MUSEUMS THAT MUSEUM GO-ERS SHOULD GO TO, THAT AREN'T MOMA: METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART. There are no exceptions. You can't go to museums here and not see the met. It is amazing. And ranges from free to $5. The Frick Collection. The Morgan Library The Guggenheim. A must-go for modern art with actual substance and quality, you will evade the inevitable heaps of shit that rot in the MoMA. . AREAS YOU MUST VISIT IF YOU HAVE EYES AND FEET ESPECIALLY EYES SoHo, AND Chelsea, which are nearby to each other, and are a must must must must Columbus Circle/Lincoln Center NOT TIMES SQUARE
That is all. Enjoy.
Edit: NikolaiFyodorov, this is for you. Also note that my taste is a little more hipster and places like SoHo and Chelsea are cultural dens of beauty and modernity and art and wealth, as opposed to locations like the Empire State Building, or Times Square which are just 'wow look at how big these shiny things are' kind of wealth. That said, I'll second veen's suggestion of going to the Top of the Rock. Seriously, forget the State Building, and either way you're probably gonna pass through Times Square during your journey, and a pass-through is all you need. Lincoln Center/Columbus circle are in my opinion far more extravagant than the Rockefeller center, though that is also awesome. For context, all of these places are actually only a few blocks from each other, in what is called Midtown. Columbus Circle is also right by the South end of Central Park. Going a little more South, lands you in the Rockefeller Center. Avoid a cab unless you can really afford it, and don't be afraid of the Subway. Keep us posted on your plans!
Never been... to either! Nowadays if I'm spending time in the city I go to a cool district (love me the West Village and Chelsea) and I walk around alone or with friends. It's the beautiful perk of Manhattan that you can get off at any street and have a place to party.
PS1 doesn't really have much up at the moment, but Nikolai, if you're here when the NY Art Book Fair is happening, that's the only art thing you really need to do. It takes place at PS1. Keep a whole day free for it. It is the art event each year. http://nyartbookfair.com/ Other than that, screw the Koonsy Whitney right now, MoMA's inbetween some better shows... but actually the New Museum has a surprisingly good show on right now though.
The Art Book Fair looks fantastic, and since I'm arriving on the 27th, there's every chance I can make a visit. Thanks a lot, romkeh.
Thanks a lot, nowaypablo. A friend of mine resides in SoHo so I'll certainly be spending time there. Is Chelsea home of the famous Chelsea Hotel? I'm going to eschew google and just assume that it is.
Yeah, it's one of the coolest things about the area that the most modern buildings and galleries in Manhattan are snuggled in between awesome historical landmarks.