What are museums good for?
I’ll admit I’m not wild about museums. As far as I’m concerned your time is much better spent exploring the world outside, particularly in a foreign city, than cooped up inside a building. However, on rainy days, they do serve a purpose on a rainy day. New York has a multitude of museums you can visit but I had been told of several by friends and family that I had to go to so I did. First up was the Metropolitan Museum which is huge.
History was never my favourite subject and while I’m sure ceramic and bronze sculptures fascinate others they don’t do it for me. Another form of art that I don’t get is modern art, some of the pieces in the exhibition left me baffled like the solid colour, navy blue canvas in the shape of a rhombus. Where is the skill in that? There was one piece that did catch my attention and had me entranced. When you see the photo below I’m sure you’ll be similarly intrigued.
Next, and just a little further up 5th Avenue, was the Guggenheim Museum famous for its unique ramp gallery that forms a continuous spiral along the outer edges of the building. Although no photography is allowed while on the ramp I was able to get some interesting shots from ground level to give you a sense of what it’s like inside.
I was told that the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) is also a must visit and as it was still drizzling outside I made my way there to see what all the fuss was about. Needless to say, with what I’ve already told you about my feelings on modern art, I wasn’t impressed. Maybe I was museumed-out, perhaps I had tried to decipher too much art or just not into art. All I got out of the MOMA was a chance to experiment with more photography techniques slowing down the shutter to get motion in an otherwise still shot.
With closing time approaching and the rain having stopped I decided to call it quits on the museums and make my way back to the apartment in Brooklyn. As I came out of the subway station on Court Street I saw the orange glow of the sunset on the clouds so I quickly ran down to the river just in time to catch this beautiful scene. A great end to my first full day in New York.
2 responses to “What are museums good for?”
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Rory Alexander Photography
Rory in America 
why would you go to guggenheim or moma if you already know modern art doesn’t do it for you? I don’t get it. Just so you could say you were there? i’m sure new york has loads of other galleries or museums that would maybe interest you a little more
I wanted to see the Guggenheim from an architectural point of view and also to say that I had seen it and walked the ramp. The MOMA too was on the advice of others. I did go to the Natural History museum later which I enjoyed. So next time I probably won’t visit the art museums again but I did get some interesting photos of the lobbies and that satisfied my photographic passion so not a total waste of my time.