Brooklyn Museum
4.7(10K)google
4.4(794)yelp
FamilyDate SpotIndoorEducationalContemporary ArtSculptureArchaeology
Overview
Housed inside a thoroughly magnificent, monumental 560,000-square-foot Beaux-Arts architectural masterpiece designed by McKim, Mead & White, the Brooklyn Museum is New York's second largest art institution. The museum is globally renowned for its exceptional, deeply comprehensive permanent collection of over one hundred and forty thousand artifacts spanning five thousand years of world history. Through beautifully sunlit galleries, visitors receive an incredibly rich look into ancient Egyptian treasures, masterworks of Indigenous American art, and cutting-edge contemporary feminist installations.
Practical Info
Suggested DurationAbout 2-4 hours
Best TimeOpen year-round. Visiting on the 'First Saturday' of any month (starting at 5:00 PM) is spectacular, featuring free admission, live DJs, and community pop-ups, seamlessly blending world-class Egyptian antiquities with Brooklyn's contemporary soul.
Getting ThereSituated in central Brooklyn at 200 Eastern Pkwy. Ride the 2 or 3 subway line directly to the Eastern Parkway-Brooklyn Museum station. A dedicated paid open-air parking lot is located directly behind the museum complex.
Travel Tips
- General admission operates under a strict 'Pay-What-You-Wish' policy at the physical ticketing desk; however, this entry does not grant access to major special exhibitions, which require mandatory full-price timed tickets.
- The famous 'First Saturdays' event offers free admission and cultural programming from 5 PM to 11 PM, but due to high popularity, you must secure a free ticket online weeks in advance as walk-ins are not accommodated.
- On-site paid parking is accessible via Washington Avenue behind the building, but taking public transit is highly recommended as the Eastern Parkway-Brooklyn Museum subway station (Lines 2 and 3) stops directly in front.
Reviews
Positive
- As one of the oldest and largest art museums in the country, its collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities and contemporary feminist art exhibitions are of incredibly high quality and visually stunning.
- The galleries are spacious and grand, avoiding the stifling crowds of the Met, allowing visitors to savor art in a beautifully calm and quiet atmosphere.
- The transit options are highly convenient with a subway station right outside the museum entrance, and its adjacency to Prospect Park allows you to easily combine an art tour with a park picnic.
Heads up
- Tickets for certain special exhibitions require an extra purchase and are pricey; if you haven't reserved a timed-entry slot online, waiting in line at the venue takes ages.
- Because of the massive collection and maze-like directional layout, signs connecting certain wings are unclear, making it easy for unfamiliar visitors to get turned around.
- Some traditional history galleries suffer from dim lighting and dated fixtures, lacking multilingual interactive digital devices, which can make the experience feel dry for non-native English speakers.