Attn: Architecture Fans - Site recommendations for NYC trip [TRIP FINISHED]

[Mr. Nowack]

Although I have visited the city before this is my first time going with actual time to sightsee! It's going to be mid December however so I'm trying to plan some warm interiors haha.

Does anyone have any recommendations of cool public places that I can just kiddof meander into? My favorite style buildings are Beaux-Arts and other types of early 20th century public architecture, but I also love Art Deco, art nouveau and such. The only place I've really seen inside is Grand Central, and a few Broadway houses of course (adding the Imperial and the Walter Kerr this time around!).

I have a few in mind already but I'd love to hear any suggestions!

[sabrelady]

Highly recommend the Radio City Music Hall Tour. W over 5k seating, its huge but humanly proportioned. Lots of art decco esp European modern. They've maintained it well to ( check out the bath rooms- like something out of The Women) the actual stage is an engineering marvel- they use the same elevator system for air craft carriers!  and then there is the Wurlizer Organ  ( gutter minds!) and lots of depression era art work  Plus the Roxy Suite ( won't spoil it for u) and near the end u gets to meet a reeell live Rockette and take pitchers togeddah too!

[UncleCharlie]

You might consider a visit to the Guggenheim Museum, a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece. Also the Morgan Library and the Frick Collection are housed in beautiful mansions built in the early 1900's. Some incredibly beautifully decorated rooms and great exhibitions. 

[Mr. Nowack]

Thank you so much for these suggestions so far :)

The Morgan Library sounds amazing, and I would love to see the Guggenheim and Radio City. Does anyone have any info about pricing or say how long a tour of Radio City is? I'm trying to keep spending to a minimum so "free and open to the public" is ideal, but at least some expense is expected.

[sabrelady]

I think the tour is a bit over an hour 70+ mins. If u buy on line the priCe is just under 20.

http://www.radiocity.com/tour

[Jay Lerner-Z]

You should go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Hardly the hidden gem you're looking for, but it fits all your criteria. There's a suggested entrance fee, but you can pay what you like or nothing at all, if I recall correctly. It's at least partially Beaux-Arts, and a mish-mash of other styles. You can spend all day in there! Be sure to go up to the rooftop garden while you're at it.

[Mr. Nowack]

Thank you for the tip on the Met Jay Lerner-Z, that definitely seems up my alley.

Any other suggestions? Hidden gem status is NOT a requirement of course (though it can never hurt haha).

[Someone in a Tree2]

I second the motion for the Metropolitan Museum of Art-- it's a goldmine of Architectural history. Beyond the rich Beaux-Artes bones of the original building itself, the American wing features a magnificent recreation of one of Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie-style home interiors. Plus there are historic rooms and courtyards there recreating icons the last 5 centuries of Western architecture, Ming Cho Lee's famous Chinese garden design, and other interiors of the Middle East and Asia.

But a word of caution: the place is vast and exhausting, even if you know where you're headed. So plan your visit in advance and figure on a long nap when  you're done!

[Mr. Nowack]

Wow, that does sound amazing. Definitely have to allot plenty of time for that!

Thank you all so much for the input :) I still have a few weeks until the trip so any additional suggestions would also be appreciated.

[sabrelady]

Also the New York Public Library does tours too>

https://www.nypl.org/events/tours/schwarzman

[ArtMan]

Uncle Charlie suggested the Frick and Guggenheim.  To save your coins, Guggenheim is pay what you wish on Saturday  and Frick on Sunday.  Guggenheim is after 6, I think, while Frick is morning.  You'll have to check for exact times.

[Mr. Nowack]

Many thanks for the Pay What You Wish tips. Unfortunately I will be going during the week, however.

[UncleCharlie]

ArtMan is correct about the Frick and Guggenheim. The Morgan has free admission every Friday from 7-9 p.m. if you're still around for that and a few rooms of the building mostly areas that don't have exhibitions are free for several hours during the week.  Check the Morgan Library website for specifics to see if it's worth your time.

One of my favorite lesser known places is the New York City Transit Museum in Brooklyn, not just exhibits about the history of mass transit in New York but a number of vintage subway cars and it's only $10. It may not mean as much to someone who didn't grow up in NYC but seeing the subway cars of my youth again is still always a fun experience.

A free public building that I don't think has been mentioned is the Chrysler Building on 42nd. Even if you just get to walk through the lobby it is an Art Deco masterpiece.

And yes, if someone said to me on your trip to NYC, you can see ONE THING. My choice would be the Metropolitan Museum of Art as has been mentioned by Jay Lerner-Z and others. It's one of the great museums of the world.

[Mr. Nowack]

I'm thinking the the Morgan Library may be one of the places I just shell out the cash for, I've had a kind of fascination with him since I read Ragtime. Definitely going to check out the Met too.

I really wanna check out the Times Square Church/Old Mark Hellinger Theatre, is it open to the public during the day? It would be cool to see some other churches too, but like I said I don't know if they're generally open during the weekdays.

[Mr. Nowack]

Seems that there's a service at the Times Square church Tuesdays at 7PM so I should be able to make a pit stop on the way to my show Tuesday night. Anyone know if any other churches have an open door policy or something like that during the day? Those and libraries seem like the only ones that would I would be able to just go into and snap a few pictures.

Any other suggestions are still very much appreciated : ) My itinerary is starting to take shape.

[madbrian]

For things Medieval, go to The Cloisters in Upper Manhattan. Nothing like it in NYC. 

[madbrian]

For things Medieval, go to The Cloisters in Upper Manhattan. Nothing like it in NYC. 

[RippedMan]

I'm a total buildings fan. I love all the old buildings that then get converted to something new. The Hersch building is incredible. Just walk into the lobby because it's great for a picture of two. 

For brand new architecture, check out the new mall by the World Trade Center. It's insane. 

[SNAFU]

Should you go to the Cloisters (which is BEAUTIFUL this time of year BTW), hit Saint John the Divine on your way back. Not only for the architecture (still under construction) but they have usually some of the sanctuaries filled with art exhibits.

[Mr. Nowack]

Thanks for the tip about the Cloisters, it seems like admission is included with the Met pass. And St. John The Divine sounds amazing.

What about any other cool train station type places?

[Mr. Nowack]

Another question, what places have cool Christmas setups, since I'll be in the city in mid-December. Rockefeller Center is a given but are there any other specific cool ones?

[SNAFU]

The cloisters are usually decked out beautifully this time of year.

[Someone in a Tree2]

The classic Christmas windows are found at Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany's, and my perennial  favorite every year -- those at Bergdorf Goodman. 

[Mr. Nowack]

Wow I totally forgot about this thread!! 

Thank you so much for the window tips. 

[Mr. Nowack]

Bumping this thread one last time to thank you all and let you know how it went.

In addition to seeing HOLIDAY INN, FALSETTOS and GREAT COMET I went Rockefeller Center as well as the Morgan Library and Cooper-Hewitt Design museum, wandered into the Chrysler Building, NYPL and a few churches and got to explore the city a bit (my first time on the subway!). The Cooper-Hewitt museum was recommended to me by a friend and was just what I was looking for in terms of a museum in an old mansion. I loved the Morgan Library as well, and the Walter Kerr/decorated Imperial (Studio 54 I had been at before). I took nearly 400 pictures over the course of three days.

Overall I had an amazing time, thank you all so much for the tips. I'm already planning my next trip in May!