Whitney Museum of American Art

Gertrude Vanderbilt founded the museum in 1931, and the museum was also named after her. Gertrude was an American prominent and also a socialite during her lifetime. The Whitney exhibits American art that was produced between the twentieth and twenty-first century. The museum was first located West Eighth Street in Greenwich Village in 1931. Whitney was born on the 9th day of January 1875 and was married to Harry Payne Whitney. She died about eleven years later on the 18th day of April 1942 in New York. She was aged 67.

This museum has about 21,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photography, films, videos that are the permanent collection. The museum has this tradition of exhibiting the works of upcoming and not so famous artists, at their yearly exhibitions. It is the first museum to exhibit a video artist by name Nam June Paik in 1982. This museum gave an artist like Jasper Johns, Cy Twombly, and Cindy Sherman the opportunity to exhibit their works. They usually purchase works of art of unknown artist and exhibit them, this assists the artist to gain popularity.

If you intend to visit the museum, you have to buy tickets to watch each exhibition. To save money, it is best that you book online and booking ends at midnight the day before your visit. Persons who are below eighteen are allowed entry, for free whether they book online or not. They also have provision for those who want to be members of the museum. One of the advantages is that you can attend all the exhibitions for free and when you get to the venue are given a V.I.P treatment; you won’t have to wait on the line to gain entry. There so many other privileges a person would enjoy by becoming a member. To become a member of the museum, the prices vary. They have an individual membership and dual memberships. This membership is renewable after one year except for the two-year dual membership that lasts for two years, and it’s for two people. The opening and closing time for each day at the museum varies. Visitors can stay longer during the weekend as the museum close by 10:00 pm on Saturdays and Fridays.

Some of the famous works of Charles Henry Alston, Sid Avery, and Richard Avedon are on display. The museum also has in its collections several works of art produced and designed by Alexander Calder, and other artists whose works are on display include, Glenn Ligon, Claes Oldenburg, Lorna Simpson, Mabel Dwight and Georgia O’Keeffe to mention but a few.

Whitney Museum is a beautiful place to be.