MUSEUMS & CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AMERICAN CRAFT MUSEUM 40 W. 53rd St. ...

40 W. 53rd St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-956-3535, www.americancraftmusem.org Weds., Fri.-Sun. & Tues. 10-6. Thurs. 10-8. Closed Mon. $5, $2.50 st./sc., child. under 12 free. "Memories of Murano: American Glass Artists in Venice," exhibit looks at Italian influence on revolution post-war American glass art [through 1/8/01]. Related exhibit in the comprehensive "Venetian Glass: 20th-Century Italian Glass" [through 1/7/01].

 

AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Central Park W. (79th St.), 212-769-5200, www.amnh.org Weds., Thurs. & Sun.-Tues. 10-5:45; Fri. & Sat. 10-8:45. $9.50, $7.50 st./sc., $6 child. "Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga," re-examination of role Vikings played in trade, science, art & exploration [through 1/21/01]. Live jazz every Friday, 212-769-5000 for info [6-8, free w/mus. adm.].

 

ASIA SOCIETY

502 Park Ave. (59th St.), 212-517-2742, www.asiasociety.org Weds.-Sat., Mon.-Tues. 10-6; Sun. 12-5. $4, $2 st./sc. Child under 12 free. "Power & Desire: South Asian Paintings," view rare Rajput & Mughal Court masterpieces not seen publicly for a quarter century [through 1/7/01].

 

BROOKLYN MUSEUM OF ART

200 Eastern Pkwy (Washington Ave.), Bklyn., 718-638-5000, www.brooklynart.org Weds.-Fri. 10-5; Sat. & Sun. 11-6; first Sat. of the month 11-11, eve. free; closed Mon. & Tues. $4, $2 st./sc. "Hip-Hop Nation: Roots, Rhythm & Rage," exhibit explores 25 years of hiphop music through urban lyrical art, artifacts & manuscripts of lyrics & audio components worn by artists much as Run-DMC, Tupac & Brooklyn-bred Notorious B.I.G. & Jay-Z [through 12/31]. "Lee Krasner: Retrospective," first full show of abstract impressionist's work since her death [through 1/7/01]. "Gold of the Nomads: Scythian Treasures from Ancient Ukraine," first U.S. exhibit in decades of unparalleled gold adornments excavated from burial mounds?call for price [through 1/21/01].

 

FRAUNCES TAVERN MUSEUM

54 Pearl St. (Broad St.), 212-425-1778. Weds.-Fri., Mon. & Tues. 10-4:45; closed Sat. & Sun. $4, $2 st./sc., child. 6 & under free. "The Only Pleasure An American Knows: Politics in 1800" exhibit feat. political drawings & images of the era [through 12/31].

 

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM

1071 5th Ave. (89th St.), 212-423-3500. Weds. & Sun.-Tues. 9-6; Fri. & Sat. 9-8; closed Thurs. $12, $8 st./sc., child. under 12 free. Influential work of six early 20th-century Russian women on display in "Amazons of the Avant-Garde" exhibit [through 1/7/01]. "Giorgio Armani," themed groupings of work from one of the most influential designers of 20th century [through 1/17/01].

 

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM~SOHO

575 B'way (betw. Houston & Prince Sts.), 212-423-3500. Thurs.-Mon. 11-6; closed Weds. & Tues. Free. "Andy Warhol: The Last Supper" exhibits his take on Da Vinci's work through silkscreens & paintings [permanent].

 

THE HARBOR DEFENSE MUSEUM

Bldg. 230, Fort Hamilton, Bklyn., 718-630-4349. Weds.-Fri., Mon. & Tues. 10-4, second Sat. of month 10-4. Free. Explore how New York Harbor has been defended from the Revolution to today [permanent].

 

INTREPID SEA-AIR-SPACE MUSEUM

Pier 86, W. 46th St. (12th Ave.), 212-245-0072, www.intrepidmuseum.org Weds.-Sun. & Tues. 10-5; closed Mon. $10, $7.50 veterans, reservists, st./sc., $5 ages 6-11, $1 ages 2-5, free for active duty & toddlers. "Defending our Future" exhibits machinery, statistics & Pentagon's latest project [permanent]. "Desert Storm Strike," "A-6 Cockpit Challenge" & "Cold War/Berlin Wall Exhibit" [permanent]. "Prepare to Dive: Centennial Exhibit of the Navy's First Submarine" feat. submarine built in 1878 [permanent].

 

JEWISH MUSEUM

1109 5th Ave. (92nd St.), 212-423-3271, www.thejewishmuseum.org Weds., Thurs., Sun. & Mon. 11-5:45; Tues. 11-8; closed Fri., Sat. $8, $5.50 st./sc., child. under 12 free. Pay-what-you-wish Tues. after 5. "Drink & Be Merry: Wine & Beer in Ancient Times" exhibit looks at 5000 years of drinking & its cultural role in eastern Mediterranean & Near East [through 11/5]. "Pickles & Pomegranates: Jewish Homes Near & Far" exhibit displays reproductions of century's worth of Jewish homes around the world with composite characters inviting your children to play house with them [through 3/01]. "Morocco: Jews & Art in a Muslim Land," 2000 years of cultural artifacts from center of traditional Jewish culture [through 2/11/01].

 

LOWER EAST SIDE TENEMENT MUSEUM

90 Orchard St. (Broome St.), 212-431-0233. Call for times & prices. "Sitting Shiva: The Rogarshevsky Family Apartment," interactive exhibit feat. home of Jewish immigrant family from Lithuania in mourning [permanent]. "The Gumpertz & Baldizzi Apartments," restored to 1870 & 1935 (respectively) specifications [permanent]. Tours incl. "19th-century Tenement," "The Confino Family Apartment" & "The Streets Where We Lived."

 

OLD MERCHANTS HOUSE

29 E. 4th St. (betw. Bowery & Lafayette St.), 212-777-1089. Thurs.-Mon. 1-5. $5, $3 st./sc. "Minard Lafever & His Circle," exploration of mid-19th-century spread of Greek influence on American architecture [through 12/11].

 

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

1000 Fifth Ave. (82nd.), 212-535-7710, www.metmuseum.org Weds. & Thurs. 9:30-5:30; Fri. & Sat. 9:30-9; Sun. 9-5:30; Tues. 9:30-5:30; closed Mon. $10, $5 st./sc., child. under 12 free w/adult. See more than 90 photos of legendary beauty & secret agent, the Countess de Castiglione in "La Divine Comtesse" [through 12/31]. "Painters In Paris: 1895-1950" exhibit feat. more than 100 paintings by Picasso, Matisse, Miro & others from the School of Paris [through 12/31]. "European Helmets, 1450-1650: Treasures from the Reserve Collection," 75 helmets from the apogee of helmet design [through 1/2001]. "Sculpture & Decorative Arts of the Spanish Renaissance," collection of Spanish sculpture & decorative arts bridges 16th & 17th centuries [through 1/2001]. "American Modern, 1925-1940: Design for a New Age" exhibition of furniture, appliances, lamps, etc., by first wave American industrial designers [through 1/2001]. "Art & the Empire City: New York 1825-1861," art explosion that accompanied New York's ascendance as the dominant national city [through 1/7/01]. View evolution of quintessential Chinese art form over last 1400 years during "The Embodied Image: Chinese Calligraphy" exhibit [through 1/7/01]. "The Year One: Art of the Ancient World East & West," synthesis of global art from 2000 years ago [through 1/14/01]. "Egyptian Art at Eton College," rare exhibition of ancient Egyptian art from Myers Museum [through 1/21/01]. "The Golden Deer of Eurasia: Scythian & Sarmatian Treasures from the Russian Steppes," exhibit examines nomadic artifacts from 2500 years ago in first American exhibit of these unique treasures [through 2/4/01.] "Rain from the Moon: Silver in Ancient Peru," 130 rare objects of Native-American metal work culled from public & private collections [opens Fri., through 4/22/01].

 

MUSEUM FOR AFRICAN ART

593 B'way (betw. Prince & Houston Sts.) 212-966-1313. Weds.-Fri., 10:30-5:30; Sat. & Sun. 12-6. $5, $2.50 st./sc. & child. "In the Presence of Spirits," over 140 works depicting interplay between life & supernatural in Africa [through 12/31].

 

MUSEUM AT THE FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

7th Ave. (27th St.), 212-217-5800, www.fitnyc.suny.edu Weds.-Fri. & Tues. 12-8; Sat. 10-5; closed Sun. & Mon. Free. "Bonnie Cashin: Practical Dreamer," retrospective of a pioneering sportswear & Hollywood costume designer [through 1/6/01]. Explore the role of women in mid-century fabric design for clothing & furniture during "A Woman's Hand: Designing Textiles in America" exhibit [through 1/13/01]. "Perry Ellis Morphos Collection," 24 donated items illustrating the designer's rare blend of casual & sophisticated [through 1/13/01].

 

MUSEUM OF CHINESE IN THE AMERICAS

70 Mulberry St. (Bayard St.), 212-619-4785. Weds.-Sat. & Tues. 12-5; closed Sun. & Mon. $3, $1 st./sc., child. under 12 free. "Fly to Freedom: Art of the Golden Venture Refugees," collection of paper sculptures created while refugees were incarcerated [through 11/4]. "Chinatowns in North America," William Chu's CD-ROM tour documents Chinese immigrant experience [permanent]. "Family Portraits" [permanent]. "Where Is Home? Chinese in the Americas," personal stories, photos, mementos & poetry encased in a structure reminiscent of a glowing Chinese lantern [permanent].

 

MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK

1220 5th Ave. (103rd St.), 212-534-1672, www.mcny.org Weds.-Sat. 10-5; Sun 12-5; Tues. 10-2; closed Mon. $5, $4 st./sc./child., $10 families. "Renewing a Block & the Spirit of Its People," b&w photo exhibit by Bill Foley on the renewal of Camel Hill community in Harlem [through 11/12]. "Under the El, City Life in 20th-century Prints & Drawings," depictions of life during era of elevated trains [through 12/3]. "Painting the Town, Cityscapes of New York," explore the evolution of New York's landscape over the past two centuries [through 12/31]. "Life of the People: Realist Prints & Drawings 1912-1948," rare collection of working-class art from tumultuous time [through 1/14/01]. Photographs & essays by NYC high school students document changes in city's immigrant neighborhoods with "New York Toy Stories" & "The Infamous Andrew Jackson Head" exhibits [permanent].

 

MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

11 W. 53rd St. (Betw. 5th & 6th Ave.), 212-708-9755, www.moma.org Closed Weds. Thurs., Sat-Tues. 10:30-5:45. Fri. 10:30-8:15. $10, $6.50 st./sc., child. under 16 free. "Architecture Hot & Cold," images of buildings real & imagined [through 1/2/01]. "Innocence & Experience" exhibit examines how perceptions of childhood have gone from positive to dark & threatening [through 1/2/01]. "Matter" exhibit explores role of material in defining art [through 1/2/01]. "Actual Size" exhibit explores how artists have dealt w/issues of scale to undermine ideas of what is real & fantasy [through 1/30/01]. "Minimalism & After," exploration of evolution of minimalism through the 1960s w/floor sculptures & cubic art [opens Sun., through 1/30/01].

 

MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO

25 W. 52nd St. (5th Ave.), 212-621-6600, www.mtr.org Weds., Sat., Sun. & Tues. 12-6; Thurs. 12-8; Fri. 12-9. $6, $4 st./sc., $3 child. under 13. "Sixth Annual Radio Festival" feat. seminars on growth & change in oldest broadcast medium?call for individual events [through 11/2]. "Madison Avenue Goes To Washington," campaigning via television since Eisenhower [through 11/12]. Experience variety of radio programs turned television shows during "Ninth Annual Children's Television Festival," screenings of children's oriented programming from around the globe & costumed characters like Babar & Popeye-call fro individual events [opens Sat., through 11/26]. "From Radio to Television" series feat. Dick Tracy to Father Knows Best [through 12/3]. "Monster in the Box: Horror on Television" explores five decades of camp, fear, creepy & frightful programs in 90-minute packages [through 12/10].

 

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN

George Gustav Heye Center, 1 Bowling Green (betw. State & Whitehall Sts.) 212-668-6624. Weds. & Fri.-Tues. 10-5; Thurs. 10-8. Free. "Who Stole the Tee Pee?," exhibition of how modern Indian artists have responded to change since 1900 [through 1/21/01]. "All Roads Are Good: Native Voices on Life & Culture" displays more than 300 symbolic objects chosen by 23 Native selectors [permanent].

 

NEW MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

583 B'way (betw. Houston & Prince Sts.), 212-219-1222. Weds. & Sun. 12-6, Thurs.-Sat. 12-8, closed Mon. & Tues. Thurs. 6-8 free. $6, $3 st./sc., free for those under 18. "Pierre et Gilles," first U.S. show of French hand-painted photographs [through 1/7/01]. "Adrian Piper: A Retrospective & MEDI(t)Ations," examines growth of Conceptual art & later identity-based art through Piper's work [through 1/21/01].

 

NEWSEUM/NY

Madison Ave. (betw. 56th & 57th Sts.), 212-317-7596. Weds.-Sat., Mon. & Tues. 10-5:30; closed Sun. Free. "Women Photographers at National Geographic," celebrates accomplishments of 40 past & present photojournalists [through 1/27/01].

 

NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDENS

200th St. (Southern Blvd.), Bronx, 718-817-8747, www.nybg.org Weds.-Sun., Tues. 10-6; closed Mon. $10, $7.50 st./sc., $4 child 12 & under. "Scarecrow Exhibit," learn history of scarecrows from a family of strawmen [through 11/5]. "The Japanese Autumn Garden," explore the sequence of fall around a simple reflecting pool [through 11/19].

 

NEW YORK HALL OF SCIENCE

47-01 Flushing Meadows Corona Park, 718-699-0005. Weds., Mon. & Tues. 9:30-2; Thurs.-Sun.; 9:30-5. $7.50, $5 child./sc. Free Thurs. & Fri., 2-5. "Marvelous Molecules?The Secret of Life," illustrates similar chemistry traits among living things?humans, amoebas & cockroaches [permanent].

 

NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY

2 W. 77th St. (Central Park W.), 212-873-0509. Weds.-Sun. & Tues. 11-5; closed Mon. $5, $3 st./sc., child. 12 & under free. "Inventing the Skyline: the Architecture of Cass Gilbert," exploration of works by a man most famous for the Woolworth Bldg. [through 1/21/01]. "Kid City" [permanent]. "Masterworks of 19th-century American Painting" feat. nearly 50 oil paintings by such artists as William Sydney Mount, Thomas Cole & Asher B. Durand [permanent].

 

NY PUBLIC LIBRARY

Central Branch, 476 5th Ave. (42nd St.), 212-869-8089, www.nypl.org Weds. & Tues. 11-7:30, Thurs.-Sat., Mon. 10-6, Sun. closed. Free. Examine visions of paradise from the Garden of Eden to cyberspace in "Utopia: Imagining the Ideal" [through 1/27/01].

 

P.S.1

22-25 Jackson Ave. (46th St.), L.I. City, 718-784-2084, www.ps1.org Weds.-Sun. 12-6; $5, $2 st./sc. "Santiago Sierra: New Work," performance-based pieces on labor & its exploitation [through 11/00]. View first retrospective in America of the dream worlds of "John Wesley: Paintings 1961-2000" [through 11/00.]. "Second Mission Project ko2," Takashi Murakami's three-part sculpture of a girl transforming into an airplane & taking off [through 11/00].

 

QUEENS MUSEUM OF ART

New York City Bldg., Flushing Meadows Corona Park, 718-592-9700, www.queensmuse.org Weds.-Fri. 10-5; Sat.-Sun. 12-5; closed Mon. & Tues. $4, $2 st./sc., child. under 5 free. "Tiffany: Behind the Glass," construction & restoration of famed windows & lamps [through 2/4/01]. "Queens Focus" exhibit displays work of local artists [permanent]. "Tiffany in Queens: Selections from the Neustadt Museum Collection" [permanent].

 

STUDIO MUSEUM IN HARLEM

144 W. 125th St. (betw. Lenox Ave. & Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.), 212-864-4500, www.studiomuseuminharlem.org Weds. & Thurs. 12-6; Fri. 12-8; Sat. & Sun. 10-6; closed Mon. & Tues. $5, $3 st./sc. $1 child under 12. "Whitfield Lovell, Whispers from the Walls," mixed media history of forced removal of a black community in 1921 Texas [through 1/7/01]. "Martin Puryear: The Cane Project," woodblock prints inspired by Harlem writer Jean Toomer's novel, Cane [through 1/7/01].

 

WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART

945 Madison Ave. (75th St.), 212-570-3600, www.whitney.org Weds., Fri.-Sun. & Tues. 11-6; Thurs. 1-8; closed Mon. $12.50, $10.50 st./sc./groups of 10 or more. "Roni Horn: Still Water (The River Thames, For Example)," exhibit of human relationship w/nature through images of water [through 1/14/01]. "Edward Steichen," examine multidimensional work of man who was both a top combat & fashion photographer [through 2/4/01].

 

YESHIVA UNIVERSITY MUSEUM~CAMPUS LOCATION

2520 Amsterdam Ave. (185th St.), 212-960-5390. Weds., Thurs., Mon. & Tues. 10-5; closed Fri.-Sun. Free. Museum acquisitions from the past decade are displayed as corresponding to the Hebrew aleph-bet in "From Aleph to Tav: Collecting at the Turn of the Century" [permanent].

 

YESHIVA UNIVERSITY MUSEUM AT THE CENTER FOR JEWISH HISTORY

15 W. 16th St. (5th Ave.), 212-294-8330. Weds., Sun. & Tues. 11-5; Thurs. 11-8; closed Mon., Fri. & Sat. $6, $4 st./sc., child. under 5 free, Yeshiva Univ. students free w/id. American turned Israeli artist portrays biblical cast of characters as modern figures confront ageless concerns in "David the King: Paintings by Ivan Schwebel" exhibit [through 12/31]. "From Tent to Temple: Life in the Ancient Near East," interactive children's exhibit centers on life during biblical age [through 1/14/01]. "Major Intersections," broad overview of Jewish history feat. many previously unseen works of art, documents & historical objects [through 3/2001].