Guggenheim Museum

George Bellows - November 15, 2012–February 18, 2013. Accompanied by a catalogue and an Audio Guide. Gallery 999. George Bellows (1882–1925) was regarded as one of America's greatest artists when he died, at the age of forty-two, from a ruptured appendix. Bellows's early fame rested on his powerful depictions of boxing matches and gritty scenes of New York City's tenement life, but he also painted cityscapes, seascapes, war scenes, and portraits, and made illustrations and lithographs that addressed many of the social, political, and cultural issues of the day. Featuring some one hundred works from Bellows's extensive oeuvre, this landmark loan exhibition is the first comprehensive survey of the artist's career in nearly half a century. It invites the viewer to experience the dynamic and challenging decades of the early twentieth century through the eyes of a brilliant observer. <br/> Once you step between the doors of this monumental edifice of man’s artistic achievement, you enter into a living body of culture and civilization collected from the four corners of the earth. Ancient Egyptian artifacts, Japanese silk tapestries, Mediaeval Chess pieces, oils and watercolors of Van Gogh, Turner, Rembrandt and Chagal, Collections of Native American art and crafts through the centuries, the opportunities are endless for seeing the wonders of man’s imagination and creative genius. The MET is a NY tourist attraction that holds tours for school classes, seminars on the restoration of ancient shards of daily life, and places you in the midst of cultures from around the world without ever having to step foot on a plane. Where else can you go and enjoy scrumptious art like Faberge eggs, the celebration of baseball in the collection of player cards or imagine yourself wrapped in a mummy cloth. Open every day but Monday and easy to get to, there is every reason in the world to come to the MET, the center of Manhattan museums and culture, spend the day and even eat some of the most delicious food in The City. The main building, often referred to simply as "the Met," is one of the world's largest art galleries, and has a much smaller second location in Upper Manhattan, at "The Cloisters," which features medieval art.

This Manhattan institution dives into the question of what makes design feel more authentic than reality itself, pulling together both cutting-edge and historical examples that have influenced culture across America and beyond. As a Smithsonian property, it delivers the kind of depth you'd expect—galleries packed with thoughtfully curated collections that challenge conventional thinking about what design actually means. The winter months bring a quieter energy to exploring these spaces, letting you linger over details without the summer crowds pressing through. Beyond the walls themselves, the museum runs its own ecosystem of learning opportunities: you might catch architects and designers at work in real time at the design center, or witness ongoing restoration efforts like their work on the historic Carnegie Mansion. Special exhibitions frequently extend beyond the main building too, with projects rotating to unexpected venues around the city. For anyone seeking to understand how the objects and spaces around us came to be, this place operates as genuine cultural anchor in New York.

Walking through these galleries, the iconic spiral staircase becomes your guide into layered artistic landscapes filled with paintings, drawings, sculptures and sketches spanning centuries. Hours drift by as you move between pieces—each one seems to reveal something different about what moves you emotionally. The 19th century works have a particular magnetism, their depth and color demanding closer inspection. Winter visits here carry a special quiet; the galleries feel like a refuge from the cold outside, where you can lose yourself in the details and brushwork of each piece. The museum runs hands-on classes and workshops year-round for anyone picking up a brush for the first time or refining decades of technique. You'll encounter artists working across every medium imaginable, each offering its own way of speaking to the viewer. Beyond the galleries themselves, the ARTalks program brings contemporary artists and architects through to share their perspectives directly with visitors. These public conversations happen regularly and create moments of real connection between creators and people curious about how art gets made. There's something about a rainy winter afternoon spent here with friends or family that makes the whole experience feel both intimate and expansive.

Manuscripts from the Bodleian Libraries. September 14, 2012 - February 3, 2013. Crossing Borders features a superb selection of over fifty Hebrew, Latin, and Arabic manuscripts from the University of Oxford’s Bodleian Libraries, one of the world’s richest collections of manuscripts and printed books related to medieval European Jewish culture. The manuscripts, many of them exquisitely illuminated, illustrate the fertile exchanges among Christians, Muslims, and Jews in the fields of religion, art, science, and literature. Included is one of the Bodleian's greatest treasures: the magnificent Kennicott Bible. Many of the works in the exhibition are on view in the United States for the first time.<br/> For thousands of years, the Jewish heritage has helped shape the world’s societies and changed the landscape of art, literature and culture. The Jewish Museum located in Manhattan has been built exclusively to take visitors on a journey across the world and through time. Housed within the illustrious Warburg mansion on New York’s famous Museum Mile, the Jewish Museum comprises over 27,000 separate items all dedicated to the Jewish culture from hundreds of years old pressings and paintings to the most recent digital and video displays. Visitors can be drawn to these numerous exhibitions and have a variety of guides explaining the significance of the work and how it applies to today’s society. Also included at the museum, is a uniquely comprehensive body of radio and television programs related to the Jewish experience which allows visitors to fully grasp the conceptual application of Jewish culture. Spring 2012 offers a very special installation by Barbara Bloom; the first in a projected series featuring contemporary artists interacting with collection works. The entire Jewish Museum experience is one that is eye-opening, heartfelt and allows the world to understand how the Jewish people have continued to thrive and produce through perseverance, dedication and a will to better the world around them.

One of Manhattan’s most breathtaking displays is located at the Frick Collection. Before you even step foot inside the museum, you are greeted by the house built by Henry Clay Frick reflecting a sense of excellence and exuberance unlike anything else. The real treasures of the Frick Collection lie inside as the museum plays host to some of the most wonderful pieces of artwork every collected from the Gilded Age. Visitors can set out by themselves or join a guided tour in order to experience fully the vast treasure of wealth in the collection. Summer 2012 sees artists such as Renoir and Antico predominantly featured throughout the exhibits, capturing a sense of awe from all who gaze upon the work. The Frick Collection is also privy to a great many guest lecturers who specialize in this artwork and are sure to enlighten and inform those lucky enough to be in the room. An added attraction to the Frick Collection is the frequent concerts that are played on the grounds featuring classical ensembles. Manhattan’s Frick Collection is a symbol of culture that transcends generations and offers an opportunity for all New Yorkers to experience the true meaning of the word class.

The Whitney Museum houses one of the world's foremost collections of twentieth-century American art. The Permanent Collection of some 12,000 works encompasses paintings, sculptures, multimedia installations, drawings, prints, and photographs—and is still growing. The Museum was founded in 1931 with a core group of 700 art objects, many of them from the personal collection of founder Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney; others were purchased by Mrs. Whitney at the time of the opening to provide a more thorough overview of American art in the early decades of the century.

Asia Society is the leading global organization working to strengthen relationships and promote understanding among the people, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States. We seek to enhance dialogue, encourage creative expression, and generate new ideas across the fields of policy, business, education, arts, and culture.