Museum Mile is the name for a section of Fifth Avenue which runs from 82nd to 105th streets on the Upper East Side, in an area called Upper Carnegie Hill.
The Mile contains one of the densest displays of culture in the world. It is actually three blocks longer than one mile. The length of this section of Fifth Avenue is occupied by nine museums.
The Museum for African Art, which is the ninth museum, joined in 2009. In the late 2012, its Museum, the first museum built on the Mile, since the Guggenheim in 1959 was opened.
In addition to other programming, the museums work together for the annual Museum Mile Festival to promote the museums and increase visits from people. The Museum Mile Festival usually takes place on the second Tuesday in June From 6-9om.
In 1979 it was established to increase public awareness of its member institutions and also to promote public support of the arts in New York City.
The first festival of the Museum Mile was held on June 26th, 1979. That evening, the nine museums are open for free to the public. Several of the participating museums offer outdoor art activities for kids, live music and street performers. During the event, Fifth Avenue is closed to traffic.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the must have attraction in New York City. Going up you can also visit The Guggenheim Museum, National Academy Museum & School of Fine Arts, Museum of the City of New York and EL Museo Del Barrio. The Hop-on Hop-off Uptown route will help you cover the distance.
For museum lovers, the Museum Mile is a sightseeing challenge which is a must to visit especially if you are visiting New York City for the first time.
Article Provided by michela@welovenyc.com