Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan Welcomes Visitors Seven Days a Week

I visited the Museum of Modern Art on September 9. It was my first stay in the city since March 15. It was already eerie. September 11 was unthinkable and happened fast. The COVID catastrophe keeps unfolding, an oozing amalgam of death, bravery, and science fiction.

I don’t doubt New York’s resilience. We need it back in all its gaudy splendor, though. Seeing the first floor of the Empire State Building empty was a shock. Times Square — on a matinee day, at that — was empty. Rockefeller Plaza was empty. Countless small storefronts are boarded up. The sidewalk restaurants are a nice sign of life but one among few.

About the Author

Brian T. Allen

Brian T. Allen is National Review’s art critic.

I visited the Museum of Modern Art on September 9. It was my first stay in the city since March 15. It was already eerie. September 11 was unthinkable and happened fast. The COVID catastrophe keeps unfolding, an oozing amalgam of death, bravery, and science fiction.

I don’t doubt New York’s resilience. We need it back in all its gaudy splendor, though. Seeing the first floor of the Empire State Building empty was a shock. Times Square — on a matinee day, at that — was empty. Rockefeller Plaza was empty. Countless small storefronts are boarded up. The sidewalk restaurants are a nice sign of life but one among few.