New Museum of Contemporary Art

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  • Address
    btwn Stanton & Rivington Sts, 235 Bowery St, Lower East Side, 10001
  • Phone
    212 219 1222
  • Email
  • Website
  • Transport
    underground rail: N, R, W to Prince St; 6 to Spring St; V to 2nd Avenue; J, M, Z to Bowery
  • Wed 12:00 - 18:00 , Thu & Fri 12:00 - 22:00 , Sat & Sun 12:00 - 18:00

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Lonely Planet review

This brand-new addition to the neighborhood is a sight to behold: a seven-story stack of off-kilter, white, ethereal boxes, designed by Tokyo-based architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA and the New York-based firm Gensler. It's a long-awaited breath of fresh air along this gritty Bowery strip, and the thrills don't stop when you step inside.

Its kick-off, four-part exhibit series, the group show 'Unmonumental,' was a taste of what's to come in the city's sole museum dedicated to contemporary art: edgy works in new forms, like seemingly random, discarded materials fused together and displayed in the middle of a vast room.

Founded in 1977 by Marcia Tucker and moved to five different locations over the years, the museum's mission statement is simple: 'New art, new ideas.' The institution has given gallery space to artists Keith Haring, Jeff Koons, Joan Jonas, Mary Kelly and Andres Serrano - all at the beginning of their careers - and continues to show contemporary heavy hitters.

The museum also houses a small and healthy café, and has the added treat of a city viewing platform, which provides a unique perspective on the constantly changing architectural landscape.