As I mentioned in my overview, the best part of MoMA is Monet’s Water Lilies. I was shocked at how huge it is! The other Impressionist art is worth while to check out also. I’m not so into the weird crazy looking things that people call art, a lot of the displays looked like they raided the nearest Salvation Army store. My suggestion… seeing Water Lilies is worth the trip to MOMA. If you’re anything like me, see Water Lilies and the other Impressionist’s art and get out!

Thankfully, the MoMA is laid out so that you don’t have to endure anything that you don’t want to. You can truck yourself to the floors that have what you want to see and go. It is a rather large space and takes quit a bit of time if you plan on walking through all of it.

On our first full day in New York we went to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). Tickets for the MOMA are included in part of the CityPass booklet I had purchased. The MOMA is not open on Tuesdays, so make sure you plan around that if you choose to visit. It also costs about $20 for adults if you choose to purchase a ticket and not use the CityPass booklet. A good thing to note, however; is that there is free admission on Friday evenings, so that might be the best time to try to go.

When I entered the MOMA, I was really excited when the first thing I noticed was Monet's Waterlilies. I had never realized the size of this work of art. Since I love all things Monet, this was really neat for me. I also enjoyed seeing some of Andy Warhol's Campbell Soup Cans and also one of his famous Marilyn Monroe paintings.

There was also a really interesting photography exhibit of Mount St. Helens and its aftermath. It showed pictures with time stamps of areas just prior to and following the eruption.

The highlight of this museum for me was seeing Starry Night by Van Gogh. I loved looking at the brush strokes of this very famous painting. The museum also had works by Pollack, Cezanne, etc. The collection was interesting and fairly diverse.

The museum gift shop was also really well stocked with all kinds of cool merchandise. I picked up some children's books featuring artwork by famous artists. These books were really unique and interesting. I had never seen books similar to these before.

The only down side to this museum was the staff. I understand that there are millions of dollars of art in this place, but the security guards were definitely on the rude side. While there we had one speak to us about standing too close to the glass barriers; however, not 5 minutes later he was not only standing there, but leaning on the barrier. I also witnessed them taking to numerous other people while we were there.

Overall, I would gladly go back to this museum to see the artwork, but the staff at the Met was far nicer.

The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) houses 150,000 pieces of modern and contemporary art. You’ll see works from Van Gogh, Picasso, and Warhol as well as, sculptures, photographs, and objects of design. Cafe 2 offers an array of seasonal Italian fare, and is a nice place to take a break.

The building itself is worth a visit. The renovated space is lighter and more open than the old MOMA, and the views of the sculpture garden are better.

It is not hard to view almost all of the art on display, unlike at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The art has some famous 20th-century pieces, but many are quite contemporary. Some of the art is awesome--I loved the Barnet Newman sculpture that rises in the central open area--but some of the more recent performance art is, well, I get the idea but did not spend many minutes watching an artist surfing through paint or the 24 TV screens showing a guy doing routine things in his apartment including sitting on the toilet reading a newspaper.

If modern art doesn't interest you, there are the shops with lots of unusual things to buy as souvenirs or gifts. I bought a membership, which allowed me to skip the line for tickets and included a discount at the shops.

The Museum of Modern Art is exactly what an art museum should be. It is spacious, with glass, sofas, wide galleries, and giant atriums. It is five floors of art of all different mediums. Museum admission is $20 ($12 for students). If you wish to check your coat or any other items, you can do so before you enter the exhibit. If you have a backpack, you will be required to check it before entering the galleries. There is a lot of art here (over 150,000 items), but this museum is much more manageable than the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The first floor contains the lobby, a sculpture garden, the museum store, and restaurant. The second floor features a cafe, media gallery, prints and illustrated books, and contemporary galleries. The third floor features architecture and design, drawings, photography, and special exhibitions. The fourth floor contains modern and abstract paintings and sculptures and the fifth floor features more traditional paintings and sculptures. The whole museum is great, but if you are pressed for time, consider spending most of your time viewing the fourth- and fifth-floor galleries. Be sure to check out Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans on the fourth floor. The fifth floor is by far my favorite, with works by Monet, Picasso, and Matisse. Of course, you can't miss Van Gogh's "Starry Night!!" Unlike other museums, you are allowed to take pictures as long as you don't use a flash.