Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is an art museum on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, known for its spiral architecture. A continuous ramp winds upward through six levels beneath a glass dome, displaying modern and contemporary artworks along its curved walls.

Solomon R. Guggenheim founded the museum in 1937 and the Frank Lloyd Wright building on Fifth Avenue opened in October 1959. The structure is now considered one of the most important works of 20th century American architecture.

Visitors often pause along the outer curves of the ramp to discuss artworks in small groups, while others gaze across the open spiral from above or below. The gallery draws art lovers from around the world who engage with rotating exhibitions of modern and contemporary work, treating the building itself as part of the experience.

The museum sits at Fifth Avenue and 89th Street and welcomes guests from Sunday through Friday until 6 PM, with Saturday hours extending to 8 PM. Visitors often take the elevator to the top and work their way down the ramp, viewing art from different perspectives as they descend.

The building follows a nautilus shell pattern where the upper rings extend wider than the lower ones, creating an expanding vertical gallery space. Wright originally designed a red exterior, but the facade remained white.

Location: Manhattan

Inception: 1937

Founders: Solomon R. Guggenheim

Architects: Frank Lloyd Wright

Official opening: October 21, 1959

Architectural style: modern architecture

Area: 2 m

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

Fee: Yes

Part of: The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright

Address: 5th Avenue

Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 10:30-17:30; November Thursday[4] off; December 24 10:30-16:00; December 25 off

Phone: +12124233500

Website: https://guggenheim.org

GPS coordinates: 40.78306,-73.95889

Latest update: December 3, 2025 08:05