Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

This was a really cool museum, and I appreciated that the architecture of the building itself was part of the artistry (thank you, Frank Lloyd Wright). The building winds up and around, swirling to the top in a solid white, ramp-like path. As you ascend, you're always beside a half wall that allows you to see the other exhibits even on other levels, and which lets everyone enjoy the natural light from the stunning round window that's the crown and centerpiece of the architectural artwork we call the Guggenheim.

It's nice how you're guided through most of the museum simply by following this unfolding path before you; it makes for a smoother and easier experience than at MoMA or the Met, where you could get lost, or even at the Whitney, where there's less to see than at those two, but still several floors with a few rooms apiece. We didn't spend very many hours here, but leisurely strolled through and saw everything the museum had to offer. It was a relaxing trip to see a smaller collection.

I was surprised (and maybe a bit disappointed, if I'm.really.homest) that most of what was on display was from just one artist. I'm not sure if that's typical for the Guggenheim or not, since I am a tourist. Most floors seemed to be Gego's work - mainly in incredible 3D, geometric pieces. They were extremely cool, but after we were most of the way up, we were ready for a change, and things all started looking the same to our untrained eyes. Though I'm an artist, I paint, so this wasn't my area of special interest; your mileage may vary. It was all well done, but we found it a bit monotonous after a while and were glad when other exhibits changed it up.

Sarah Sze, whose work was about memory, put up some fascinating installations. They were very bold and expressive, and fun to try to work out what she was thinking and conveying. I got the impression that most of her work was constructed for or even at the Guggenheim specifically, because she made such excellent use of the space and must've taken a long time to install everything. I particularly loved the darker room where she set up a moving piece that seemed to show me how the inside of my own brain worked as it processed memories.

Over all, this place was really enjoyable. They did also have a section with paintings from well-known artists, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was just a little bummed that the section was rather small, and I wish I'd connected better with the exhibit that seemed to be the main event currently. I definitely preferred MoMA and the Met, and it wasn't even a close comparison, but we certainly still had a lovely afternoon here, and I'm so glad we got to go. Definitely worth it!