Culture lovers can spend many days visiting the selection of world-class museums that line Fifth Avenue from 82nd Street to 105th Street. While the stretch of road may not be particularly long, it would be nearly impossible to visit every museum along the way properly. The museums in New York City are top-notch and deserve to be explored thoroughly. In-museum cafes and restaurants add culinary creativity and shopping options here are high class. For a break, while taking in the richness of Museum Mile, Central Park is right at hand as are museum shops to satisfy any need for souvenirs.
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The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) celebrates its 150th anniversary with mega exhibits on the roof and indoors. The lavish Die Neue Galerie is a haven for 20th-century Austrian and German art in a 1914 Beaux-Arts mansion. The Guggenheim Museum invites you to travel its modern and contemporary art-adorned spiral in an iconic building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Design fans will love the Cooper Hewitt with its frequently changing exhibits.
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave., 212.535.7710
- Die Neue Galerie, 1048 Fifth Ave., 212.628.6200
- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Ave., 212.423.350
- Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution, 2 E. 91st St. (at Fifth Ave.), 212.849.8400
The Jewish Museum features a permanent collection of Judaica along with exhibits of contemporary relevance. The Museum of the City of New York chronicles life in New York from the city’s early Dutch days with permanent and changing exhibits about history, music, art, civil rights and more. El Museo del Barrio offers a dual-language exploration into the city’s vibrant Latino and Latin American art.
- The Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Ave., 212.423.3200
- Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave., 212.534.1672
- El Museo del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Ave., 212.831.7272
Conservatory Garden, East side of Fifth Ave., between 104th St. and 106th St.
Eat
Museums offer a variety of dining options, along with the popular Australian coffee bar Bluestone Lane housed in a building adjacent to the Church of the Heavenly Rest. Along the side streets, you can find gourmet food shops, a wine bar, pizza and other snacks. There are numerous places to grab a bite along Museum Mile too. You’re likely to find something to fit your fancy whether you’re in the mood for cafe fare, Italian or something exotic.
- Café Sabarsky, 1048 Fifth Ave., 212.628.6200
- Gina la Fornarina, 26 E. 91st St., 212.828.6800
- Bluestone Lane Upper East Side, 1085 Fifth Ave., 718.374.6858
- Tre Otto, 1410 Madison Ave., 212.860.8880
- Chalsty’s Café, 1220 Fifth Ave., 212.534.1672
- Yura on Madison, 1350 Madison Ave., 212.860.1707
- Teranga, 1280 Fifth Ave., 646.663.1935
Shop
For elegant and eclectic shopping, the gift shops at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Die Neue Galerie, and other locations along Museum Mile sell jewelry, art, clothing, books and more, with many unusual pieces available. Venture to the side streets close by, and you’ll find a variety of boutiques and local shops in addition to the museum stores you’ll find along the way.
- The Met Store, 1000 Fifth Ave., 212.535.7710
- Die Neue Galerie Book Store and Design Shop, 1048 Fifth Ave., 212.628.6200
- The Guggenheim Store, 1071 Fifth Ave., 212.423.3500
- Boutique Mirabellle, 1310 Madison Ave.,212.534.2116
- S Feldman Housewares, 1304 Madison Ave., 212.289.7367
- Jewish Museum Shop, 1109 Fifth Ave., 212.423.3200
- The Corner Bookstore, 1313 Madison Ave., 212.831.355
- J.McLaughlin, 1311 Madison Ave., 212.369.4830
Drink
If you’re in the mood for a drink and conversation, you can find various bars along the way, in addition to numerous restaurants with extensive beverage menus. Many are great spots to sit and chat about the last museum you visited with friends.
- The Wright, 1071 Fifth Ave., 212.423.3500
- Eli’s Essentials and Wine Bar, 1270 Madison Ave., 646.755.3999
- Paola’s Osteria, 1246 Madison Ave., 212.923.5820
