Autumn at the Whitney
A Seasonal Guide

Visit the Whitney to experience the best of New York’s coziest season.

A metal art sculpture over water with a city skyline in the background at sunset.

An Art-Filled Walk Along the Waterfront 
Day’s End, Hudson River Park

The Whitney Museum sits just steps away from the Hudson River. Savor the fall foliage and brisk air with a stroll along the waterfront (the park and pathway run from Tribeca to West 59th Street). Hovering just offshore from the Whitney is a giant but delicate sculpture by artist David Hammons called Day’s End. Silvery beams trace the silhouette of a pier that formerly occupied this site and was an important fixture to many artists and the neighborhood community. To learn more about this artwork and the history of the piers, check out the Whitney’s podcast or take our self-guided walking tour of the neighborhood.

Two people in a gallery with potted citrus trees, wooden planters, and modern lighting.

Leaf peeping in the Museum
Survival Piece #5: Portable Orchard, Floor 8 

Although the foliage along the waterfront may be more colorful, we have our very own orchard inside the Whitney. The small orchard budding in the galleries on Floor 8 is an artwork titled Survival Piece #5: Portable Orchard and will be on view through January 5, 2025. The work was conceived and designed in 1972 by artists Helen Mayer Harrison (1927–2018) and Newton Harrison (1932–2022), who imagined the need for a productive and sustainable food system in a future where natural farming practices are obsolete. Have a contemplative moment beneath a leafy canopy and breathe in the scent of… citrus. We know apples would be more fitting for the season, but you can find cider and donuts just up the street at Chelsea Market.  

People viewing art in a gallery with red walls, featuring a prominent painting of a figure in a white jacket and blue pants.

The Show of the Season
Edges of Ailey, Floor 5

Critics are raving about our exhibition Edges of Ailey, a tribute to Alvin Ailey, the visionary artist who revolutionized dance and left an enduring mark on American culture. The exhibition has been described as an “extravaganza” because it offers an immersive exploration of Ailey’s world: a multi-screen video installation wraps the galleries, bringing his choreography to life. The show also features works by over eighty artists—from Jean-Michel Basquiat to Alma Thomas to Kara Walker—and never-before-seen archival materials. Make sure to catch a live performance, too. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, and artists inspired by Ailey’s artistry will perform in our third-floor theater throughout the exhibition. Check the full schedule and book your tickets. 

Studio Cafe terrace.

Sunsets from our Terraces
Terraces on Floors 8, 7, 6, & 5

One of our favorite things to do at the Whitney is enjoy the sunset from the terraces. There are terraces on Floors 5, 6, 7, and 8, but we recommend heading to the top floor to take in the view with a snack or drink from our eighth-floor Studio Bar, which offers coffee, pastries, small bites, a full bar, and lunch. Cozy up inside or savor the last temperate breezes from a table on the veranda; both offer stellar skyline views. With the days getting shorter, you can watch the cobblestone streets of the Meatpacking District disappear as the city’s lights emerge. It is atmospheric and the perfect place to observe everything that makes this season in New York so special. 

A person with long hair views a landscape painting in a gallery. They carry a black tote bag with yellow and white text.

Art with a Bit of Scare
The Whitney’s Collection, Floor 7

Visitors of all ages will enjoy roaming our galleries on the hunt for art that has a bit of a scare this Halloween season, and there are more than a few examples. This painting by artist Andrew Wyeth shows a dead, frozen crow painted from a worm’s-eye view, magnifying the bird relative to its surroundings and making it feel more akin to the size of a human body—eek! This piece is on view in our collection galleries on Floor 7. Just beyond it is a gallery brimming with eeriness—the Surrealist gallery. American Surrealists played with the tension between realistic renderings and dreamlike subject matter and, as you will see, exploring the subconscious can quickly become nightmarish. Check out Robert Vickrey’s The Labyrinth, Louis Guglielmi’s Terror in Brooklyn, or Frederico Castellon’s The Dark Figure to get in the Halloween spirit. 

Person in a colorful shirt views framed black-and-white artwork in a gallery titled "Wanda Gág's World" with yellow walls and wooden floors.

A Taste of the Countryside
Wanda Gág's World, Floor 7

Tucked away in a small gallery on Floor 7 are about twenty prints by artist Wanda Gág, who you may know from her children’s books like Millions of Cats. Gág produced a trove of artworks outside of her literary publications. Her prints depict cozy, rustic interiors—the kind of bucolic escape so many New Yorkers dream of this time of year. Firelight illuminates the tableaux and casts long shadows that distort, contort, and give life to inanimate objects. If you can’t leave the city this fall, escape into the whimsy of Wanda Gág’s World. 

A child enthusiastically holds up a stick controlling a dragon shadow puppet, which casts a large, vivid silhouette onto a brightly lit surface. The child appears to be roaring playfully, mimicking the dragon's pose, while the scene is illuminated with dramatic, colorful lighting, creating a vibrant and imaginative atmosphere.

Halloween at the Whitney
Celebrate the last week of October 

Every year the Whitney hosts a weekend of Halloween festivities for all ages. Grab your art-inspired costume for a little scare and a lot of fun. Join us for trick-or-treating and giveaways, enjoy music and dancing at Teen Night or swing by Family Day on Saturday for artmaking, performances, and scavenger hunts. Or explore the Whitney after dark at Member Night on the evening of October 30. Check out a list of all the Halloween happenings. 

Plan your visit
What to know before you go.