Founded in 1977, the New Museum is a leading destination for new art and new ideas. It is Manhattan’s only dedicated contemporary art museum and is respected internationally for the adventurousness and global scope of its curatorial program.

In a Museum first, the Your Museum audio guide format empowers visitors’ experiences using a methodology to inspire curiosity and critical thinking, through the posing of a curated series of open-ended questions. No information other than the work’s title and date of production are expressly stated.

Uniquely, all content, context and meaning attributed to the works featured, is entirely provided by the public, in real time, as they muse on what they see and hear. As this program expands, a community of newly engaged visitors are invited to collaboratively take ownership of institutional meaning, resulting in an active feedback loop of continual viewer engagement, scholarship and lifelong learning.

A self-navigated 45 minute exploration of key works by you, the public. 

Should you wish to take part in the next Your Museum audio guide, reach out and send us an email. We would love to hear from you.

“I really enjoy hearing from a community of people. I can sense their politics and different perspectives. How do I fit into this? I feel outside of just myself and part of something larger.” New Museum visitor. 

“We still live in a society of questioning; people aren’t afraid to speak their minds.” New Museum visitor.

“I love the public testimonials and ideas. These new readings of the work are inspiring and exciting. Giving power to the people.” New Museum visitor.

New Perspectives tours are led by a New Museum Teaching Fellow, an emerging scholar in art history or a related field. The topics of the tours are based on the Fellow’s ongoing research and change monthly, engaging participants in uniquely focused examinations of selected objects and installations. This tour is held weekly on Wednesdays at 3pm with new topics each month. Please visit the New Museum’s calendar for more details.

“I met mark when they was giving a tour at the New Museum and since then, I still find myself thinking about the ideas discussed. The visit, facilitated by mark, has changed the way that I view how art museums can create a lasting impact on visitors. This tour helped me to experience a museum that can promote social awareness, show/explain equity, and bring forth conversations visually that many in our political climate struggle to verbally discuss.

mark was able to meet people where they were at with the work. You did not feel like they knew more than people or that if you didn't have a particular background in art, that you could not participate in conversations. I enjoyed being there to see group members realize and understand the intent of exhibitions. mark's tour was impactful because he not only explained the current exhibitions but also the desire of the museum as a whole to promote accessibility and engage with the community. mark’s public speaking ability and his background in arts engagement showcased the social relevance of art and fostered lasting ideological impressions.

mark is an extremely personable individual and it is a pleasure to know them and to be exposed to the work that they is doing in regards to community engagement and exhibition design. As a student, I didn't know that positions like his existed and, seeing them in this role, helped to open up doors of understanding for myself of what I may be able to do someday.”

New Museum visitor -
Courtney Klee. October 2019.