15+ Best Outdoor Art in New York (A Local’s Guide)

Staying inside a stuffy museum on a perfect day feels wrong. It is a waste. Luckily, New York is basically one giant gallery. This applies from the city streets to massive upstate parks. We found the best spots to experience art outdoors, both near the city and beyond.

A quick heads-up: This is New York. Details like hours and dates change constantly. You must check the official sites before you go. This is especially true for seasonal hours.

The Best Outdoor Art: NYC and Upstate

Storm King Art Center

This is the king. (Yes, I said it.) Storm King is that massive 500-acre park you see all over your feed. It has giant sculptures set against mountains. Plan a full-day trip. It is 100 percent worth the effort.

• Price: $$$
• Location: 1 Museum Rd, New Windsor, NY 12553
• Experience Tip: You must rent a bike there. Or, you can take the tram tour first if you feel lazy. You cannot walk the whole thing in one go.

Art Omi

This is the other big sculpture garden upstate. People always ask if Art Omi is free. The answer is yes. You just have to book a timed ticket online. It is a huge, beautiful spot in Ghent, near Hudson.

• Price: FREE (Timed reservation required)
• Location: 1405 County Route 22, Ghent, NY 12075
• Experience Tip: Art Omi stays open year-round. It is just as cool to see in the snow.

The High Line

People ask what the art district of New York is. Chelsea is a top answer. The High Line is its outdoor hallway. It is full of rotating art installations. The art, the plants, and the city views all mix together.

• Price: FREE
• Location: Gansevoort St to 34th St, New York, NY
• Experience Tip: You should go on a weekday morning if you hate crowds. It gets packed. I am serious.

The Bushwick Collective

If Chelsea is the “art district,” Bushwick is the artsy area. This is the spot for world-class street art. It is a massive, free-for-all public art installation that changes constantly.

• Price: FREE
• Location: Starts around Troutman Ave & St. Nicholas Ave, Brooklyn, NY
• Experience Tip: The best art is not just on the main streets. You must wander down the side blocks.

Socrates Sculpture Park

Are you looking for a great free spot? This is it. Socrates Sculpture Park is a waterfront park in Queens. It features rotating, large-scale sculptures and a killer view of the skyline.

• Price: FREE
• Location: 32-01 Vernon Blvd, Queens, NY 11106
• Experience Tip: It is a perfect picnic spot. They also host free yoga and movie nights in the summer.

Opus 40

This spot is wild. It is not a garden with sculptures. The whole place is the sculpture. It is a massive 6.5-acre earthwork made of bluestone. You can walk on it, in it, and around it.

• Price: $$
• Location: 356 George Rd, Saugerties, NY 12477
• Experience Tip: You must wear good shoes. The stone paths are uneven. But the views of the Catskills from the top are great.

Griffis Sculpture Park

This one is a real road trip. It is way upstate near Buffalo. But it is one of the oldest and biggest sculpture parks in the country. You can wander 450 acres and discover over 250 sculptures. They hide in the woods and fields.

• Price: $
• Location: 6902 Mill Valley Rd, East Otto, NY 14729
• Experience Tip: This is a very rustic, hike-friendly park. It is not a manicured lawn like Storm King.

LongHouse Reserve

This 16-acre garden is out in the Hamptons. It is a perfect mix of nature and art. It features pieces from major artists like Yoko Ono and Willem de Kooning. What’s more, it is a very peaceful, zen-like spot.

• Price: $$
• Location: 133 Hands Creek Rd, East Hampton, NY 11937
• Experience Tip: You must book tickets in advance. This is the Hamptons. “Dropping by” is not a thing.

Nassau County Museum of Art

This is a great option for an easy trip near the city. The museum has a 145-acre property. You can walk the sculpture garden for free.

• Price: FREE (for the grounds) | $$ (to enter the museum)
• Location: 1 Museum Dr, Roslyn Harbor, NY 11576
• Experience Tip: The grounds are great. But the museum itself is in a beautiful Gold Coast mansion. It is worth paying to see the inside.

Central Park

You knew this would be on the list. The park has its own permanent outdoor art. You can spend a whole day on a sculpture hunt, from Alice in Wonderland to Cleopatra’s Needle.

• Price: FREE
• Location: Central Park, New York, NY
• Experience Tip: Do not forget the Balto statue. It is a classic for a reason.

Rockefeller Center

This is ground zero for iconic public art. You have the Prometheus statue overlooking the rink. You have Atlas holding the world on 5th Ave. It is art you have seen in a million movies.

• Price: FREE
• Location: 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111
• Experience Tip: The Frieze Sculpture exhibit often takes over the plaza in the fall. It adds temporary works to the mix.

Brooklyn Bridge Park

This park is amazing on its own. It is also a rotating venue for large-scale public art. The Public Art Fund often installs massive pieces here. The backdrop is always the Lower Manhattan skyline.

• Price: FREE
• Location: Piers 1-6, Brooklyn, NY
• Experience Tip: You should walk down to Pier 1 or Pier 3. You can see the current installations there.

The Vessel

Love it or hate it, you cannot deny it is a massive piece of public art. This 150-foot-tall honeycomb structure is meant to be climbed.

• Price: $ (Tickets are cheap but required to climb)
• Location: 20 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001
• Experience Tip: It is open for climbing again with new safety measures. The view from the inside is the whole point.

The Alamo (The Cube)

It is back. The iconic black cube in Astor Place is a true East Village landmark. It is one of the original interactive public art installations. If you can push it, give it a spin.

• Price: FREE
• Location: Astor Place, New York, NY
• Experience Tip: After you spin it, go grab a drink at a classic East Village dive bar.

Gay Liberation Monument

This sculpture by George Segal is in Christopher Park. It is right across from the Stonewall Inn. It is a powerful and important piece of public art. On top of that, it is a quiet, reflective spot in a neighborhood full of history.

• Price: FREE
• Location: Christopher St & 7th Ave S, New York, NY 10014
• Experience Tip: It is a key part of the Stonewall National Monument.

Robert Indiana’s “LOVE” Sculpture

You cannot make a list of outdoor art without this. The classic red, green, and blue sculpture is a photo-op staple. There is also a “HOPE” sculpture a few blocks away.

• Price: FREE
• Location: 55th St & 6th Ave, New York, NY
• Experience Tip: Be prepared to wait in a small line. You will have to wait your turn to get the perfect picture.

Looking for More Greenery?

Once you have seen all this art, you might just want a plain old park. The city has some amazing gardens, and we have the list. Check out our guide to the 15+ Best Gardens In NYC (NYBG, High Line & Free Gems).

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