The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, as it is officially known, is a branch of the Smithsonian Institute, housed in the former mansion of Andrew Carnegie. The exhibits include everything from 19th century dishware design to cutting edge fashion. The museum also features a great landscaped outdoor area perfect for relaxing in the warm weather months.

This institute is open to the public and features small rotating exhibits. They also sponsor live performances by leading Czech artists.

Located on the northern end of Museum Mile, this institution has extended its purview to include the works of not only Puerto Rican artists, but those from the Caribbeans and Latin America. They also feature colorful exhibits of authentic crafts celebrating Latina culture.

Just north of the Guggenheim and Cooper-Hewitt, this museum is often overlooked, although many parents know it as one of the most child-friendly institutions on the east side. Their permanent collection of antique toys will leave old and young alike grinning. Recent exhibits have included a representation of the relationship between architecture, urban living and the environment.

A relative newcomer to the area, this museum specializes in German and Austrian art. As such, it has a small, but interesting collection of expressionist and Bauhaus pieces, among others. They also feature a popular central-European restaurant, Café Sabarsky, renowned for its charming interior and wicked-delicious strudel.

The Frank Lloyd Wright building is an artwork in and of itself. The soaring circular rotunda serves as the centerpiece of the museum, which features a permanent collection of Picasso, Cezanne, Klee and other renowned modern artists. The museum remains largely focused on their rotating exhibition of cutting edge shows.

Covering a wide breadth of work by Jewish artists or featuring Jewish culture, exhibits range from the history of Jewish immigration to New York to more cutting edge shows. One collection represented how young artists dealt with images of the Holocaust and featured pieces by Tom Sachs.

One of the world's greatest museums, the collections of the Met are on par with the Louvre. The items on exhibit range from fine Japanese prints to 20th century masterpieces. Some of the permanent featured collections include an Egyptian wing, a classical European section, featuring several Rembrandts and Vermeers and a world-class impressionist installment.