Best Art Galleries in New York – Where to See Art in NYC

New York City is undoubtedly one of the largest art hubs in the United States, with more than 300 Contemporary galleries situated in Chelsea, as well as numerous rising art galleries worth visiting in the Lower East Side and Upper East Side. In this article, we will explore the top 10 best art galleries in New York City, whose longstanding and newfound histories in the city have provided a window into some of the most iconic works and artists of the last two centuries. Keep reading for more about these top 10 art galleries in New York!

New York: America’s Art Hub

The city of New York is a cultural hub filled with art of all styles and kinds, including upcoming Contemporary development that help bring recognition to local and international artists. Almost all famous artists of the decade have had the experience of exhibiting their work at New York art galleries or museums, which many tourists and travelers frequent and help boost the recognition of new artists. In the 20th century, the American art scene saw many cultural developments in New York City, specifically Manhattan, which was dubbed the heart of American art. Manhattan gave birth to many influential institutions, with popular neighborhoods like Chelsea, SoHo, and the Upper East Side, which became the holy grail of New York art.

New York Academy of Art, Tribeca New York (2014); John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Iconic institutions like the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, whose collections helped usher in crowds of art lovers, collectors, and talented artists seeking to establish their names in the history books. Manhattan’s neighborhood of Greenwich Village was home to a wealth of artistic talent with intellectuals, writers, and Avant-Garde artists seeking to evolve the art scene. The Cedar Tavern was also a popular gathering spot for many iconic artists, including Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock, and was considered a prime location for social and artistic discussions. Educational institutions like the Art Students League in New York City also saw the development of many well-respected names, including Mark Rothko and Georgia O’Keeffe.

For Contemporary artists, New York is the dream destination to have one’s work exposed since the city also boasts some of the largest collections of art in the world.

With New York’s big three art museums in the vicinity, visitors also flock to nearby art galleries to catch a glimpse at the emerging talents, which encourages them to invest in art and hopefully invest in artists whose work would one day in the future become highly valued. Since major art events like the Armory Show, which was established in 1994, many art galleries from around the world come together to showcase the best of art from across the globe and stimulate cultural interest in New York. Today, New York City is home to more than 1,400 art galleries and 145 art museums that host over 56,000 artists from around the world.

Explore the Top 10 Best Art Galleries in New York

It would be a disservice to oneself to not learn about the best art galleries in New York, especially with the lineup of special exhibitions coming up. From artists like Yayoi Kusama to the works of icons like Jean Michel-Basquiat, these art galleries are a must-see! Below, you will find a list of the best art gallery institutions in New York City, whose legacies in Contemporary art continue to circulate in the art world.

Artist Ethan Greenbaum and Madeline Warren and Yuta Nakajima of Hauser & Wirth talk to the New York Arts Practicum about the exhibition Fixed Variable (2014); Arts Practicum, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pace Gallery (Est.1963)

Pace Gallery is among the best galleries in New York City that are best known for its impactful exhibitions and historical surveys. The gallery collaborates with many globally-acclaimed artists and is regarded as one of the leading Contemporary art institutions to date. Pace Gallery was founded by Arne Glimcher in the 1960s and has hosted more than 800 exhibitions since its doors opened. With several decades of artistic excellence, Pace Gallery has curated hundreds of exhibitions featuring renowned artists touching on diverse concepts and topics that push the boundaries of artistic expression across a variety of media.

The New York gallery’s commitment to showcasing groundbreaking works by established and emerging artists has cemented its reputation as a leading cultural institution and continues to captivate art enthusiasts, critics, and collectors who frequent New York.

Sculptures by Tony Smith at Pace Gallery in New York (2019); LorenzoBéatrix, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Paula Cooper Gallery (Est. 1968)

Another famous New York gallery that had its beginning in 1968 SoHo is the Paula Cooper Gallery, which opened its doors in Chelsea in 1996. The gallery was founded by gallerist  Paula Cooper, who alongside directors like Steven Henry, has pushed the boundaries of what the spaces in New York could achieve. Paula Cooper Gallery was the first art gallery in SoHo, which debuted in the art world with an exhibition aimed at donating the proceeds of sales to a Student Mobilization Committee, which advocated against the Vietnam War. The inaugural exhibition showcases the works of artists like Donald Judd and Sol LeWitt and has remained a must-see gallery for all New York visitors.

The gallery maintains its focus on exhibiting works centered on Minimalism and conceptual art with additional events in the program that opens its audience to those interested in poetry, literature, dance performance, music, and other special events.

Mary Boone Gallery (Est.1977)

A key player in the American art scene of the 1980s, Mary Boone founded the Mary Boone Gallery in New York in 1977 and went on to move locations throughout the 21^st century while exhibiting some of the most memorable shows of the past decade. The gallery at 745 Fifth Avenue saw an interesting collaboration in 2013 by Peter Halley and Alessandro Mendini, who worked to enhance the space in a fusion of architecture, Minimalism, and geometric design. In 2000, the architect Gluckman Tang worked on the sophisticated gallery space in Chelsea, which complimented the gallery’s previous uptown location.

The legacy of Mary Boone Gallery remains an iconic part of New York’s art scene, which was praised for its cutting-edge contributions to Contemporary art.

The gallery has exhibited the works of many established artists, including David Salle, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Julian Schnabel, who are among many other renowned names. Mary Boone Gallery earned its reputation over the last few decades by emphasizing influential figures, artistic innovation, and curatorial excellence, which has garnered the attention of art lovers and critics from New York and abroad. Unfortunately, many employees were affected in 2019 after Mary Boone was found guilty of tax evasion and filing false tax returns and was forced to close her gallery after pleading guilty. Mary Boone Gallery was closed in 2019 before her arrest, however, the gallery’s website remains open for viewing.

Curator Piper Marshall meets the Practicum at Mary Boone gallery (2018); Arts Practicum, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Gagosian Gallery (Est.1987)

Established and directed by Larry Gagosian, the Gagosian Gallery is considered to be the best art gallery in Manhattan to date with thousands of visitors each year flocking to its doors in New York and London. With five separate gallery spaces in New York alone, the Gagosian Gallery holds a total of 16 galleries, making it one of the most popular galleries in the West. Gagosian Gallery has hosted the works of many famous Modern and Contemporary artists, including the works of Cy Twombly, Damien Hirst, and Jeff Koons, and occasional shows with works from legends like Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, which always attract a crowd. The gallery was first established in Los Angeles in 1980 and then expanded to New York and other sites around the world to showcase the best of Modern post-war and Contemporary work. The gallery hosts both international, influential, and emerging artists and continues to hold some of the most profound solo exhibitions to date.

Larry Gagosian, the owner, and director, previously worked with Leo Castelli in SoHo in the late 1990s to establish an early art gallery and is considered to be one of the best art dealers of the present era.

Damien Hirst at the exihibition Damien Hirst The Complete Spot Paintings 1986-2011, Gagosian Gallery, NYC (2012); Andrew Russeth from New York, New York, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

David Zwirner Gallery (Est. 1993)

David Zwirner Gallery opened in 1993 in the booming art era of the SoHo society in New York and later relocated to Chelsea with expansions in Manhattan and London. The famous New York art gallery is known to be among the best Contemporary art galleries in the city that represents artists such as Donald Judd, William Eggleston, Oscar Murillo, and other emerging artists whose works continue to grow in popularity. David Zwirner Gallery was opened by the owner David Zwirner himself whose international collaborations and ongoing support of many talented artists helped propel the gallery into the spotlight of the New York art space. In 2017, David Zwirner opened up a new gallery in the Upper East Side of Manhattan and simultaneously launched an online gallery viewing room to broaden access to the arts. In 2023, the gallery launched another gallery space in Los Angeles.

Since its establishment, the gallery has hosted many charity and benefit exhibitions for multiple causes, which have contributed to the upliftment of the city and its occupants. Today, David Zwirner is recognized as the best art gallery in Manhattan.

View of the Desert-Model Show, David Zwirner, New York (2019); Mendeswood, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Skarstedt Gallery (Est. 1994)

Established in 1994 by Per Skarstedt, the Skarstedt Gallery is one of the best galleries in New York that are best known for its focus on pivotal moments in the last century as well as seminal historical exhibitions that have influenced many cultural workers. With a stellar lineup of artists such as Georg Baselitz, George Condo, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jeff Koons, Keith Haring, and Barbara Kruger, the gallery continues to thrive in the New York art scene. The gallery commits itself to showcase the best of European and American artwork with unique spaces in Paris and London, which also receive critical acclaim for the variety of iconic works by some of the world’s most loved artists.

The gallery recently held a multi-city exhibition called Faces & Figures, which featured works at the New York space by Eric Fischl, KAWS, and Cristina BanBan. Skarstedt Gallery is a must-see for all art enthusiasts who appreciate the classics of Contemporary art!

Hauser & Wirth (Est. 2009)

Hauser & Wirth is a popular New York art gallery directed by Madeline Warren and originally established in Zurich in 1992. The gallery in New York is based at 542 West 22nd Street, which is the hub of the historical West Chelsea Arts District of Manhattan. One of the celebrated features of the space is that it is located close to iconic trees and basalt stelle created by Joseph Beuys in 1988. The gallery initially opened in 2009 and then expanded its reach in 2020. The gallery is most famous for its program, which focuses on post-war art and Contemporary exploration of related themes. One of the gallery’s co-founders, Ursula Hauser, also holds one of the most impressive private collections of Modern and Contemporary art.

In 2022, Hauser & Wirth also held a major exhibition in London for renowned portraitist Amy Sherald, which canonized the representation and humanization of a Black experience in the Contemporary European world. 

The Practicum cohort visited Hauser & Wirth Gallery (2019); Arts Practicum, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Vito Schnabel Gallery (Est. 2013)

Vito Schnabel Gallery was founded by an American art dealer known as Vito Schnabel, who also set up additional spaces across New York, Santa Monica, as well as St. Moritz, Switzerland. The gallery spaces in New York are based on Clarkson Street and West 19^th Street, which feature the works of many emerging and established artists such as Ai Wei Wei, Otis Jones, and Robert Nava. The Vito Schnabel Gallery spaces in New York have garnered glowing reviews and have been praised for their exceptional curation, diverse artist roster, and dedication to exhibiting groundbreaking Contemporary art.

The gallery’s unique spaces also help foster the dialogue between viewers and artwork while promoting the work of artists who challenge the norm.

Perrotin New York (Est. 2013)

Galerie Perrotin was originally established in Paris, France in 1990 and has since expanded internationally across New York, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai, and Tokyo. The famous gallery was founded by Emmanuel Perrotin who purchased his second New York site for $28 million in 2015 on Orchard Street in the Lower East Side. Perrotin initially founded his New York space in 2013 on Madison Avenue, which operated until 2016 when he acquired the current building. The new gallery on Orchard Street was built by the Peterson Rich Office (PRO) architects who redesigned the historical Beckenstein Building and transformed the space into a block with multiple exhibition rooms, support spaces, a café, and a bookstore. The building itself, which was completed in 2017, blurred the lines between a commercial art gallery space and an institution, and as such has become one of the most iconic spaces in the Lower East.

To date, the gallery has represented many well-known names in the art world, including Maurizio Cattelan, KAWS, Takashi Murakami, and Sophie Calle.

Lynn Maliszewski of Callicoon Fine Arts takes the 2019 cohort on a tour of the exhibition Them on view at Galerie Perrotin (2019); Arts Practicum, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Lyles & King (Est. 2015)

Founded in 2015 by Isaac Lyles, Lyles & King Gallery is recognized as the best NYC art gallery in the Lower East Side. The gallery strives to showcase the work of emerging artists alongside international artists such as Rosa Loy and Mira Schor. Its ambitious program also tackles issues that continue to be debated and include themes related to gender, identity, and the human body. The gallery also established a new space on Catherine Street, which features a performance space, phenomenal outdoor sculptures, and viewing rooms that invite a rich experience. In 2021, the gallery also introduced a new space on Henry Street and continues to thrive as a Contemporary pillar of excellence in artistic expression. Some of the artists represented by Lyles & King have had their works collected by institutions like the Museum of Modern and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, which are cornerstones of the art world itself.

The art of New York City remains significant and highly influential to the global art community with its diverse range of galleries. The city has numerous opportunities for art lovers to immerse themselves in the culture and history of Contemporary art, which inspires innovation and cultural dialogues that are important to how we interpret the world today. Exploring these incredible galleries will foster a deeper appreciation for the preservation of artistic expression, and encourage many to ponder the value of art in the 21st century.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Neighborhood Has the Best NYC Art Gallery?

New York City is home to hundreds of art galleries, but the best NYC art gallery can be found in the districts of Chelsea, Queens, and Brooklyn.

What Is the Best NYC Art Gallery?

David Zwirner Gallery is considered to be the best NYC gallery to date, with four gallery locations in New York alone. David Zwirner is a highly-rated art gallery that represents over 70 artists and estates specializing in pioneers of Contemporary art.

What Was the Oldest Globally-Recognized Art Gallery in Manhattan?

Established 118 years ago in 1905 by Alfred Stieglitz, a gallery named 291 was globally renowned as a popular art gallery in Manhattan. The gallery was previously called the Little Galleries of the Photo-Secession and was credited with enabling the medium of photography as a respected art form in America alongside sculpture and painting. The gallery also piloted the introduction of many avant-garde artists from Europe into the United States, which had a profound influence on the development of photography styles in America.

Liam Davis( Editor-in-Chief, Writer and Art Historian )

Liam Davis is an experienced art historian with demonstrated experience in the industry. After graduating from the Academy of Art History with a bachelor’s degree, Liam worked for many years as a copywriter for various art magazines and online art galleries. He also worked as an art curator for an art gallery in Illinois before working now as editor-in-chief for artfilemagazine.com. Liam’s passion is, aside from sculptures from the Roman and Greek periods, cave paintings, and neolithic art.

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