If you’re wondering how to spend a weekend in Bilbao as a contemporary art enthusiast, this itinerary brings together the city’s must-see cultural highlights. Explore world-class exhibitions at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, discover photography at Sala Rekalde, and stay surrounded by art at Hotel Miró—all within easy reach for a thoughtfully curated long weekend.
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Spring is upon us and we’re all getting that itch to travel. And, with the airline industry still working out the post-pandemic travel rebound kinks, many people are looking to find the best trips one can take by train or by car. I am no different. With that, let me share a few tips for great day trips from NYC that contemporary art and design lovers can take with the help of Metro North and Long Island Rail Road. Maybe you can include them in your spring travel plans!
Dia: Beacon is the place that art lovers gush about. And yet, many tourists and New York visitors have never heard about it. That is a shame. It is an excellent gallery and you can get there easily by hopping on a Metro North train at Grand Central station. 1.5 hours and many scenic pictures of the Hudson River from the train windows later, you’ve arrived at Beacon. From here, it’s a short walk to the former factory that has been transformed into one of the best contemporary galleries in the vicinity of New York.
So, what is Dia: Beacon and what kind of art can you find here? Dia: Beacon is part of the Dia Art Foundation that was founded in New York City in 1974 by Philippa de Menil, Heiner Friedrich, and Helen Winkler to help artists achieve visionary projects that might not otherwise be realized because of scale or scope. That’s also where the name comes from: a Greek word meaning “through”.
Dia: Beacon opened in the town of Beacon on the Hudson River in 2003. The former Nabisco box printing factory houses a collection of outstanding art from the 1960s to the present, along with special exhibitions. Contemporary art lovers (myself included) keep coming back for the permanent installations of Richard Serra’s giant steel forms, Michael Heizer’s negative sculptures, North, East, South, West and Negative Megalith, Dan Flavin’s light installations, or John Chamberlain's crushed metal car parts transformed into various sculptural pillars. The museum also has a great bookshop and a nice cafe on site. If that’s not enough, the city of Beacon has plenty additional cool artsy shops, restaurants and yes, more galleries just a few minutes away. Definitely worth adding to your NYC itinerary.
As the weather improves, you should make a date with the Storm King Art Center, a 500-acre outdoor museum in New York’s Hudson Valley. Hop on a Metro North train to Beacon and from there either take the seasonal shuttle or a taxi. The brilliant sculpture park that awaits you is worth the extra leg of the trip. Rarely do you find so much talent in one place. It’s a veritable who’s who of modern and contemporary sculpture: Louise Bourgeois, Lynda Benglis, Alexander Calder, Sol LeWitt, Roy Lichtenstein, Maya Lin, Henry Moore, Isamu Noguchi, Richard Serra, Kenneth Snelson, and countless others. And, if walking around on your own is not your thing, rent a bike and circle the art on two wheels.
This is another outdoor sculpture park that is just a short trip away from the city. The idea was hatched by Donald M. Kendall, former chairman of the board and CEO of Pepsico in 1965. It launched a collection of works by major twentieth-century artists. Do you like Alexander Calder? Auguste Rodin? No? How about Jean Dubuffet or Claes Oldenburg? And what about Joan Miro, Henry Moore, or (my personal favorite) Alberto Giacometti? You’ve come to the right place. The sculptures are sprinkled around a carefully landscaped park with ponds and fountains that surrounds the Pepsico headquarters. So yes, you’re technically at a corporate campus, but it’s a pretty cool one and there is tons to see.
The gardens are open to the public in the spring and summer and you can drive here or take the train to White Plains or Rye, and then take a taxi to the headquarters. The No. 12 bus from the White Plains railroad station also stops at the headquarters.
This is another iconic location that you should not miss when visiting NYC. The Philip Johnson Glass House is in New Canaan, Connecticut and you can get there easily on Metro North. From the train station, walk to the visitor center at 199 Elm Street, New Canaan CT, 06840 and (assuming you have booked your ticket ahead of time - this is a must here) - a visitor shuttle will take you to and from the site. It feels a little bit like a school trip!
The Glass House was built in 1948–49. It was designed by architect Philip Johnson as his own residence and is considered to be one of the most important and influential modern architecture projects.
Hidden away from the street, the house is on a larger property. There is a small pond (which helps with a little trompe l’oeil effect for at least one of the structures on the property, The Pavilion on the Pond.) Besides the famous glass house, there are several other buildings that are worth visiting: the Brick House which was used as a guest house, Painting Gallery with a great selection of 20th-century American art including works by Frank Stella, Robert Rauschenberg, Julian Schnabel, Andy Warhol, and Cindy Sherman. Then there is the Sculpture Gallery, the Study, the Ghost House, the Kirstein Tower (named for Johnson's friend dance choreographer Lincoln Kirstein), and "Da Monsta" which houses more art, including works by one of my favorites, John Chamberlain.
In the summer, many visitors want to head out to the NYC’s riviera, aka the Hamptons. Those looking to go beyond the beautiful people watching and beach lounging (if you can still call it that with a disco ball setup right on the sand (I am looking at you Gurney’s!)) should put The Longhouse Reserve on their list.
So, where and what is Longhouse? Founded by Jack Lenor Larsen, the reserve includes a great art collection, gardens, sculpture and programs, all focus on reflecting world culture and fostering of a creative life. You can find it in East Hampton. And, there is plenty to see: a spectacular sculpture park with more than 60 contemporary sculptures, including pieces by Buckminster Fuller, Yoko Ono, Sol LeWitt and Willem de Kooning, glass installations by Chihuly, as well as works of many other artists.
Getting to LongHouse Reserve is not difficult either, even without a car: take the train or the Hampton Jitney to East Hampton and grab a taxi or Uber from there. A wonderful summer day trip.
So, have I tempted you enough? Or will you stick to the tried-and-true NYC landmarks only?