Whitney Museum Ticket: Special Exhibitions, Collection and Terraces

The Whitney exists because of an argument. In the early twentieth century, American collectors and museums looked mostly to Europe and to the old masters, and living American artists struggled to be shown. Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, a sculptor and philanthropist, decided to back them herself and ended up founding a museum dedicated to their work. That founding idea still drives the place: the collection runs from the early twentieth century to artists working today, and new American art is at the center of it rather than in a side room. This ticket gives you the whole museum at 99 Gansevoort Street. That means the permanent collection, every special exhibition on during your visit, and the outdoor terraces that step down the side of the building above the Meatpacking District, with views over the Hudson and the West Side. There is no separate ticket to buy for the big shows. You also get the free mobile guide on your phone and access to the museum's public guided tours, which are the easiest way to get some context before exploring on your own. If you like a plan, check which tours are running on the day and build your visit around one. The Whitney is a manageable size compared with the big encyclopedic museums uptown, and its location makes it easy to combine with a walk on the High Line, which starts right outside, or with Chelsea's galleries a few blocks north. Worth knowing if you are putting together a museum day: this ticket covers the Whitney only and does not include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which has its own admission and is closed on Wednesdays. This is a non-refundable ticket, so book once your date is settled.