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Art & Design Trips to New York

You can visit the best museums in New York with collections to savour for every aesthetic and taste.  Whether you browse the galleries, marvel at superb architecture or find inspiring places to sketch or take photos, your students will not be disappointed on a New York school trip.

In the MOMA, Guggenheim and the Metropolitan Museum of Art you'll find some of the world’s finest collections or head off the beaten track for a Brooklyn street art tour where murals adorn walls and brighten the cityscape. Add in some visits to the iconic sights of the city, a Broadway Show and some shopping on Fifth Avenue and you will provide students with an all-round and memorable visit in this most dynamic of cities.

Explore all of our NYC School Trips.

Curriculum Topics Key Stage 4 & 5

  • Art, Craft and Design
  • Graphic Communication
  • Textile Design
  • Three-dimensional Design
  • Photography

Prices start from£979pp

Popular itinerary

Morning Afternoon Evening
1 Check in to UK airport for flight to New York Arrive and transfer to your accommodation Visit to the Empire State Building
2 Visit to Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) Visit to the Guggenheim Museum Restaurant Meal
3 Visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art Free time for sightseeing and shopping Evening meal followed by a Broadway Show
4 Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise Transfer to New York airport for return flight Overnight flight to the UK
5 Arrive at UK airport, onward return travel to school
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Morning Check in to UK airport for flight to New York
Afternoon Arrive and transfer to your accommodation
Evening Visit to the Empire State Building
Morning Visit to Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
Afternoon Visit to the Guggenheim Museum
Evening Restaurant Meal
Morning Visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Afternoon Free time for sightseeing and shopping
Evening Evening meal followed by a Broadway Show
Morning Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise
Afternoon Transfer to New York airport for return flight
Evening Overnight flight to the UK
Morning Arrive at UK airport, onward return travel to school
Afternoon
Evening

Price Shown includes

  • Return Air Travel
  • 3 nights room only accommodation on bed-share basis
  • Return airport transfers
  • Bespoke itinerary planning service
  • Free Place Ratios
  • Live Trip Tracking
  • Online trip organiser & Travel App
  • 24/7 support whilst you are away

Places to Stay


Reasons to Visit

Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art houses more than three million works of art from all over the world across history.

It is almost impossible to see everything in one day: the two million square feet too much for even the most organised visitor. Instead of wandering through all the galleries, visiting one of the themed exhibitions is a good plan.

Visit the MoMA between September 2024 and January 2025 and experience the Life Dances On: Robert Frank exhibition. Explore Robert's artistic journey across mediums including photography, film and books, as well as his dialogues with other artists. An experience sure to spark your students imagination! 

Museum of Modern Art

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) contains the finest and most comprehensive collection of 20th Century Art in the world. The contemporary design is a masterpiece of glass spaces and high ceilings creating the perfect setting for its collections of modern art. The MoMA also has revolving series of retrospectives of past masters and shows from leading artists today.

The museum’s collection offers an overview of modern and contemporary art, including works of architecture and design, drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, prints, illustrated and artists books, film and electronic media. At the heart of the Museum is the four story Marron Atrium. The permanent collections feature some of the famous works of Jasper John’s Flag, Van Gogh’s The Starry Night and Picasso’s Les Demoiselles dAvignon as well as Jackson Pollock’s drip paintings. The museum offers a great experience for those wishing to submerge into modern art.

Guggenheim Museum

The museum contains Solomon R. Guggenheim’s excellent collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. It features works from artists of the 19th and 20th century including: Brancusi, Braque, Calder, Chagall, Robert Delaunay, Giacometti, Kandinsky, Klee, Leger, Miro, Picasso and Van Gogh. The amount of artwork on display is significant and the best way to spend the day effectively is to plan. The building itself is also worth seeing as its spiral form is truly unique and is the only building in New York designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Frick Collection


The opulent residence that houses this private collection was designed by Carrere and Hastings, the same architects who worked on the New York Public Library, for industrialist Henry Frick. The mansion has been preserved on Millionaire’s Row and makes for the perfect setting for such an incredible collection of European painting and decorative arts. A true work of art in its own right: the low stone building and courtyard take up almost an entire city block, with its marble fireplaces and decorative columns the mansion is something to marvel at.


Following Mr Frick’s death in the early twentieth century his private art collection was turned into a museum. The permanent collection includes world-class paintings, sculpture and furniture by the likes of Rembrandt, Varmeer, Renoir and French cabinet maker Jean-Henri Riesener, with most of the collection being classic sixteenth to eighteenth century pieces. The free self-guided tours are a great extra that helps navigate through the collection.
 

Whitney Museum of American Art

The Whitney Museum of American Art sets itself apart from other museums with its unique architecture but also with its interior. The museum is one of the world’s leading establishments of 20th century and contemporary art of the United States. The museum focuses on the works of living artists and is celebrated for presenting important exhibitions and for its renowned collection which compromises over 19,000 works by more than 2,900 artists. The museum often hosts controversial exhibitions that serve to measure the historical importance of American Art and mirror the present culture. The Whitney Biennial, the museum’s signature exhibition, has always provoked intense debate and become an important survey of the state of contemporary art in the United States.

Brooklyn Museum of Art

The Brooklyn Museum of Art is one of America’s premier art institutions, with an active program of exhibitions. The museum’s beautiful neo classical structure was designed by McKim, Mead & White in 1893. The museum is situated in a 560,000 square foot Beau Art building in central Brooklyn. The museum boasts a collection of 1.5 million artworks including several world-class collections. The Brooklyn Museum has one of the best collections of Egyptian Art in the world: their permanent collection includes Classical and Ancient Middle Eastern Art, Arts of Africa, the Pacific and the Americas.

The museum has a history of breaking convention. In 1923 it became the first such institution to have African objects displayed as art rather than artefacts. This collection has since grown becoming amongst the most important in the country. The museum’s collections range across all continents with America to the Islamic world being featured through a collection of ceramics, sculptures and paintings. The museum also has a fantastic collection of prints, drawings and photographs including large groups of work by Sargent, Homer and Eakins. The museum also holds a large collection of German Expressionist images such as Dürer, Rembrandt and Toulouse-Lautrec. One of the most important icons of the 1970s feminist art is also featured at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. The Dinner Party by Elizabeth A. Sackler is a massive ceremonial banquet with a total of 39 place settings, each commemorating an important woman from history. The Brooklyn Museum offers a great experience of cultural art and modern exhibitions for students to engross themselves in.

Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum

The Smithsonian’s National Design Museum is well worth a visit for both its content and its architecture. The museum is housed in Andrew Carnegie’s old mansion; this beautiful building has the image of a university campus, with a cast iron fence enclosing the courtyard with grass and trees. The museum’s exhibits in large part focus on work that gives everyday items like furniture, computers and toothbrushes a more unique appearance, adding form to the function. They also have exhibits that cover architecture and graphic design.

The renovation of the museum provides the opportunity to redefine the museum’s experience and inspire visitors to take the opportunity to bring out his or her inner designer before, during and after their visit. The museum’s collections and exhibitions are using ground-breaking technologies that inspire learning and experimentation. This new experience is specifically designed to engage all audiences - students, teachers, families, designers and the general public. Andrew Carnegie used the third floor of his Fifth Avenue mansion as a gymnasium where he practiced his golf putting. The current owner, the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, have put in a small mini golf green there. This is a playful gesture to honour a piece of the building’s history and add to the image that the museum can be fun for everyone, not just specialists.

International Centre of Photography

The International Center of Photography (ICP) was founded in 1974 and is both a museum and one of the largest schools of photography in the world. The museum plays host to a range of exhibitions, collections and publications as well as offering complimentary activities such as workshops, seminars, symposia and certificate and degree programs, making ICP dynamic and unique among photographic institutions.

The ICP is ideal for students as its mission is to present photography’s vital and central place in contemporary culture, and to lead in interpretation of issues central to its development. This makes it ideal for any budding photographers who want to be immersed into the photography world. The International Center of Photography Museum Store also offers a wide range of best-selling and hard to find photography books from around the world.

Museum of Arts & Design (MAD)

The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) explores the blurred zone between art, design and craft today. The museum focuses more on the contemporary creativity, and the developmental ways in which artists and designers from around the world transform materials through a range of different processes; from artisanal to the digital.

The museum’s permanent collection has a global scope focusing on art, craft and design from 1950 to present day. The exhibition program on display at the museum is focused on exploring and illuminating issues and ideas, whilst highlighting the creativity and craftsmanship of the limitless possibilities of materials and techniques, that have the potential to be explored by imaginative and innovative artists. The museum is great for students as the mission is one of education. The new museum facilities include classrooms and studios for masterclasses, seminars and workshops for students, families and adults. The open artist studios engage visitors and enhance the exhibitions through experiencing the creative process.

The museum also has a 144-seat auditorium where lectures, films and performances are held on a range of topics affecting the world of contemporary art, craft and design. The museum is a fantastic eye-opening trip for students to explore all the dimensions of art.

Highlights of Midtown Architectural Walking Tour

This tour will feature viewing the major monuments of 20th-century American architecture and exploring the history of the communities in the Midtown areas. We will also view the interiors of some of these monuments. Highlights include: the hidden residential enclave Tudor City, the United Nations Building, the Ford Foundation Building, the Chanin Building, the Chrysler Building, Grand Central Terminal, Carrère and Hastings’ New York Public Library and the Daily News Building.

Alternative New York Street Art Tour: Lower East Side

Come along with us through one of NYC’s oldest neighbourhoods and let us bring the art alive. The Lower East Side is well known for its diverse ethnic neighbourhoods and astonishing street art. Historically, the Lower East Side is known for hosting immigrants coming off Ellis Island, and in the second half of the 20th century, the area became flooded with artists. The growing counter-culture population in the Lower East Side drew more and more artists. Soon the area quickly exploded with creative expressive graffiti art that illustrated the social and cultural movements that would influence American society in the 21st century.

Empire State Building Observatory

New York’s famous Empire State building soars more than a quarter of a mile above the heart of Manhattan. Located on the 86th floor, the observatory offers panoramic views from within a glass enclosed pavilion.

Top of the Rock Observation Deck

The newly renovated Observation Deck on the 70th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, in the heart of midtown Manhattan at Rockefeller Center. The view itself is unique and astonishing, unobstructed for 360 degrees and stretching for miles in every direction.

Circle Line Tour (Boat Cruise)

This cruise circumnavigates Manhattan Island allowing you to see all its highlights (dependant on length of cruise chosen) 3 rivers, 7 major bridges, 5 boroughs, over 25 world renowned landmarks and, of course, a magnificent close-up of the Statue of Liberty. Beverages, food and souvenirs are available on board.

Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island

The Statue of Liberty is New York's most symbolic structure. The Auguste Bartholdi statue was given as a gift from the people of France and stands at 111 feet 6 inches from the toe to the crown. In the base of the statue there is an interesting museum devoted to the statue's history.

Basketball and Ice Hockey Matches

Tickets to the New York Knicks Basketball and New York Rangers Ice Hockey Games range from $25 and upwards depending upon availability.

Watch a Broadway Show

Make the most of your stay by rounding off the day with a Broadway show. The best value tickets are available for mid-week performances and can be combined with dinner in a nearby restaurant before the performance.

Examples of current shows on offer are: Aladdin, Wicked, Chicago, Mean Girls, The Phantom of the Opera and Beetlejuice. 

There are other shows/plays on offer not featured. All are subject to availability - so book early for your favourite show!

Ice Skating at Wollman Rink

Wollman Rink provides 26,600 square feet of ice for skaters in the winter. Wollman Rink, located near the Parkside Avenue/Ocean Avenue entrance to Central Park, is open for ice skating from late November through March. The Rink features a snack bar, skate shop, skate rental and free lockers.

One World Trade Centre Observation Deck

The Freedom Tower is a 104 storey building that stands on the World Trade Center site in Manhattan - giving amazing views of the city.  Interactive exhibitions reveals the transformation of New York City from unsettled lands to today’s remarkable forest of skyscrapers.   Ascend the 102 floors to the observation deck in under 60 seconds in one of five sky pod elevators!

Yankee Stadium Tours

This classic tour of Yankee Stadium allows you to absorb the history of one of the most iconic of American sports teams.    The Yankees are 27-time World Series Champions, the tour will take you to famous locations such as Monument Park, get you up close to historic baseball memorabilia as well teach you more about how the stadium is used and the events hosted here which go beyond baseball.   Each tour is led by an expert guide and culminates in the chance to purchase some of its famous merchandise.

RiseNY

RiseNY pairs museum-style galleries with an amusement park-quality ride.

Begin your adventure with an immersive film by an award-winning documentarian that transitions to an interactive self-guided walkthrough tracing tipping points in history that helped shape Music, Fashion, TV, Theater and more in each dedicated gallery:

  • Discover the rise of Wall Street and The New York Stock Exchange in the Finance Gallery.
  • Learn the history of mass media with Telsa’s Coil in the TV/Radio Gallery.
  • Understand the law of physics through the Otis elevator brake in the Skyline Gallery.
  • Visual, language and performing arts come to life in the Fashion, Music, Broadway and Film Galleries.


Then, board an extraordinary elevator experience that transports you to a spectacular virtual soaring ride! Feel the rush of wind in your hair as you “fly” over the world’s most stunning skyline.

Summit OV

Explore three levels of mind-bending multi-sensory immersive experiences. With magnificent views over the Manhattan skyline, Summit takes the concept of an “observation deck” to entirely new heights.

Edge

Edge is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere, a marvel of architecture, engineering, and technology with panoramic views of New York City. Edge combines the pulse-quickening excitement of leaning out over a 100-story outdoor balcony with the warm welcome of elevated food & beverage service in a unique social space.

There are free downloadable STEM resources to take students on a virtual adventure into NYC’s newest and most forward-thinking neighbourhood. Get students thinking like community builders and changemakers by harnessing the Design Engineering Process, a simple tool you can use to elevate Reach for the Sky resources and ground student explorations in project-based learning.

9/11 Memorial Museum

Opened in 2014, the museum explores the implications of the events of 9/11, documenting the impact of those events and exploring 9/11’s continuing significance. It demonstrates the consequences of terrorism on individual lives and its impact on communities at local, national and international level. The museum is growing a permanent collection of artefacts, stories, photos, video and other materials.

Central Park

One of the great pleasures New Yorkers and tourists enjoy is getting away from it all in Central Park. Stretching 51 blocks between 59th and 110th streets, this 843-acre area, green rectangle has served its city well since 1859. From famous statues to castles, there is so much to see within this pastoral landmark.

Times Square

Immerse your students in "the Center of the Entertainment Universe" in Times Square - one of the world's busiest pedestrian areas and the hub of the Broadway Theatre District.


Evening activites

  • Empire State Building
  • Top of the Rock
  • Broadway Show
  • Sports Fixture Tickets - choose from basketball, hockey or baseball

We Make Trip Planning Easy

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  • Locate My Trip designed to provide reassurance to parents and teachers
  • Risk Assessment advice so you can make an informed decision on every tour component
  • Teacher Inspection Visits

What You Say

All of the gallery visits and both Broadway shows were excellent, I would thoroughly recommend these to other schools for future visits. Moorside High School

Both Rachelle and Sarah were fantastic in every stage of planning... Everything was done for us, All we had to do was quite literally turn up! We had a fantastic and successful trip. St. Columbas RC High School

Another superb trip - simple as that. Pocklington School

Really positive and helpful all the way through the booking and planning process - always on hand and really personable. Melksham Oak Community School