If Brooklyn was a city on its own and not a borough of NYC, it would be the fourth largest metropolis in the U.S. (and closing in fast on Chicago for third place). Brooklyn has become a tourist destination to rival Manhattan, complete with its own world-class institution: the Brooklyn Museum. Just 20 minutes from Manhattan you’ll find a priceless collection that will surprise you with its range, from ancient Egypt to European masterpieces to a feast of decorative art.

A historic Beaux-Arts façade welcomes visitors to one of New York’s great treasures, the Brooklyn Museum. Photo by Jonathan Dorado.

One of the country’s largest and oldest art museums, the roots at the Brooklyn Museum go back to 1823. The museum’s grand structure was originally designed by McKim, Mead & White, the architectural firm behind many of the city’s most iconic buildings. In 2004, a spectacular new front was added, combining the original 19th-century Beaux-Arts façade with a modernist two-story glass pavilion. As with Brooklyn itself, old and new remain connected, in dialogue with one another. Enter the pavilion and you’ll encounter the building’s exposed piers, their original brick left raw, sharing space with legendary sculptures by Auguste Rodin, whose work is well represented in the museum’s collection.

Programming is just as important as exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum; look for free evenings of music, dance, film, art, and more at Target First Saturdays.

Move deeper into the building and you’ll encounter a treasury of world culture. The Egyptian galleries hold more than 1,200 objects, including a gilded statuette of Amenhotep III and a stylized terracotta statuette that was made over 5,000 years ago. The American Art galleries run from The Americas’ First Peoples through the 20th and 21st century with Beyond Borders and Boundaries. The Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art is the first public space of its kind in the U.S. You can also spend hours losing yourself in the 23 American period rooms, which include one of the city’s original homes, the Jans Martense Schenck House, which has been a part of Brooklyn since 1676.

Special exhibits and programming are also major draws here. As of March 3rd, Georgia O’Keeffe: Living Modern provides a new look at an iconic American artist. Fittingly it’s at the Brooklyn Museum, which hosted her first solo museum exhibition in 1927. Presenting O’Keeffe’s remarkable wardrobe in dialogue with iconic paintings and photographs, this singular exhibition focuses in on the modernist persona O’Keeffe crafted for herself through her dress, her art, and her lifestyle.

Experience a museum in a different way: dine amid art at The Norm at the Brooklyn Museum.

Since this is the modern Brooklyn, food here is considerably more than an afterthought. The Café offers delicious and healthful sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups, and more. For a more intimate experience, The Norm at the Brooklyn Museum is led by Michelin-starred Chef Saul Bolton, incorporating influences from around the globe (also very much in keeping with the Brooklyn spirit).

Another great reason to visit the Brooklyn Museum is its location at a welcoming hub of tourism. Prospect Park, designed by the same team that designed Central Park—after they’d learned from their mistakes—is just down the block, complete with waterfalls and a zoo. BAM, Barclays, and boutiques are also close at hand, and right next door is the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, with over 50 acres of natural life; it’s available at a special rate through the Art & Garden combo ticket.

The Brooklyn Museum is located at 200 Eastern Pkwy. (Washington Ave.); call 718-638-5000 or visit brooklynmuseum.org for more details.