Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Photo: Own work — CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, located on Manhattan’s Museum Mile, is renowned for its unique Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building and its extensive collection of modern and contemporary art.
Planning your visit
Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim was hated when it opened in 1959 — artists petitioned against it, arguing that a continuous spiral ramp with sloping floors and curved walls was a hostile place to hang paintings, and they had a point. Wright died six months before completion. Six decades later the building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most recognisable structures in New York, and the argument about whether the architecture overwhelms the art has never entirely stopped.
The way to use it is to take the lift to the top and walk down, which is what Wright intended: the rotunda unfolds as a single descending route, with the atrium open beside you throughout. The permanent collection covers modern and contemporary art with strong holdings in Kandinsky — Solomon Guggenheim collected him early and deeply — alongside Picasso, Chagall, Mondrian and the Thannhauser collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist work.
Major temporary exhibitions occupy the ramp and often define the visit, so checking what is installed matters.
It sits on Fifth Avenue's Museum Mile beside Central Park. Allow two hours. The main booking is an entry ticket. Current availability is shown below.
Before you book
Where is Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum?
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is in New York City, United States. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum?
Allow two hours. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Do I need to book Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in advance?
Tickets can be bought on the door at quiet times, but booking ahead fixes the date and avoids the queue at busy ones. Live availability is shown on this page.
