(Photo) Blue Whale Model.

Piece 1: MoMA/Met/Natural History Museum. Our wintertime visit to the “Big Apple” started with visits to three of New York City’s most popular museums, all within the Manhattan borough.

Our first stop was the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), located on West 53rd Street in Midtown Manhattan just a few blocks south of Central Park.

The three floor-building has over 125,000 square feet of exhibit space. Established in 1929, the museum features works by a wide variety of noted artisans.

We were particularly excited to see “The Starry Night” by Vincent Van Gogh, but also intrigued by Jasper John’s “Flag”, an encaustic (heated wax) painting of the American Flag.

We left MoMA and made our way north along 5th Avenue toward the Metropolitan Museum of Art, located on the east side of Central Park just south of the reservoir.

The mammoth building has over 600,000 square feet of exhibit space and is one of the largest art museums in the world, boasting a two-million piece collection of artifacts and paintings.

We particularly enjoyed the Egyptian Art Wing, and the Temple of Dendur was a focal point. The ancient structure, built in 15 B.C., was reassembled as it appeared on the banks of Nile River.

In the American Wing, I was drawn to the Winslow Homer classic “The Gulf Stream”. The 1899 oil painting vividly portrays a man in a small rudderless fishing boat struggling against the waves.

On the west side of Central Park, almost opposite of the Met, is the American Museum of Natural History.

The complex features 45 exhibit halls spread over five levels. Highlights of the collection for us included the 94-foot blue whale model suspended over the central floor of the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life and the variety of dinosaur skeletons (including a velociraptor skull) featured on the fourth level.

Alice in Wonderland Sculpture (Central Park)

Piece 2: Central Park/Times Square. Nestled between the upper east and west sides of Manhattan is Central Park.

Covering almost 850 acres, the park offers a variety of natural features to experience and enjoy; including rock outcroppings, forested areas, large lawn spaces, and several bodies of water.

One of the highlights of our day there was walking through the Mall, a beautiful elm tree-lined path that includes a “Literary Walk” featuring statues of famous authors such as Sir Walter Scott and William Shakespeare.

Just east of the Mall is the sculpture of Balto, the heroic Alaskan sled dog that led delivery of a serum to combat a disease outbreak.

Further north in the park, just past the model boat pond, is the popular Alice in Wonderland sculpture.

Lots to see; wear comfortable shoes and get a park map.

Times Square, a major commercial intersection in Midtown Manhattan, is a short subway ride south from Central Park.

Notable signage there includes the One Times Square building billboards at the New Year’s Eve ball drop path, the curved NASDAQ sign, and the “stare-worthy” Coca-Cola sign.

The area is full of restaurants and retail stores, so come with an appetite and a credit card.

Prometheus Sculpture (Rockefeller Center)

Piece 3: Rockefeller Center. Located in Midtown Manhattan a few blocks south of MoMA, the Rockefeller Center complex offers visitors several fun experiences.

We were there during the winter months and saw the famous outdoor skating rink, the large Christmas tree, and the Prometheus sculpture (which symbolizes progress).

The observation deck at the top of Rockefeller Plaza (known as “Top of the Rock”) offers spectacular views of the city skyline from open air terraces facing each direction, including a great perspective of the Empire State Building. The glass ceiling elevator ride up is also thrilling.

Finally, Radio City Music Hall is an ornate 6,000-seat auditorium with three mezzanines and a beautiful curved ceiling. We saw the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes there and it was wonderful.

The theater’s iconic marquee wraps around 6th Avenue and 50th street; a great photo opportunity!

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