The US has always been one of the best countries to visit if you want a heavy hit of art and culture. Whether it be paintings, dance, sculptures, or experimental art, the US has it all and so much more.
No matter what you love, from amazing art installations to experimental pieces, there is a city in the US that you need to visit. Here are the best cities in the USA for art lovers.
Chicago
The Windy City is one of the most culturally diverse places in the United States and has recently emerged as a must-see city for art. The Art Institute of Chicago houses hundreds of pieces, including many from the likes of Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, and Salvador Dali.
Once you are done with the museum, you can head to the Millenium Park, which has several sculptures, including the Cloud Gate or The Bean as it is affectionately known.
Sante Fe
Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico, is another city with an eclectic mix of art due to its rich history. You can find the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, as she settled in Santa Fe after moving from New York, which houses the most extensive collection of her work.
There are also several museums that display Mexican and Native American art, showing off the work of those who were in the area long before it was a city.
San Francisco
San Francisco is one of the most significant cultural hubs on the West Coast. The city has dozens of museums, including the de Young Museum, which houses art and artifacts first created centuries ago in the Americas and a large collection of artifacts from Oceania and Africa.
The city is also jam-packed with street art and murals, with several world-famous galleries like the George Lawson Gallery and the Hosfelt Gallery calling the city home.
Miami
Miami is another city with an incredible art scene due to its history of being home to several different cultures. The city is also home to the famed Art Basel Miami Beach, a gallery that is worth the trip to the city alone.
The city has also prioritized promoting Latin and South American art, with many museums, galleries, and shows bolstering their collections with work by artists from these areas.
Berkeley
The home of the free speech movement is obviously going to be one of the best cities for art in the United States. Being a university town, many young people have found their artistic voice over the decades, transforming the city into a melting pot of culture and art.
The UC Berkeley and the Berkeley Art Center provide an enormous range of pieces, from classical to experimental.
New Orleans
New Orleans has everything you want out of an artistic city, museums, festivals, culture, great food, and everything in between. New Orleans has arguably the best contemporary art scene in the country.
The French Quarter, in particular, is home to Preservation Hall, a music venue dedicated to preserving the rich Jazz history of the state. The New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum is a unique stop, showing off the history and folklore of the voodoo culture and practice.
Marfa
Marfa is a surprising entrant on this list. The tiny desert town in Texas has exploded into a center for art in the South, thanks to artists such as Donald Judd, who has work spread across the town and the desert surrounding it.
Marfa is also home to Prada Marfa, an art installation that is a mini version of a Prada store stocked with Prada merchandise. You can’t go into the store, but it is designed to slowly crumble and return to nature, a commentary piece on our consumerism and a very popular spot for town visitors.
New York
No art visit to the United States would be complete without a visit to New York. The Big Apple has dozens of museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, packed with ancient artifacts and famous works by the likes of Picasso.
New York is also home to the Guggenheim, whose building is a piece of art in and of itself. Outside of Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx have transformed into heritage and cultural hubs, emphasizing African-American art and history.
