You have come to New York to explore all it has to offer and, of course, it’s raining today. So with that, I thought it would be a good time to discuss what you can see and explore as well as keep dry at the same time during the day (and night)
Here are some of the ideas that I can offer so your planned day in New York as a tourist is not wasted. Some are well known and some are not but they are all part of the New York experience.
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Museums, Galleries & Cultural Spaces
The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Easily Manhattan’s most iconic museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the largest and most famous museums in the world, spanning over 5,000 years of human history.
Boasting over 1.5 million works of art from around the globe — ranging from Ancient Egypt to Renaissance Europe, Asian sculptures, Islamic art, Impressionism, Contemporary America, and everything in between. It’s a must-see for any art or history buff visiting the Big Apple.
If you’re stuck indoors, this is where you’d want to be.
Museum of Modern Art
When the rain starts to fall, take shelter at one of NYC’s premier art galleries – the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Located on 53rd Street near Central Park, MoMA has been a fixture in New York for over 80 years and houses some of the world’s most famous works by celebrated artists — including homegrown heroes like Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol, as well as international icons like Dalí, Picasso, Vincent van Gogh and, in addition, Claude Monet.
Permanent collections encompass a diverse range of items, including paintings, sculptures, photography, architecture, film, drawings, and prints. The museum also hosts special exhibitions throughout the year featuring works by contemporary artists, so there’s always something new to discover.
9/11 Memorial & Museum – solemn, powerful tribute to the victims and heroes of September 11, 2001 (and, lesser known, that of February 26, 1993) This poignant museum is an important stop on any visit to New York City.
The underground museum features artifacts from the 9/11 tragedy — firefighter uniforms, news clippings, personal items, building debris, and several personal stories that provide in-depth insight into the events of that fateful day.
The exhibition is broken up into three sections: Events of the Day (which explores the events as they unfolded), Before 9/11 (to provide context in the lead-up), and After 9/11 (which focuses on the aftermath and rebuild).
The Tenement Museum — for immersive, historical tours of immigrant life in NYC. The Tenement Museum is a nonprofit cultural institution that welcomes you into the historically recreated homes of immigrants, migrants and refugees. It shares their stories to inspire connections between the past and present and to build a more inclusive and expansive American society.
In their two historic tenements, visitors and K-12 students can explore the homes of diverse families with roots all over the world, who lived in New York City between the 1860s and the 1980s. The interactive guided tours of our buildings and the iconic Lower East Side neighborhood.
🎭 Theater, Shows & Performances
Catch a Broadway or Off-Broadway show — a classic rainy-day activity. Visiting a show is one of the best things to do. The lights still glow in Times Square, the marquees shine through the drizzle and when the moment you step inside a theatre, the weather no longer matters.
Comedy clubs (such as Second City NYC) for stand-up, improv. lift the spirits with a good old-fashioned laugh at one of the city’s renowned comedy clubs. With side-splitting shows running every night of the week across town, you can check out both established and up-and-coming comedians for a night of pure entertainment.
📚 Shopping, Browsing & Cozy Spots
The Strand Bookstore — 18 miles of books, meander through stacks, find hidden gems.
Chelsea Market, Eataly, Essex Street Food Market and other food halls/markets — good for wandering, snacking, people watching indoors.
Department stores and boutique shopping (e.g. along 5th Avenue)
If you tell me what area you’re in (e.g. Upper West Side, Midtown, Lower Manhattan, etc.), I can map out a rainy-day walking route full of indoor stops near you so you don’t get soaked. Want me to do that? Then just go to my website, www.bensbageltours.com, and let me know.
