Travel concepts and applications

¶ … GUGGENHEIM need a fighter, a lover of space, an agitator, a tester and a wise man.... I want a temple of spirit, a monument!

Hilla Rebay to Frank Lloyd Wright, 1943

Just say "The Guggenheim" and most people immediately get a quick mental picture of the marvelous building in New York - that immense spring spreading its coils toward the sky while resting on a broad and steady base. It is the most astonishing building from the outside and what's inside is even more amazing. Commissioned by Guggenheim's personal art advisor, Hilla Rebay, and designed by the innovative architect Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1940s, it is indeed a monument and a testament to the innovators and artists whose work lies within its coiled walls.

Solomon R. Guggenheim commissioned the building to hold his ever-growing Museum of Non-Objective Painting. Today, the Guggenheim houses one of the most impressive collections of modern art in the world. The building's exterior clearly states the building's purpose - unusual and distinctive art is inside my walls, come inside, and take a look. People around the world are familiar with its distinctive outline, partly because its been used as a setting for so many Hollywood films. Think of "Men in Black's" early chase scene that winds its way up the inner perimeter of the building and ends on its roof, and you know why the Guggenheim is so well-known, the building is as much as star as the art inside.

You can view modern art in every form inside, from Picasso to Pissaro and beyond. If you're a fan of sculpture, you'll find outstanding examples of the art, with artists like Alexander Calder, Jean Arp, and Bruce Nauman all represented at their most modern and non-objective best. If you're a film fan, the Guggenheim often holds special exhibitions displaying little known or avant-garde filmmakers and their works. Until June 11, filmmaker Matthew Barney's epic Cremaster cycle of five films is the featured exhibit at the museum, so no matter what your art form, you can find it represented at the Guggenheim.

Riotous colors surround you in every gallery, until you turn a corner and are confronted with the stark black and white images of photographs and prints, or the swirling vibrant shades of Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso. There's art on paper, art on canvas, and art right on the walls - neon art, big art, small art, trinkets, treasures, and things you might not imagine in an art museum. Come to the Guggenheim with an open mind, and take away a completely new attitude on art and what makes up the term. Even if you think you don't like "modern" art, you'll find art to admire as you move through the galleries and experience the different media. No matter what your take on art, the Guggenheim is a must see on your trip to the Big Apple.

If you're planning to visit the museum on your trip to New York, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, you probably won't be able to view the entire collection on one visit. If you want to make a thorough investigation of everything inside this marvelous building, try purchasing a two-day pass ($25 for adults, $15 for seniors 65+, and students, children under 12 are always free). The museum's galleries are all wheelchair accessible with the exception of one small galleries, and if you need a wheelchair, the museum has them available free of charge. If you need a bit to eat during your visit, the museum also has a small cafe located inside.