Art Excursions, Inc.

TOUR VENUES AND FEATURED SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS

The Neue Galerie and “The Woman in Gold”

Ronald S. Lauder co-founded Neue Galerie with art dealer Serge Sabarsky to focus on German and Austrian art. Klimt's portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer made famous in the "Woman in Gold" film headlines a fantastic permanent collection. Enjoy a private guided tour of this New York jewel.

The special exhibition: “Sargent in Paris”

This special exhibition explores the first decade in the career of John Singer Sargent beginning in 1874 with his arrival in Paris and culminating in the year 1884 when his infamous portrait “Madame X” brought him fame and scandal. Sargent developed a modern approach to portraiture that made him one of the most sought-after painters of Paris society.

During this remarkable and formative ten year period, Sargent also traveled to Italy (where he was born to American parents), the Netherlands, Spain, and North Africa -- all places that inspired great paintings of various subjects.

The popularity of the iconic “Madame X” portrait has prompted the museum to pull out all the stops (and plenty of preparatory studies too) when it comes to the culmination of this show. Expect to enjoy a thorough examination of Sargent’s captivating portrait along with select portraits of other Parisiennes by his contemporaries.

The Frick Collection -- Expanded and Restored

In the year 2020, the Frick Mansion closed in order to facilitate a multi-year renovation and expansion project. After nearly five years, the museum is set to reopen this spring. Museum visitors can expect to experience Henry Clay Frick’s 1914 mansion fully restored AND first-ever public access to the second floor, which provides 25 percent more gallery space for the outstanding permanent collection. The renovation and expansion project also created new special exhibition galleries. As a result, works from the Frick’s own collection will no longer have to be put into storage to accommodate special exhibitions of objects on loan from other institutions.

We are excited about bringing The Frick back into our NYC itinerary. We are especially looking forward to our clients being among the first visitors to see the re-installation of paintings by the famed Rococo artist Boucher in the second floor that Henry Clay Frick chose for them. (When the collection first went on public display decades ago they were relocated to the mansion’s first floor.) This restored “Boucher room” features views of Fifth Avenue and Central Park as well as an installation of French furniture and Sèvres porcelain from the Rococo period.

Vermeer’s Love Letters: Bringing together Dutch masterpieces from Dublin, Amsterdam and New York

The inaugural exhibit in The Frick’s new first floor special exhibition galleries unites one the most-loved Vermeers in the collection (“Mistress and Maid”) with The Rijksmuseum’s “Love Letter” and The National Gallery of Ireland’s “Woman Writing a Letter with Her Maid.” This is the first time in modern history these three particular Vermeer paintings have been shown together in the same gallery setting. The installation will offer insight into the lives of 17th century Dutch women -- both mistresses and maids -- as well as what may have intrigued the artist about the theme of correspondence.

NOTE: Since The Frick owns two additional Vermeer paintings and The Met exhibits another five Vermeers, our tour offers the change to see first-hand a total of ten paintings by the Dutch master. That’s nearly a third of his surviving works.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute’s exhibition of Men’s fashion -- Yes, you read that right: “Men’s”

We are thrilled to announce that this year’s NYC tour will coincide with the Costume Institute’s annual show. This year -- for the first time in two decades -- the focus is on menswear. And for the first time ever, the exhibition theme explores menswear worn by African Americans and the African diaspora.

Inspired by the 2009 book by Monica Miller titled “Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity,” the Met set out to present “a cultural and historical examination of the Black dandy, from the figure’s emergence in Enlightenment Europe during the 18th century to today’s incarnations in cities around the world.” The 2025 Costume Institute Spring Exhibition will feature garments and accessories; paintings, prints and drawings; photography and film; and other media.

Traditionally, the term “dandy” has been used to describe a man with an exceptional interest in fashion, image and style. During the slavery era, Black servants were dressed and groomed to manifest the status of their owners. Over time, Black individuals pursed Dandyism to express their transformed identity as free men and women.

The special exhibition: “A Lively Mind: Jane Austen at 250”

In celebration of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, The Morgan Library hosts a new exhibition featuring artifacts on loan from her home in Chawton, England along with manuscripts, books, and artworks from more than a dozen institutional and private collections (including The Morgan itself). The exhibit will provide insight into the interrelationship between Austen’s life and her novels and tell the surprising story of how she came to be known in America.

The photography special exhibit: “Arresting Beauty: Julia Margaret Cameron”

Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879) was one of the first artists to consider photography as more than an object of curiosity and use it to produce fine art. And she accomplished this in less than a dozen years. Cameron acquired her first camera at age 48 and threw herself into the relatively new medium. Her prolific output resulted in thousands of images that capture the Victorian era from her unique perspective.

This exhibition includes some of her best known work in portraiture, including images of Tennyson and Darwin. More importantly in terms of the history of art, this show features some of her truly visionary work that combines costumed models in staged settings that evoke an emotional response. She often personalized her work with unexpected variations in focus, intentional accidents and even her own fingerprints.

In 1865, Cameron arranged to have her work put on exhibition at what is now The Victoria and Albert Museum. Soon after, she became the very first photographic artist to have her work purchased by the famed London institution. Over the decades, the V. and A. acquired nearly one thousand examples of Cameron’s photographic prints, many of which will be lent to this show.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Over more than 150 years, The Met has evolved into arguably the world’s most comprehensive art museum with top-shelf collections in nearly every art historical period and special exhibits that often travel nowhere else. An art lover could happily spend a lifetime inside this museum. Where else can you find an ancient Egyptian temple displayed inside a museum?

Enjoy extended time to explore The Met's legendary holdings and get special insights about museum highlights on a private tour led by art historian Jeff Mishur (named as a top art guide by The Wall Street Journal).

The Cloisters: Art, architecture and gardens above the Hudson

Located on a stunning site above the Hudson River, The Cloisters offers an experience of Medieval and Renaissance art, architecture, gardens and culture unlike any other place in the world. Endowed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., The Cloisters preserves medieval enclosed courtyards (pictured above), stained glass windows, and architectural elements rescued from ruin in countrysides across Europe. Rockefeller also bought and donated several hundred acres of the New Jersey Palisades to the State of New Jersey on the other side of the Hudson to preserve the view from the museum.

Its galleries feature outstanding sculptures, paintings, tapestries, manuscripts and decorative arts including Campin’s Annunciation Triptych, an ivory cross from Bury St. Edmonds (made famous in the book King of the Confessors), and The Unicorn Tapestries. Enjoy a private guided tour of the galleries. (Photo by Jose Olivares from Wikimedia.)

A pre-opening private tour at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

MoMA presents one of the world's best collections of late nineteenth and twentieth century art and design. Its legendary collections include such pillars of Modernism as Van Gogh's Starry Night (above), Picasso's Ladies of Avignon, Dali's Persistence of Memory, Wyeth's Christina's World, Chagall's I and the Village, Matisse’s The Red Studio, and hundreds of other icons of our material culture.

A reimagined and expanded MoMA opened in late 2019. From artist commissions to new spaces for performance, art making, and conversation, every corner of the museum has been brought to life. Most exciting of all is walking into the galleries and seeing the collection as it has never been seen before, with more art by more artists from more places in the world than MoMA has ever been able to show.

We will enter the MoMA an hour before it opens to the public for an intimate guided tour of museum highlights followed by free time to explore the collections and special exhibits further.

The Morgan Library and Museum

Founded to house the extraordinary collections of J.P. Morgan, the Morgan Library and Museum features world class illuminated manuscripts, furniture, decorative arts, drawings, prints, and rare books. The museum also exhibits paintings and works in other media by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Gauguin, Cezanne, Gainsborough, Turner, Degas, and Rembrandt. The campus includes a Beaux Arts building completed in 1907 as well as a 2006 addition designed by Renzo Piano.  We’ll enjoy a private tour of collection highlights.

A Welcome Reception with Live Music at The Morgan Library and Museum

We are proud to feature on this tour our signature private reception at an NYC museum venue. Take in stunning views while noshing on hearty canapés and sipping wine and non-alcoholic beverages. Jeff Mishur hosts this perfect beginning to our tour.

Tour study leader and host -- Art historian Jeff Mishur

Art historian Jeff Mishur, co-owner of Art Excursions, hosts this tour. In a recent article about “Top Private Art Guides,” The Wall Street Journal referred to Jeff as an expert armed with an advanced degree and “equipped to give the most veteran aesthete the thrill of a new perspective.“

Jeff is a sought-after guide for private tours of architecture, public sculpture and museum collections. He is also a very popular lecturer on art and architecture. On this New York tour, Jeff will be leading private tours at multiple venues.

Accommodations in Midtown

Art Excursions understands that our choice of accommodations contributes to the overall experience of the boutique tours we design and lead. Consequently, our clients have come to expect a high standard of hotel as well as a location that is ideal for walking to shops, galleries, museums, restaurants, theaters and concert venues.

In New York City we have selected a four-star property in Midtown within walking distance to Times Square, Fifth Avenue shopping, Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall among other locations.

TOUR INCLUDES

1. ‣Four star accommodations in midtown Manhattan for three nights
   

2. ‣Admissions and private tours as highlighted above
   

3. ‣A before-hours private group tour at the MoMA
   

4. ‣Tour hosting, commentaries and handouts provided by Art Excursions
   

5. ‣Welcome reception at The Morgan with wine and heavy hors d’oeuvres
   

6. ‣Daily breakfast
   

7. ‣Gift card for lunch daily
   

8. ‣Transportation to and from all itinerary elements not within walking distance
   

9. ‣Independent time to take in what you like at each event on the itinerary
   

10. ‣Driver gratuities
    

11. ‣The opportunity to add extra pre or post-tour nights at a special rate with the destination fee waived.
    

TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE

Gratuities for tour guides and hotel staff; incidentals at hotel; costs for items not specified above; airfare and airport transfers. We can book airfare on your behalf if you prefer not to make your own arrangements.  We do charge a $45 per ticket booking fee for this service.

TOUR PRICING - The amounts below reflect advance pricing and are valid for registrations and deposits received by April 4, 2025. After this date, prices are subject to change.

$2,350 per person for two persons in a room with one king bed OR two double beds

$2,750 single occupancy in a room with one king bed

A NOTE ABOUT BOOKING FLIGHTS

We know some clients have a tendency to look into airfares before even signing up for our tours. We wish to offer a reminder that airfares fluctuate daily. The old theory that the earlier one books a flight, the lower fare they will pay does not apply in our era. Fare prices are driven by sale periods that are announced periodically by a given carrier and then matched by other carriers.

TRAVELING AS A SINGLE?

Our boutique tours are ideal for single travelers, singles traveling together, or couples. We typically have a mix of these types of travelers. If you wish to know why we charge a single supplement or have any other questions, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page or email us.

TOUR RESERVATIONS

Group size is limited. Reservations accepted first-come, first-served. For more details please email artexcursions@yahoo.com or call 630/671-9745.

READY TO SIGN UP?

Great! Just email us at ae-news@artexcursions.com or artexcursions@yahoo.com and we’ll follow up with a tour application. Our phone number is 630.671.9745