Winter and the shoulder seasons are the perfect time to sell a city break. Shopping and culture are rarely weather-dependent, so can be enjoyed year round.
The US offers world-class cultural experiences in all its major cities and regional hubs – the trick is knowing what your clients want to see. Learn the difference between the flagship museums with our guide.
The Smithsonian
British scientist James Smithson managed to set up the Smithsonian without ever setting foot in the US. It’s no less impressive as a result. It’s a massive complex made up of 19 museums, galleries and the National Zoo (mostly located in central Washington DC), all of which are free.
Guggenheim museum
Founded by American philanthropist Solomon R Guggenheim, this museum is instantly recognisable thanks to architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic building. It opened in 1959 and still looks modern today.
Located close to Central Park in New York, the Guggenheim is the place to see works by groundbreaking modern artists such as Picasso, Kandinsky, Chagall and Jean Cocteau.
MoMA
New York’s Museum of Modern Art was founded in 1929 by the wives of three leading industrialists of their day. It moved into its current permanent home in 1939, which was redeveloped and doubled in size in 2004 and gained the Cullman Building for education and research in 2006.
MoMA houses an impressive 150,000 modern art paintings, sculptures, prints, photographs and other items.
The Getty
John Paul Getty was a collector of European art and founded his museum in 1954 for the “diffusion of artistic and general knowledge”. This original museum is now known as the Getty Villa, in Malibu, California and it houses Greek, Roman and Etruscan art and artefacts.
The Getty Center in Los Angeles displays European paintings, drawings, manuscripts, decorative arts and photography.
Other museums and galleries
- Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona: a recent $41 million expansion of modern and contemporary art, Latin American art and fashion design.
- Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pennsylvania: a special exhibition of 60 works by Renoir opens this month.
- Newseum, Washington DC: opens its doors in spring 2008 – an interactive museum that traces the history of news reporting.
