The Art Gallery Crawl: A Secret Alternative To Art Museums In New York City
Life keeps us pretty busy. But every once in a while, plans fall through and we find ourselves with an opening in our otherwise overpacked schedule. So, what do we do when we have some time to kill? Well, we turn to a tried-and-true solution, one that requires no tricky reservations or extensive planning. And one that happens to be the best kept pseudo-secrets in town: an art gallery crawl.
Why you should do an art gallery crawl
Art gallery crawls are FREE
Before we go any further, we should mention that we love New York City’s museums. From 150-year old institutions like The Met to more personal spaces like the Frick Collection, art lovers are truly spoiled for choice. But The Met moved from a suggested donation to a mandatory admission fee in 2018 for everyone except New York state residents and students from the tristate area. And most other museums have an admission fee too, except for select days or evenings. We think if you can afford to support the arts, you should. But we also believe art should be accessible. New York City is expensive, we get it. So if you’re looking for an affordable way to go on a date, or to experience something new, then the art gallery crawl is a fantastic option.
Art gallery crawls offer a chance to explore a neighborhood too
Most museums are located in prominent areas. Think of Museum Row flanking the east side of Central Park, and the American Museum of Natural History flanking the west. While the buildings are often grand and their surroundings picturesque, they are not located in areas where most New Yorkers actually live. Out-of-town visitors aren’t the only ones getting off the subway at 86th Street to get to The Met, New Yorkers are too.
New York City is home to as many as 1,500 art galleries. And guess what? They are located all over the city. In Chelsea alone, there are almost 100 galleries scattered like buckshot near the High Line, between 10th and 11th Avenue from 19th to 29th Street. The Lower East Side has an impressive number too, as does SoHo and Tribeca. With an art gallery crawl, you’re in the heart of a neighborhood. You’ll see locals running into a bodega to pick up necessities and watch friends catch up outside a coffee shop. And life is art too, no?
Art gallery crawls are a more intimate experience
When you’re at MoMA, chances are there’s a line of people waiting to take their photograph with Van Gogh’s Starry Night, or Dali’s Persistence of Memory. It’s completely understandable, since many travel far and wide to see these iconic artworks for themselves. And while we would never suggest passing on this opportunity yourself, we would argue the word “intimate” is unlikely to be one you’d use to describe the experience.
An art gallery crawl, however, is exactly that. Even the larger galleries rarely fill to capacity, so you’re able to wander the space and interact with the work at your own pace. In our experience, the gallery staff is happy to provide information on the featured artists, but mostly leave you alone.
We will note; however, that there are occasionally extremely high-profile art gallery exhibitions like Yayoi Kusama’s Festival of Life that are so popular the lines wrap around the block. These are the exception to the rule, and are not great candidates for an art gallery crawl!
How to do an art gallery crawl
Much of what is on display in art galleries is contemporary in nature and can run the gamut, from lesser-known artists who are just cutting their teeth, to acclaimed international artists. The best thing about an art gallery crawl is that, for the most part, you never know exactly what you’ll see when walking through the doors of any given gallery. Sculptures? Portraits? Mixed media? Film? Video? Nudes? Hundreds of phone receivers piled into a room? It could be anything.
A spontaneous art gallery crawl
A spontaneous art gallery crawl is great if you are the type of person who hates movie trailers and would describe your time frame as fluid. Then just wander the streets and see what you see. Whimsically pop into one gallery after another, like the group we overheard say, “Should we do one more?” Fair warning, though: make sure it’s an art gallery before you enter. On one of our outings we bumped into a couple exiting a building and caught a glimpse of some interesting artwork on the walls. As we moved towards the entrance they said, “It’s not a gallery, just the well-decorated lobby of an apartment building!” Oops.
A well-planned art gallery crawl
If you’re the type of person who has an overdeveloped sense of what interests you and what absolutely does not, then something more structured may be preferable. Perhaps you have something else on the books later in the day, or you’re interested in a showcase for a particular artist. If that’s the case, websites like Galleries Now can help you plot out the respective galleries and exhibitions that specifically interest you.
Pro Tip: If you’re really looking to up your art gallery crawl game, then visit the Chelsea art galleries on Thursday night. Thursday night is Opening Night, which is when many galleries launch their new shows. Openings typically run from 6pm -8pm and light refreshments are offered.
Conclusion
Whether you go the spontaneous or planned route, you can be assured of one thing: you’re bound to see something that piques your interest. So if you’re looking for a fun (and free!) alternative to a museum day, consider tapping one of the best resources the city has to offer: its amazing art galleries.
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