Brooklyn Museum Guide in New York

The Brooklyn Museum in New York will leave you speechless the moment you see it. With its imposing building, it could easily be the official residence of President Joe Biden or the U.S. Congress, but it is actually one of the best museums in New York—the second most important museum in the city after the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)—and one of the most iconic in the U.S. Want to discover the treasures it holds inside?

As a world-renowned institution, its permanent collection brings together more than 1.5 million objects and documents focused on American art. You’ll also enjoy its contemporary art collection, and thanks to the crown jewel—its Egyptian art collection—you’ll travel back in time to discover the world of the pharaohs and feel like Cleopatra and Tutankhamun. Interesting, isn’t it?

As I mentioned, the smartest move is to buy the priority ticket , which costs €13. The good news is that it’s one of the cheapest museums in the entire Big Apple, unlike the rest , where admission is usually around €20.

Plus, this price includes the guided tour led by a professional that takes place daily at the museum . This makes the experience much more complete, allowing you to focus on the highlights and gain an in-depth understanding of the history of the artworks, the legend of its Egyptian papyri, and the building’s architecture, among other things.

What’s included in this ticket

• Admission to the Brooklyn Museum
• Daily guided tours of the special and permanent collections
• 10% discount at the gift shop, which never hurts
• Free cancellation in case your travel plans change

Nuria’s Traveler Tip

If you’re planning to cross the Brooklyn Bridge during your visit to the museum, it’s best to do so first thing in the morning to take photos without too many tourists. Enjoy the 1.8-kilometer walk!

If you prefer to buy tickets at the box office, you can do so, though it will cost more (around €14) and you’ll miss out on the benefits of purchasing tickets in advance, such as discounts, skip-the-line access, and free cancellation.

Brooklyn Museum Prices and Discounts

I only recommend buying at the ticket window if you’re part of one of the discount groups listed below:

• Adults - €14 (general admission, no discount)
• Seniors (65 and older) - €8.70
• Students over 20 (with valid ID) - €8.70
• Visitors with disabilities (caregiver enters free) - €8.70
• 19 years old or younger - Free

Free admission to the Brooklyn Museum on Saturdays starting in spring 2022

On the first Saturday of every month, the Brooklyn Museum offers free admission and hosts an event that runs into the evening (5:00 PM to 11:00 PM) with cultural programming to welcome tourists and New Yorkers visiting the museum. This tradition has been going on for over 20 years and will resume in spring 2022. Stay tuned!

Nuria’s Traveller Tip

If you love flea markets and are traveling to New York in winter, check out the Winter Flea, a market featuring antiques, crafts, and food that runs from November through March. It’s really unique!

The museum is very well connected and easily accessible by public transportation. Located in the heart of Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Museum isjust a 30-minute subway ride from Manhattan and sits on Eastern Parkway. It is part of a complex of 19th-century parks and gardens, which also includes Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

• Where is it? It is located at 200 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn.
• How to get there: Subway lines B, D, Q, N, R. / By bus on lines B41, B45, and B69. You can also get there by bike and enjoy the green spaces along the way.

Get to Brooklyn by subway

If you’re wondering what the best way is to get around the Big Apple and reach the museum, the simplest option is to take the subway. A ticket costs approximately €2.60. To help you navigate this other underground city without breaking a sweat, here are some basic tips for using the New York subway.

• Monday and Tuesday, closed
• Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• First Saturday of every month, 2–6 p.m.

Take note! The Brooklyn Museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and doesn’t have very long visiting hours; in winter, it’s usually open only from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (except on Fridays and Saturdays, when it stays open until 8 p.m.). Like other museums in New York , it’s closed on December 25, January 1, and Thanksgiving.

My advice is to try to visit the museum on a weekday, as weekdays are less crowded, and avoid Saturdays and Sundays. Oh, and remember that museums often change their hours depending on the season. So it’s best to check the official website for the latest information on the day you plan to visit.

Did you know that in ancient times, the Egyptians believed that for a deceased woman to be reborn, she had to briefly become a man? You’ll discover this and other fascinating facts at the exhibition “Beyond a Woman: Gender Transformation in Ancient Egypt,” which features such captivating objects as a mummy’s mask and the impressive sarcophagus of the so-called Lady of the House.

Meanwhile, the Ancient Egyptian Art exhibition features such impressive treasures as a gilded wooden statuette of Amunhotep III, a relief from the tomb of a man named Akhty-hotep, and a terracotta female figurine created over five thousand years ago. Yes, you read that right—five thousand years!

List of permanent exhibitions

• Asian Art
• American Art
• The Brooklyn Della Robbia
• Ancient Egyptian Art
• Beyond a Woman: Gender Transformation in Ancient Egypt
• Assyrian Art
• Design: 1880 to the Present
• Judy Chicago’s Dinner

Temporary Exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum

Here, the special exhibitions are top-notch. Among the temporary exhibitions, “Andy Warhol: Revelation” stands out; running through June 19, 2022, it explores his least-known facet: the artist’s relationship with religion and its influence on his artwork. The creator of Pop Art was, in fact, a devout believer—who would have thought!

Another of the most visited and stylish exhibitions is ‘Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams, ’ which traces the pioneering history of the House of Dior and features over two hundred haute couture garments, as well as photographs, sketches, and antique perfume bottles. Pure elegance!

Nuria’s Traveller Tip

One of the museum’s Egyptian treasures is a papyrus from the Book of the Dead, one of the most important religious texts of the New Kingdom. And my favorite part! The ‘Mummy Chamber,’ a special section exploring the rituals related to mummification.

The Brooklyn Museum gift shop is incredibly diverse, offering everything from children’s puzzles to shirts and home décor items. They also have a ‘Made in Brooklyn’ section dedicated to products crafted by local artists from the neighborhood.

However, it wasn’t my favorite shop. One of the shops that impressed me most in New York was the one at the Museum of the City of New York, with its amazing collection of Sesame Street puppets. An iconic series from my childhood!

In Brooklyn, what I liked most without a doubt is the Brooklyn Museum’s outdoor market (The Market), held every Sunday (from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) in front of the museum. A small flea market selling handmade goods where you can find everything from jewelry to handmade shoes. Every item has an interesting story behind it. Come discover it—it’s worth it!

After your visit to the art museum, one of the best things to do in Brooklyn is to take a stroll through the Brooklyn Flea Market every Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM between April and October. It’s a vintage market offering a variety of goods (clothing, furniture, books, jewelry, and crafts) lovingly displayed by over 150 local vendors and artisans.

You can also take advantage of your cultural visit to explore the Brooklyn neighborhood, especially the famous bridge. You’ve probably seen it a thousand times in movies and on TV, but crossing it is an unforgettable and magical experience. You don’t realize how imposing it is until you walk across it. This image will stay with you forever as a traveler! Here are more details about the 10 things to do and see in Brooklyn.

If you’re traveling to New York with kids, you should know that the Brooklyn Museum organizes activities on the first Saturday of every month specifically for children. There are free half-hour art sessions led by artist-educators for the little ones. For example, in one of the classes, they built a miniature roller coaster. Are you up for this creative family activity?

However, we all know that museums can be exhausting. And for kids, even more so. If you’re currently picturing your child running around like crazy through the museum halls, don’t worry—the museum has put together some simple tips for visiting with your family.

Practical tips for visiting a museum with children:

• Choose a time of day for the outing that works best for your children and their energy levels.
• The most important rule you should teach them is not to touch the art or the display cases.
• Be flexible. If your children get tired or restless, be prepared with a Plan B, such as heading to the café or the gift shop to look at the children’s toys.
• In the galleries, you can ask them questions like, “How is this painting different from the one before?” to encourage reflection, or play “I Spy.”
• After the visit, you can ask questions like “What did you like best?” or “What would you like to visit again?”

If all that art has worked up your appetite and your stomach is starting to growl, you can stop for a light bite at The Norm restaurant, whose architecture is inspired by the museum’s secret and mysterious labyrinths.

The menu, created by Great Performances, features local ingredients and global flavors that reflect Brooklyn’s diverse cultures. Among the dishes you’ll find are smoked salmon with fennel and tomato (€19), grilled beef fillet with caramelized onions (€25), and for vegetarians, a light salad of sautéed mushrooms with warm citrus and house vinaigrette (around €8). Finger-licking good!

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a different, urban dining experience, I suggest—as the self-proclaimed “foodie” that I am—that you check out the BkM Food Truck, which offers a selection of fresh food, sandwiches, and drinks to enjoy in the museum’s sculpture garden, where you’ll find a bit of shade. The food truck opens when the weather gets nice. And if you’re still hungry, don’t worry—here are the best places to eat in Brooklyn.

Bon appétit!