New York City New York City Harlem Museums and Galleries

The Cloisters. Crowning a hilltop at the northern tip of Manhattan, this tranquil branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art focuses on the art and architecture of medieval Europe. Fragments of five 12th- and 13th-century French monasteries are incorporated into the building’s own medievalist architecture; the building is as much of an attraction as the artwork it houses. John D. Rockefeller Jr. donated the site and much of the Cloisters’ rich collection, which includes frescoes, panel paintings, and stained glass. Hymns are played in the serene Cuxa and St. Guilhem Cloisters daily at 3:30pm. Other highlights include the sublimely detailed Unicorn Tapestries, which portray the hunt for a magic unicorn; the Treasury, where the museum’s most fragile offerings are found; and the Robert Campin 1425 altarpiece, one of the first known oil paintings. The museum’s terraces boast spectacular views of the Hudson River, the George Washington Bridge, and Fort Tryon Park. One terrace holds a flower and herb garden that includes more than 250 plants grown in medieval times. The museum offers “Gallery Talks” and workshops for families in the summertime on Saturday afternoons at noon and 2pm; call or check the website for details. (Fort Tryon Park in Washington Heights. S A to 190th St., and follow Margaret Corbin Dr. or transfer to M4 bus one stop to Cloisters. ☎212-923-3700; www.metmuseum.org. Open Mar.-Oct. Tu-Su 9:30am-5:15pm; Nov.-Feb. Tu-Su 9:30am-4:45pm. Tours Mar.-Oct. Tu-F 3pm, Su noon. Free garden tours May-June and Sept.-Oct. Tu-Su. Adult programming Sa at 2pm. Suggested admission $20, students and seniors $10, children under 12 free. Audio tour $6. Includes same-day admission to the Met on 5th Ave. Limited access for people with disabilities.)

Hispanic Society Of America. Once part of John James Audubon’s estate and game preserve, this regal Beaux-Arts terrace was once home to five museums; today, only one remains. Facing an impressive sculpture of El Cid by Anna Hyatt Huntington (wife of the society’s founder), the society’s museum includes mosaics, ceramics, and paintings by El Greco, Velázquez, and Goya. Students of Spanish and Portuguese arts and culture will enjoy the library’s collection of 15,000 books printed before 1701, including rare editions of Tirant Lo Blanc and Don Quixote. The collection includes works from Spain, Portugal, Latin America, and the Philippines. Free tours offered by museum curators on Sa at 2pm. (613 W 155th St. Enter from plaza on Broadway between W 155th and 156th St. S 1 to 157th St. ☎212-926-2234; www.hispanicsociety.org. Open Tu-Sa 10am-4:30pm, Su museum only open 1-4pm. Library closed in Aug. Free. Limited access for people with disabilities.)

Studio Museum. Founded in 1967 at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, this museum is dedicated to the works of contemporary black artists. It features four exhibits per year of multimedia works, paintings, sculptures, and photographs. The museum’s calendar is full of special programs, from architectural tours of Harlem ($20; $15 seniors and students), to poetry and fiction readings (free), to jazz performances ($15). Once a month, the museum hosts Uptown Fridays with live DJs, guided exhibition tours and cocktails ($7; students and seniors $5) from 7 to 9pm. Check the website for upcoming events. (144 W 125th St., between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. (7th Ave.) and Lenox (6th) Ave. S 2, 3 to 125th St./Lenox (6th) Ave. ☎212-864-4500; www.studiomuseum.org. Open W-F and Su noon-6pm, Sa 10am-6pm. Gallery talks and tours Sa 1pm. Outdoor music and dancing 1st F each month in summer. Suggested donation $7, seniors and students with ID $3, members and children under 12 free. 1st Sa of month free.)