Winter Transformations and Creative Encounters at the Guggenheim
Courtesy of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York.
Despite a winter storm briefly closing the doors of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the iconic institution is turning disruption into opportunity. Visitors returning after the weather clears can enjoy limited-time discounted admission through March 3 while the museum prepares its next major exhibition. This transitional moment offers a rare chance to witness one of the Guggenheim’s most fascinating behind-the-scenes spectacles: the installation and deinstallation of exhibitions unfolding in full view of guests entering the rotunda.
The current lineup invites visitors to explore a trio of artistic visions that shaped modern and contemporary art. Paintings by Gabriele Münter reveal the artist’s bold colors and expressive forms, while works by Robert Rauschenberg demonstrate boundary-breaking experimentation across media. These exhibitions, combined with highlights from the museum’s permanent collection, create a layered viewing experience that bridges early modernism and late-20th-century innovation.
Beginning March 5, the rotunda itself becomes the centerpiece as Carol Bove unveils her largest project to date. Transforming the museum’s spiraling ramps into a living environment, Bove introduces lounges, contemplative spaces, and even chess sets that visitors are encouraged to use. The installation reimagines the museum not simply as a place to observe art but as a space to inhabit—blurring lines between exhibition, architecture, and social experience.
Film lovers can deepen their visit every Friday in February with short screenings that complement the exhibitions. At 2 pm, Gabriele Münter: Pioneer of Modern Art traces Münter’s life and artistic influence, followed at 3 pm by Taking Venice, a documentary exploring the daring strategy that secured Rauschenberg the grand prize at the 1964 Venice Biennale. Together, the films offer cinematic context that enriches the artworks on display upstairs.
Architecture enthusiasts will find their own highlight in daily guided sessions dedicated to the museum’s legendary building, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. These 30-minute educator-led explorations reveal hidden details, structural quirks, and the creative philosophy behind Wright’s revolutionary spiral design—an architectural landmark that continues to redefine how art is experienced.
Families and young creators are also at the heart of the Guggenheim’s programming. Saturday Art Cart sessions invite visitors of all ages to participate in collaborative art-making activities inside the galleries, guided by thought-provoking prompts. Meanwhile, Teen Tuesday on March 3 provides a welcoming environment for aspiring young artists to connect, experiment, and share ideas—no prior experience required.
Performance takes center stage March 8 with the Uptown Rhythm Dance Festival in the Peter B. Lewis Theater. The evening celebrates the cultural impact of women in dance through works by the Basque company Kukai Dantza, choreographer Naomi Funaki, and artist Xianix Barrera, presented in partnership with tap legend Dormeshia and collaborators. The program underscores the Guggenheim’s commitment to performance as an extension of visual art.
Looking ahead, March 9 brings a special Member Monday celebration paired with a lively Rotunda Dance Party, where guests can toast Bove’s exhibition opening before joining a line-dance takeover beneath the museum’s soaring dome. Whether visitors come for art, architecture, film, or performance, this late-winter season reveals the Guggenheim at its most dynamic—mid-transformation, alive with creativity, and inviting audiences to be part of the process.