Think Manhattan’s biggest art institutions are all downtown? Think again. Tucked away on Audubon Terrace between West 155th and 156th Streets, the American Academy of Arts and Letters is one of Uptown Manhattan’s most fascinating—and easily overlooked—cultural destinations.
Founded in 1898, the American Academy of Arts and Letters is an honor society made up of 300 artists, architects, writers and composers. Its mission is to support and celebrate creative achievement, but the setting might be just as impressive as the people it honors.
The Academy occupies three buildings on Audubon Terrace, including a Beaux-Arts building completed in 1923 by William Mitchell Kendall of McKim, Mead & White. There’s also an auditorium designed by architect Cass Gilbert that opened in 1930 and seats 730 people. Yes, Uptown has architecture with a serious résumé.
And then there are the exhibitions.
The Academy regularly opens its galleries to the public with free admission, making it one of New York’s rare opportunities to see ambitious contemporary art without first checking your bank account.
Its 2026 programming has included exhibitions by artists including Jessi Reaves, Josiane M.H. Pozi and Lucy Sante, while the upcoming fall season includes a multi-part exhibition titled The Game, featuring Christopher Williams, Monika Baer, Aria Dean and Abraham Cruzvillegas.
The location itself is part of the experience. Audubon Terrace is a historic cultural complex that grew around the institutions established there in the early 20th century. The American Academy’s buildings, galleries and auditorium make the area feel worlds away from the Midtown museum crowds—even though you’re still very much in Manhattan.
So if you’re looking for things to do in Uptown Manhattan, free NYC museums, art galleries in Washington Heights or hidden cultural gems in NYC, put the American Academy of Arts and Letters on your list.
Just don’t tell everyone. Some secrets are worth keeping Uptown.
