# NYC in winter (January 2012 to be specific) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 25, 2011, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-in-winter-january-2012-to-be-specific/597544 "2011-09-25T11:00:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-in-winter-january-2012-to-be-specific/597544/1 "2011-09-25T11:00:42Z")
So my husband has been asked to go to NYC for his book release in the second week of January. I figure I may as well come over for the ride, seeing as I only have to pay the extra airfare! 😃 He’ll probably be busy with signings and meetings during the day, so i’m expecting to have to amuse myself for a few days, but we will probably have evenings and a couple of days together. I’m thinking museums and art galleries might be the ideal activities for me and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations? I love natural history and we only saw a part of the Natural History museum last time, so i’ll definitely head back there. I’m not really a classical art fan, but I do enjoy the more zany/whimsical exhibitions. I would also like to learn more about the history of New York. So, any recommendations gratefully received! ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-in-winter-january-2012-to-be-specific/597544/2 "2011-09-25T13:19:00Z")
You might enjoy the [American Folk Art Museum](http://www.folkartmuseum.org/). You could check out SoHo (roughly between Houston and Canal and Broadway and 6th) for more current art but I don’t know where to go specifically. You could morph your art walk into a visit to Chinatown since it’s down that way. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is chock full of interesting exhibits - Egyptian, Islamic, Asian, Pacific Islands (I guess you’d be familiar with that), Musical instruments, etc. outside of it’s classical offerings, so you should see what’s there when you arrive. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-in-winter-january-2012-to-be-specific/597544/3 "2011-09-25T14:26:52Z")
For the history of New York: [Museum of the City of New York](http://www.mcny.org/) Also, make sure you take in the the [New York Public Library](http://gonyc.about.com/od/freestuff/p/nypl.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-in-winter-january-2012-to-be-specific/597544/4 "2011-09-25T14:36:20Z")
My favorite spots (they all have websites) are: **Argosy Books** on East 59th Street near Lexington Avenue–the best used-bookstore in the city since Gotham Book Mart closed (I find The Strand over-rated). **The Algonquin** , on West 44th between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, a great, quiet little spot to stop off for drinks, either in the lobby or the Blue Bar. Been there since 1903, I think, and has long been a literary and show-biz hangout. **The Old Town Bar and Restaurant** in the West 20s is a great old New York dining spot, too, and the chili is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-in-winter-january-2012-to-be-specific/597544/5 "2011-09-25T15:10:25Z")
If you like zany check out the Guggenheim. I also have to give a shout out to a couple of my favorite quirky restaurants in the city: [Max Brenner Chocolate by the Bald Man](http://www.maxbrenner.com/) and [Alice’s Tea Cup](http://www.alicesteacup.com/).