Virtual Tour: Art Wars—The Met, MOMA, the Whitney, and What Each Might Argue Is Art!

After the Civil War, stewards of our young nation sought to develop artists with talent to rival that of Old Europe. Their goal was to elevate the level of refinement of the average American, and prove that we could be preoccupied with more than the almighty Buck! On this pleasant Museum Mile trek, we will discover how the keepers of our first cultural collections defined art and decided what would or would not hang within their walls, in the process competing with each other and the highbrow institutions overseas. This tour focuses on museum architecture as a reflection of their founders, mission, and the collections inside. Also features the surprising role of our government in defining what is art. Tour includes viewing and discussion of the National Academy of Design, the Whitney Museum uptown (now the Frick Madison), as well as MOMA, the landmarked Metropolitan and Guggenheim Museum facades, the Art Students League, and the new Whitney.

(allow 1-1/2  hours for this online tour)