The grande dame of Brooklyn museums opened in 1897 – but don't be fooled by her age. This 56,000-sq-ft, beaux-arts fixture is a progressive fine-arts pioneer. Aside from the classics – spanning Egyptian sarcophagi to 19th-century interiors – there's an exceptional contemporary collection and exciting rotating exhibits.
View America's History in Paint
If you're short on time, spin around the 5th floor, dedicated to American art from 4000 BCE to the late 20th century. Rotate clockwise through the galleries to see the nation transform before your eyes. Crafts made by ancient indigenous communities give way to a full-length portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart. Albert Bierstadt's idyllically wild A Storm in the Rocky Mountains transforms into the sharp-edged factory buildings of Charles Sheeler's Incantation. Each piece is worth solo contemplation, but when considered together, the collection is particularly moving.
Experience Dynamic Diversity
Mainstream museums can feel like shrines to dead white dudes – something this museum is careful to avoid. Work by women gets pride of place on the 4th floor's 8300-sq-ft Elizabeth Sackler Center for Feminist Art, including Judy Chicago's 1979 masterpiece, The Dinner Party. Walk around the massive triangular dinner table installation to see 39 genitally driven place settings for femme icons like Hatshepsut, the first female pharaoh, Virginia Woolf and more. The museum's African collection (3rd floor) is equally impressive, chronicling roughly a millennia of artistry through 4500 works.
Visit for First Saturdays
On the first Saturday of each month, this isn't a regular museum – it's a cool museum. Live music, DJs and artsy activities transform the first floor into a house party, with many installments themed around celebrations like Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Black History Month and Pride. Register online and prepare to queue up to get in.
Stroll Through the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Due west of the museum is one of three entrances to the borough's beloved Brooklyn Botanic Garden featuring 52 acres and 365 days of blooms. Tickets cost $18 – well worth it if you've got the hots for horticulture. Crowds pack in for cherry blossom season (April and May) when buds on trees around the Japanese Garden and Cherry Esplanade begin bursting. Check the website to see what's in season. (bbg.org/bloom)
