Museum Mile

Manhattan's Fifth Avenue is most commonly known for its array of luxury retailers, the famed Louvre-inspired Apple store, and the Plaza Hotel. However, the avenue is also home to Museum Mile, a section from 82nd to 104th Streets on the Upper East Side aptly named for its assortment of nine different museums. One of the most jam-packed cultural attractions in the world, Museum Mile is actually two blocks longer than a mile. The newest museum to be added to the list was the Guggenheim in 1959, soon to be topped by the 2009 addition of the Museum of African Art on 110th Street.

The southern tip of the mile starts with the Metropolitan Museum of Art (nicknamed "The Met") at 82nd Street. This museum is one of the most famous on the list, partially because its art collection is one of the largest in the world: the permanent collection features more than two million works broken up into 19 departments.

Heading uptown to 83rd Street will bring you to the Goethe-Institut, a non-profit German cultural institution, devoted to the study of the German language and international relations. Frequent educational events include films, concerts, performances, and lectures on German culture and society. Just three blocks north is the Neue Galerie New York on 86th Street, a museum featuring a range of German and Austrian artworks from the early 20th century.

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on 88th Street is one of the most well known institutions in New York City. Opened in 1959, the museum is recognized for its collection of modern and contemporary art and for Frank Lloyd Wright's unique design. Just a block away on 89th Street sits the National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, an artist's association with works on display and a fine arts school.

Another unique building on the list houses the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, situated on 91st Street in a southern-inspired home also known as the former Andrew Carnegie Mansion. Focusing on a large selection of contemporary and historic design elements, this museum also presents the annual National Design Awards and offers a Master of Arts program.

The Jewish Museum of New York on 92nd Street, featuring over 26,000 cultural artifacts, is by far the largest Jewish museum in the United States. A few blocks north, the Museum of the City of New York is dedicated to preserving New York City's history. Visitors can view an art gallery and historical museum that received an award in 1982 for a superior contribution to the city of New York.

El Museo del Barrio sits at the top of the Museum Mile on 104th Street. Situated in the East Harlem section of Manhattan, this museum was founded in 1969 by an assembly of Puerto Rican artists committed to educating the public and celebrating Puerto Rican, Caribbean and Latin American art and culture.

It is clearly impossible to visit all these attractions in one afternoon; however, the annual Museum Mile Festival is held every June, allowing free public access to all museums for a three-hour period to promote and encourage visitation. This event has been attended by thousands of tourists from all over the world since the first festival in 1978. Check out www.museummilefestival.org for more information.

- Lauren DeFilippo