How did so many Museums end up in the same New York City Neighborhood
New York City is a hub for all things arts and culture. There’s even a part of the city that’s known for having a high concentration of museums.
The Museum Mile is a 23 block stretch in the Carnegie Hill neighborhood on the Upper East Side. It’s a little more than a mile, but for art’s sake the name has stuck.
The Museum Mile starts here at the Met. According to New York City tour guide Ginny Poleman, the city gave the museum the land and the Met’s location drew other museums to the area. The city never planned an official museum row, but as the Upper East Side grew, museums relocated.
The Carnegie Corporation donated their mansion to become Cooper Hewitt’s home. A wealthy family donated their mansion for the Jewish Museum. The Museum of the City’s original home was a mansion before moving to the Upper East Side. The Guggenheim was originally in Midtown before moving to its new building on the Mile. El Museo del Barrio moved from East Harlem to Fifth Avenue. Neue Galerie moved to the Mile in 2001.
The Museum Mile has a total of 7 museums. If you’re interested in visiting the Museum Mile, there’s a festival happening in June when the museums offer free admissions to all visitors.
Genevieve is from Brooklyn, NY and covers Arts and Culture for City Newsroom. Genevieve is interested in stories that focus on the intersection of art and technology.
