What the Whitney is
The Whitney Museum collects and exhibits American art from the 20th century to the present — not European modernism, not ancient civilizations, specifically American artistic production. This focused mandate makes it a very different experience from the Met or MoMA: more coherent as a collection, and more directly engaged with the social and political history of the country that produced the work.
The building
The Whitney moved from its Marcel Breuer building on the Upper East Side (now the Frick Madison) to its current location at Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District in 2015. The new building, designed by Renzo Piano, is purpose-built for contemporary art with generous ceiling heights, and its outdoor terraces at multiple levels offer views of the Hudson River and the surrounding neighbourhood that have become part of the experience. The building sits directly at the southern entrance of the High Line, making it an easy combination visit.
The permanent collection highlights
Edward Hopper (the largest public collection of his work), Georgia O'Keeffe, Alexander Calder, Jasper Johns, and a broad survey of postwar and contemporary American art. The collection is genuinely strong and regularly rotated — no two visits show exactly the same selection.
The Whitney Biennial
Held every two years (even-numbered years), the Whitney Biennial is one of the most significant and most argued-about surveys of contemporary American art. It is reliably controversial, frequently challenging, and worth planning a visit around if your timing coincides. It runs for several months; check the museum's calendar for the next edition.
Practical things
The Whitney is at the intersection of Gansevoort and Washington Streets in the Meatpacking District. Free on Fridays from 7–10pm (pay what you wish). The museum restaurant, Untitled, is genuinely good and has outdoor seating with High Line views.