Museums of New York City and Long Island: From Sparkling City to Shining Sea

Location: Beginning in New York City, this tour follows Long Island to its east end at Montauk Point.
Length: about 150 miles (one way)
Time To Allow: 2 to 4 days, depending upon number of attractions selected for tours

Description/Highlights/Points of Interest

The 1940s group of Abstract Expressionists who made up the New York School believed that they were living in a new kind of world that required a new form of expression. The introspective reaction to the end of World War II by artists such as Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko and many others resulted in works that resounded around the world, and continue to inspire today. Many of these extraordinary pieces found permanent homes throughout New York State and are exhibited in surroundings worthy of their greatness. On Long Island, you can visit the landscapes that have inspired many of these artists, such as the uniquely beautiful Fire Island National Seashore, and see the former home of Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner in East Hampton. So pack your bags (and maybe your own sketch pad) for an unforgettable tour of art from the New York School.

Begin in New York City, a cultural capital of the world, and the birthplace of the Abstract Expressionist Movement. In Queens, the Museum of Modern Art was one of the first museums to embrace the works of Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko and sculptor Tony Smith early in their careers for challenging the status quo and creating unprecedented visions. Founded in 1929 to make modern and contemporary art available to the public, the museum today holds the world's most inclusive collection of modern painting and sculpture. (Temporary address through early 2005: 33rd St, at Queens Blvd, Long Island City, Queens, 11101; after: 11 West 53rd St, Manhattan, 10019; 212/708-9400.)

A short drive or subway ride away, in Manhattan, is the Whitney Museum of American Art (945 Madison Ave at 75th St, Manhattan, 10021; 800/WHITNEY), the first museum solely dedicated to American art. Its first home was a studio on West 8th Street rented by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. In 1966 the museum moved to its permanent location, where it continues its quest to discover emerging talent. The ongoing exhibit, Pollock to Today, illustrates America's innovative and artistic production from the 1940's to the present.

A visit to New York City is not complete without a trip to The Metropolitan Museum of Art (1000 Fifth Ave at 82nd St, Manhattan, 10028; 212/535-7710). Regarded as one of the finest museums in the world, the Met houses more than 2 million works of art, spanning 5,000 years of world culture. The Lila Acheson Wallace Wing holds the museum's collection of 20th-century art, including a comprehensive American painting collection, and European and American sculpture, design and architecture.

Side Trips:
Before you head out to Long Island, visit a few other great New York City venues. From lower Manhattan, you can see one of the world's most inspiring works of art, the Statue of Liberty (New York Harbor; 212/363-3200). A ferry takes visitors to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island National Monument. Access to the Statue of Liberty National Monument is currently closed, but the grounds of Liberty Island are open to the public. Continue on to Ellis Island, where you can learn about the experiences of thousands of immigrants who entered the United States there. Next, learn more about the challenges of early immigrants at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum and National Historic Site (90 Orchard Street, Manhattan, 10002; 212/431-0233). The heart of the Museum is a tenement building that was home to an estimated 7,000 people, from more than 20 nations, between 1863 and 1935. Visitors tour the tenement's cramped living spaces and learn about the daily lives of past residents and the history of the neighborhood.

Continuing on your exploration of the art of the Abstract Expressionists, head out to Long Island's South Shore, for the tranquillity of the seashore that has lured artists for centuries. Take the Long Island Expressway (LIE/Rte 495), heading east. To experience the pristine beauty of Long Island, visit the Fire Island National Seashore (631/289-4810), where ocean shores, an ancient maritime forest, legacies of lighthouse keepers, and the historic estate of William Floyd are just a few of the many recreational, natural, and cultural attractions. Located only one hour east of New York City, this park offers visitors many opportunities for relaxation and education. To go to Fire Island National Seashore, there are two options. Exit 53 of Route 495 leads to the Robert Moses Causeway, and the western end of Fire Island which has parking lots at Robert Moses State Park. As an alternate choice, Exit 68 of Route 495 leads to Route 46 South/William Floyd Parkway, and Smith Point County Park on the eastern end of Fire Island, where there are also parking lots. There are no public roads on Fire Island itself.

After visiting Fire Island, continue east on Route 27/Montauk Highway to visit one of the many award-winning wineries along the way. Continue on Route 27/Montauk Highway to East Hampton, and see the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center (830 Fireplace Rd, East Hampton,11937; 631/324-4929). Abstract Expressionist painters Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner created their masterpieces at this rural homestead, now a National Historic Landmark and the setting for the film, Pollock. The studio, set in a converted barn, contains the paint-splattered floor on which Pollock worked, and the surrounding scenery inspired some of Krasner's most beautiful paintings. Built in 1879 for a fisherman's family, the house was renovated by the artists and still contains many of their personal items. Visitors may tour by appointment and, wearing special padded slippers, are allowed to walk across the paint-laden studio floor, a testament to the artist's energy and inspiration. Also in East Hampton, visit Guild Hall (158 Main St, East Hampton,11937; 631/324-0806) a fine art museum, professional theater and community education center. The permanent collection is devoted to artists who have lived or visited in the Hamptons area. Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art and Minimalism are included, and works by Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner, and Willem and Elaine de Kooning are part of the collection.

Nearby Southampton is home to the Ossorio Foundation (164 Mariner Dr, Southampton, 11968; 631/287-2020), whose collection contains artist Alfonso Ossorio's remarkable legacy of art, diaries, photographs, letters and other historic materials documenting a lifetime of artistic and cultural activity. The artist is well known for his Congregations, assemblages of objects made between 1958 and 1984, and his paintings. Ossorio's collection includes paintings by Pollock, de Kooning, and many others. While in the Hamptons, be sure to allow time to explore the wonderful galleries, shops and restaurants in the charming villages.

Continue east on Route 27/Montauk Highway, and follow signs to Montauk at the eastern point of the Island. Montauk Lighthouse, a National Historic Landmark, is located at Montauk Point State Park (631/668-3781). The park also offers some of the best surf fishing in the world, picnicking, hiking, seal watching and a unique view. When the water is calm, visitors can clearly see the "race" of converging tides from the Atlantic Ocean and Block Island Sound.

To return to New York City, follow Route 27 west to Brooklyn, or head west on the LIE/Route 495 from one of many points along the Island.

For accommodations information and reservations, and complete information on attractions and travel throughout New York State, visit iloveny.com.