Brooklyn Museum

The Brooklyn Museum is one of NYC’s prominent arts institutions and is certainly the anchor for Brooklyn. Opening in 1897, it houses an esteemed permanent collection, including notable acquisitions of Egyptian, Oceanic and African artifacts. The museum regularly hosts high profile exhibitions showcasing contemporary artists (you can read the ones I’ve seen below), many whose works explore provocative themes of race, class and gender. And of course, there’s First Saturdays. For these reasons and many more I became a member of the Brooklyn Museum a few years ago. While my membership has since lapsed, I make sure to check it out periodically.
Target Free First Saturdays:
First Saturdays happens every first Saturday of the month in which the museum hosts a number of free public programs including movie screenings, lectures and a toned down dance party. Museum entry is complimentary. While First Saturdays remains a Brooklyn institution… it sure ain’t what it used to be. Circa summer 2009 the whole back parking lot was flooded with thousands of young folks, socializing and posting up. You could expect the DJ to spin a mix of international and rare grooves, tied in with todays hits. I’d see pretty much everyone I knew and it would commence a night of house party hopping. Those were truly the days. At least I have the memories! Unfortunately, like all good things, it seemed that every flavor of teenager within a three mile radius jumped on to First Saturdays, and certainly not for the art or other programming. It would regularly reach capacity and get shut down. The Po Po would be lining the front. Cell phone service wouldn’t be working. It would be so crowded that you couldn’t enjoy the art. But still, despite all of this, I miss that feeling of having a collective experience with so many of people of the Republic of Brooklyn (if you feel Spike Lee, you’ll get where I’m coming from). The rager dance party ended in 2012.
Aesthetic:
The museum is quite dignified when you first see it. The front atrium, which underwent an costly renovation some years ago, and the green space in the entrance, is a lovely place to relax and bring friends and family. You’ll often find children playing in the water fountains at the side of the museum during the summer along with others lounging on the steps. You can tell that the museum put in a lot of work to modernize.
One thing it can’t change, though…
As I was told on a new member tour, when originally conceived the museum was to rival the Louver in terms of size; it was to be the biggest museum in the world. The project ran out of money so that didn’t happen. As a result the flow of the museum is completely off. The front was supposed to be the back, or something like that. I never feel like I know where I am going in the museum. It just doesn’t feel like it makes sense. I’ve been to lord knows how many museums in my life all over the world and this is probably the one thing that absolutely frustrates me about this museum. I imagine something can be done about this with the right funding.
Other:
I personally enjoy the museum’s decorative arts collection, along with its long-​term presentation The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago, which I’ve become more critical of after reading some persuasive black feminist literature. But I do enjoy viewing it, nevertheless. More on that here:

There’s also a lovely restaurant (great for a date) and the gift shop carries some novel items.
TL;DR
Exhibitions I’ve had the pleasure of viewing (and can recall) include:
2016
Disguise: Masks and Global African Art
Stephen Powers: Coney Island Is Still Dreamland (To a Seagull)
Tom Sachs: Boombox Retrospective, 1999 – 2016
2015
Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland, 1861 – 2008
Basquiat: The Unknown Notebooks
Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic
2013
Valerie Hegarty: Alternative Histories
The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk
2012
Mickalene Thomas: Origin of the Universe
Raw/​Cooked: Heather Hart
Keith Haring: 1978 – 1982
Question Bridge: Black Males
2011
Youth and Beauty: Art of the American Twenties
2009
Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present
The Black List Project: Timothy Greenfield-​Sanders and Elvis Mitchell
21: Selections of Contemporary Art from the Brooklyn Museum
There are a few exhibitions that I’ve missed over the years and often wonder how the hell that happened. These include Hank Willis Thomas: «Unbranded,» Andy Warhol: The Last Decade and American High Style: Fashioning a National Collection. Ah yes, I was in Europe. That explains it!

I’m going to start with the disclaimer that I am not a museum person. (I know, what kind of heathen am I? *gasp*). Anyway, I finally checked it out for the first time this last First Target Saturday.
I had a great time and I’ll definitely be back to check out more exhibits.

Went to Targets first free Saturday for the month of May. fyi, it was very difficult trying to find parking near the museum, so it might be easier to just take the subway into Brooklyn.
The museum was very crowded and extremely loud (music and people). The lobby stank of alcohol and marijuana. I saw some security officers wearing ear plugs. I felt bad for the museum personnels who had to deal with the rambunctious crowds.
The museum exhibits were very sparse. Don’t expect the grandiose of the MET. There were many small exhibits dedicated to unique topics. Some were interesting. I was surprised to see a corner about the gentrification of Brooklyn.
The Egyptian exhibit was exactly the same as I remember from my middle school visits.
Overall, I don’t think the Brooklyn museum is worth a visit if you’re commuting a long distance just for a visit.

Every month, Target sponsors ‘Target First Saturday’. From 5−11pm, Brooklyn Museum gives you an up-​close and personal experience for free! What compels anyone to come here– you might ask? You pretty much, roam and enjoy what Brooklyn Museum has to offer. It draws in families, the funky and hipsters alike. Each month, the museum tailors a specific theme for the evening. It also means that the Brooklyn Museum features, permanent and short-​term exhibits showcasing the ultimate best in existing and up and coming artists.
What I enjoy most of Brooklyn Museum’s exhibits, is that they’re unique– focusing on urban art. To be honest, some exhibits are so special, that you wouldn’t see them anywhere else: The Basquiat exhibit that holds true to his LES stomping grounds and Kehinde Wiley’s modern art. Though these exhibits expired, there are others, presently, that focus on diversity.
Also included in the evening’s itinerary, are author discussions, watch a film, see a music performance and the grand finale of them all… a DJ towards the 9 o’clock hour, on the 3^rd floor spinning endless Classic House beats that’ll make every cell of your body bounce, groove and sweat til you can’t no more!
Always check Brooklyn Museum’s website to see the month’s itinerary. It’s a pure combination of art and dance every 1^st Saturday, where they pull the most interesting exhibits, that I have not seen anywhere else.
Park Slope, has a diverse mix that’s both distinct and cool… it’s simply a melting pot at its best. To put it in a nutshell, it’s just a solid, unified front.

There is a lot of unrealized potential. The building is gorgeous, location amazing (right off the ²⁄₃ and next to the park) and the special exhibits can be interesting. It’s worth a visit for sure! But for New Yorkers (like me) that are dedicated museum aficionados who love grand old museums-​this museum has failed to entice me.
I wish they revolved their standing stock once in a while. They have SO much space that’s is totally under utilized. Their permanent stuff is a bit tired (save for the Judy Chicago piece-​even that could be switched up. In their effort to appeal to milleNialls (like myself) they lose site of a wider expanse of ages and interests. Also it would be nice if they featured artists that were not recognized yet-​showcase Art from our community.
It’s worth a visit for sure-​but I would love to see this museum Rock it as Brooklyn’s flagship museum.

I take advantage of my annual membership by frequenting this museum quite often. Right next door to the lovely Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, I have been blessed with the opportunity to see various exhibits, attend a Cocktail/​appetizer dining event and to partake of live shows including the Target 1^st Saturdays Events. Thisuseuem is quaint, yet spacious and includes multiple floors of beautiful artwork, sculptures, paintings etc. I especially enjoy looking in the gift shop full of unusual and fantastic items that reflect the museum’s spectacular exhibits.

A world class art institution. Immerse yourself in history with a wide collection of works both classic and modern alike. You can easily spend hours taking everything in.
A must visit for all New Yorkers. Keep in mind the admission is suggested, so don’t feel pressured to pay full price.

Wonderful exhibits and well-​maintained collections. On another note, really glad I came here on a First Saturday when they have live musical performance on the lobby and closes later than usual.

I recommend checking out the Brooklyn Museum on Target First Saturdays. You’ll have a great night. On Saturdays normally, the museum closes at 6pm. On Target First Saturday, from 5pm to 11pm, admission is free and there is special programming that evening. Sometimes you’ll need a ticket for programming set up in a smaller space, so queue up at the Admissions Desk. You can look up online what programming is scheduled for the night.
While you are inside, you can also check out the Brooklyn Museum’s permanent collections. The Beaux-​Arts building is pretty huge, so there is a lot to see. There’s also a sculpture garden. Personally I like the Egyptian and African art best.
Easy to get to by subway, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t check out the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Check it out.

Wonderful museum in the heart of Brooklyn.
Easy to get to with a subway stop right by the front doors.
Affordable tickets that offer suggested prices only. Military members and veterans get in for free after Memorial Day.
You could spend all day here. Five floors of incredible exhibits. We loved the feminist section as well as the collection of old American homes. They have a range of exhibits, from classical Art to more modern pieces. Some great photography and very weird exhibit on Coney Island.
The building is beautiful. It’s worth a visit.

From the lovely exterior to the not-​too-​big size, this is a great museum.
Technically, the admission is free 24/​7, but most people pay. The cafeteria is way overpriced, much like airport food.
I really enjoy the free tours, which are insightful. The tours rotate through the various collections. This museum always has live music and other events, making it a great spot.
I received two tickets to park right in the parking lot thanks to my museum membership through IDNYC. Nice!

This museum frustrates me. While the temporary exhibitions can be interesting at times, the large permanent collection of decorative arts, furniture, period rooms, and paintings is really a hodgepodge of items with no real rhyme or reason. Then there are a number of politically correct exhibits that sometimes seem contrived.
This museum could be so much more if only the curators would think to revamp the old-​fashioned approach to the permanent collection.
Tip: The most convenient subway stop is located right outside the museum: the 2 and 3 trains

What more is there to say about the Brooklyn Museum, it may be my favorite art musuem in NYC.
Upon my most recent visit I was able to catch one of the better shows I have seen in years! The Coney Island exhibit was perfectly curated and laid out amongst the spacious rooms that highlight the museum. The exhibit included (to my knowledge) never before seen works by Diane Arbus and the ACTUAL giant (almost paper mache looking) cyclops head that used to adorn the Haunted House.
The permanent collection is a great mix of Modern, impressionist, rococo, egyptian paintings.
The exhibits are for sure what keep me coming back. The Basquiat, The Art of The Sneaker, etc. If you havnt been then go, go now. Bring your wife, bring your kids, cuz they art’n errybody in here!

Went here a year ago and saw the heels exhibition and took the Egyptian art tour. Museum even had a couple Rembrandts. Clean museum, nice staff, reasonably priced.

Went here a year ago and saw the heels exhibition and took the Egyptian art tour. Museum even had a couple Rembrandts. Clean museum, nice staff, reasonably priced. This is a great date idea due to all the cool restaurants nearby.
ATTENTION TOURISTS: The prices you see are suggested donation. This means you can pay what you want, or nothing at all. DON’T BE FOOLED BY THE PRICES YOU SEE LISTED. You can pay five cents or $ 500 dollars for all they care. The employees have no right to look at you weirdly.

What a superb museum despite the eclectic collections! (I know, so Brooklyn ;-))
I went with a friend from the city, and we started off on a tour. The tour guide was super insightful, and we didn’t spend enough time to get bored in one exhibit or piece. She added lots of definition to the exhibit on the first floor, which was probably the most elusively curated of the bunch. (It revolved around the art of perspective, and its role in mediums– film vs canvas)
After that, we moved off the tour very smoothly– no questioning looks from the guide. I was particularly struck by the Russian art on display– a very conservative, small wall but still quite distinctive. The Coney Island exhibit was well-​done, and had a great abstract expressionist piece to finish it off. Lastly, Judy Chicago’s «Dinner Party» was *incredible* especially considering that it was first exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum itself. Definitely a must-​see.

Gotta love a «suggested donation» museum. I’ve been twice so far. Once to check out the Basquiat exhibit, which was a bit of a disappointment. The exhibit focused on his writing journals, but it gave off the vibe that the artist’s name was the highlight of the exhibit– always a fail in my opinion.
My second visit was for First Saturday’s this past weekend. It was full of people and had a live performance. I’m not good with crowds, so I watched the performance from a far. They should definitely upgrade the music system, it was very difficult to hear the lyrics and they had multiple technical errors. I didn’t have a chance to check out all of the other activities they have, but there is a bar with beer & wine :)
Will check it out again!

This is my new favorite museum. I am so grateful that after years of talking about and daydreaming about Judy Chicago’s ‘Dinner Party,’ I finally got to see it in person. Wow, an absolutely amazing work of art.

The entire museum really blew me away. Super cool exhibition of Coney Island art including photographs, paintings and relics such as posters and carousal horses. All of the exhibits were great, including an Ancient Egyptian exhibit and a study storage room. I’ve never seen anything like it in a museum.
The layout of the museum is easy to navigate and they have a great range of work from very modern to ancient. The walls are painted cool colors to really make the artwork pop.
I only spent 2 hours here and would’ve liked to spend about 6. I will definitely be back some day!

This is a beautiful museum right near Prospect Park. My issue is the trip to get there. I only went for the Rock and Roll Photo Exhibit years ago. If I lived near there I’d be there all the time. I enjoyed all of the other exhibits the day I went. It is spacious, clean and comfortable. They have seats if you want to sit for a break from the exhibits.
Definitely recommend!

I came here for the «Rise of Sneaker Culture» exhibit this past summer, and I was really impressed with all this museum had to offer. Looking at it from the outside is absolutely beautiful, and from the inside it’s even better.
The sneaker exhibit ended up being good but what really grabbed my attention me was their African artifact exhibit. It was filled with lots of neat information and interesting pieces of art. I remember reading there that the Brooklyn Museum was the first to start incorporating African culture into their exhibits.
They also had a really cool video game exhibit with vintage games that I’ve never seen or heard of before, which was also really cool to learn about.
In my opinion, this is one of the best museums I’ve ever been to.

Jays for days. Being an OG shoe head, I had to come here for the Rise of Sneaker Culture exhibition. So it happens that I went on the Target First Saturday of the Month, which equates to free admission. bullseye! The sneaker exhibit had hypebeasts young and old drooling over vintage kicks, being mesmerized by old rap videos, and learning about the shoegame. However, the rest of the Brooklyn Museum is a disappointment. Half of the wings were closed due to construction or had displays that weren’t appealing to me.

I went there today with a friend. There is a variety of exhibits on all different subjects so one can easily find something that interests them. A few exhibits that we were interested in were closed due to renovations which was disappointing but all together it was a very enjoying trip.

First of all, I’m amazed that there isa another world-​class art museum here. I had though that the Brooklyn Museum was kind of second-​rate. I associated it with obscene art and nonsense.
But I was wrong. They have a really excellent collection here. The Egyptian collection alone is worth the price of admission (speaking of, remember that it’s recommended, you can pay whatever you want!) The friezes from Assyria are really impressive, too.
My big gripe is the new entrance that looks like someone built a brutalist barricade to protect the neoclassical museum, and then IM Pei designed a flying saucer to crash into the barricade. When I leave Muncie, Indiana, I don’t want to see any more brutalism. Sorry Walentas fountain.
I think «sophisticated» people in places like NYC roll their eyes at Neoclassical stuff from the turn of the last century, but there are plenty of us who appreciate it!

Very nice Museum.
We wandered around the ground floor, which had a vast array of stuff on display. Including a Nike runner coffin! And a fantastic jugs display.
Third floor had some wonderful paintings and a fairly extensive ancient Egypt section. It could rival the British Museum on that front, almost.
Second floor was completely closed off for renovations. Which was a shame.
I saw pics of a runner exhibit on social media afterwards. Not sure where that was, we completely missed it. Which was a shame.
Definitely worth checking out, in conjunction with a visit to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens.

The Brooklyn Museum always makes me laugh. On a school trip, I went to second base (Felt a boob) with a girl here for the first time. Ahahahaha
The museum itself is pretty large and in charge. I must stress parking in the museum lot. Its such a PIA to find parking in the area. For a few bucks, you can park worry free and explore the neighborhood after your finished at the museum.
The Museum (after looking at it with adult eyes) is pretty substantial. I love reading and seeing history pieces from when the United States was founded. Anything to do with George Washington, art and antique pieces piqué my interest. The Brooklyn Museum has a great American Art collection where you can see a large and in charge portrait of GW, president.
Yesterday we visited the museum for «The Rise of Sneaker Culture». They had on display the evolution of the sneaker. Tire companies like Dunlop started making «rubber shoes», Sports and the hip hop culture in the 80s took sneakers to another level to where it is today.
It was exciting to see the Run DMC display, Michael Jordans Red Jordans and of course Jeff Spicolis checkered Vans.
All on display until October. The Brooklyn Museum, rockin’ it since 1823!

NYFW event LGBTQ event Brooklyn museum for closing night fashion week
Verge. Queer and Trans body.
Fashion for 2015. Lactic, dapper q…

I went here this past May to see the Kehinde Wiley Exhibit on its last day. After paying what we chose for admission, my friend and I went to see the exhibits on the first floor and noticed that none of the sculptures, glasswares or portraits were organized in any particular order because the museum was being renovated, so exhibits that would typically belong in the African Art section or the modern art gallery were kind of smushed together in an almost patchwork installation. Although that presentation was odd, the indivdual pieces were interesting regardless.
The Judy Chicago «Dinner Party» exhibit struck me as a table full of Georgia O’ Keefe style vagina place settings (large goblets, plates shaped like vaginas and a utensil set on top of a tablecloth) which initially caused me to laugh because I am 12, but it was exciting to see not only the craftsmanship placed into the pieces presented but also to see how many feminist authors, poets, artists and civil rights activists I could identify by name only. The floor celebrating the life and works of Basquiat was an illuminating retrospective of the thought process and history behind his art, but I am not a huge Basquiart fan so I only appreciated it from a biographical perspective.
The Kehinde Wiley exhibit was understandably grand, colorful and teeming with spectators. I have seen Mr. WIley’s work in DC (National Portrait Gallery) and Detroit (Institute of Arts), but dozens of his portraits in one place was more than a little moving. My only complaint about the exhibit was that only a few of the pieces had placards explaining which original masterwork they were based on. For those not fully familiar with his work, it would have been beneficial to have all the original masterworks near the painting to explain the way Mr. WIley remixed and reimagined the original artist’s vision. Dependent on the museum’s future exhibits, I shall return.

LOVE THIS PLACE. A part of it really reminds me of the Victoria and Albert in London :)
If you’re a student you can pay up to ten so ;) pay as you wish!

Went this past Saturday as my hubby requested a visit to the Sneaker Culture exhibit. I will say that this was GREAT way to start off our day. We found some really close street parking (and it was a BEAUTIFUL day, so we didn’t mind the walk). There was a bit of line (probably because it was the next to last day for the Basquiat exhibit), but that went by much quicker than anticipated. Outside of the RUDENESS of one of the reps who took our «donation», this place is a must see. We LOVED every floor, even though the Basquiat and Sneaker Culture were must-​sees. It’s just so dope to visually witness such genius in one place (which is why I absolutely love a day at the museum). FAILE was another standout.
Aesthetically envigorating and filled with culture… a perfect day in BK.

I love this museum.
Yesterday was my first visit to the Brooklyn Museum in my adult life. I had this idea in my head that this museum would be inferior to the Moma & Met on the other side of the east river. That idea couldn’t have been more incorrect. In fact, after one short visit to the Brooklyn Museum it has become my favorite museum in New York City.
In short, I just found the exhibits in this museum to be more relevant to my sensibilities. For example, the Jean-​Michel Basquiat exhibit resonated with me. Basquiat was the first artist that I felt had a message that related to me so It was great to be able to take a peak into his note books. The Sneaker culture exhibit was the main event for me. As someone who grew up immersed in sneaker cutler this exhibit was a treat. I think the museum did a good job of conveying the cultural impact the sneaker game has had in the last 30 years. They also explained the parallelism between kicks and Hip Hop. They had a video showing how Run DMC popularized Adidas in the U.S. and a few displays showing how impactful the iconic «Air Jordan» has been over the last 30 years.
Aside from the exhibits that I came to see, I was impressed with this museums use of space and variety of content. In just over an hour I saw the aforementioned exhibits and intriguing ones from Africa, Europe and America. There was even a section on feminist art. I think the Brooklyn Museum is unique in its ability to offer something for EVERYONE. They do an excellent job of making the art experience an inclusive one for anyone who may visit. I think some of the other museums in the city fail in this area. For my $ 16 I received one of the most educational, interesting experiences I’ve ever had and for that the Brooklyn museum deserves 5 stars.

This has been my favorite museum for years. Mainly because I love the outside area. I have spent countless hours laid out in the grass. As far as the inside it’s wonder too lol lots of art and things…
But seriously as an artist and lover of the arts I feel like the Brooklyn Museum is my home away from home.
It’s great for families, first Saturday is a must do.
Also I got my Unilocal Elite invite here so basically it’s the best place every.

I always enjoyed coming to this museum. I rank it as a jewel of New York City. This museum shows different collections and varies in tastes. Whether it be the social, political or even economical viewpoint you always get a glimpse of history. Being a former history major, that excites me.
Every floor showcases a different cultural viewpoint. I love the Polynesian, Egyptian, and the American collections. These belong in the permanent museum collection.
This museum rarely disappoints. New collections mean new students of art history. Love it. You get perks when you are a student!
Come, enjoy and learn more.