 – 18:00
  • The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
• Location: 200 Eastern Parkway
• How to get there: The museum is easily accessible by subway 23. The Eastern Pkwy – Brooklyn Museum station is in front of the door.
• Accessibility:  The museum is wheelchair accessible
• Note: When you visit the Brooklyn Museum, keep in mind that you are not allowed to photograph with a flash.