NYC Public Art Map and Guide

New York City’s parks are host to the country’s greatest outdoor public art museum. With hundreds of permanent works in our collection, and more than a dozen works of temporary art on display at any given time, there’s always something new to see just around the corner.

Visit our Art & Antiquities page to learn more, and discover how artists can have their work displayed in a park.

Permanent Art and Monuments

Our permanent art collection features more than a thousand monuments across New York City. From sculptures and fountains to abstract work and commemorative tablets, our permanent collection tells the story of New York City through its work.

Browse the list of Permanent Art and Monuments

Temporary Public Art

Our Art in the Parks program offers both local and internationally renowned artists the chance to exhibit their work for a period of time. Visit these whimsical, challenging, and experimental works while they are on display.

See all exhibits currently on display

Permanent Art

Temporary Art

Citywide Exhibits

CEI Arts Education BENCHMARKS: Youth Setting the Standard for Social Change

Benches painted colorfully with messages about social change line a park path where people walk to explore the park and trees behind the benches.

June 8, 2019 to September 6, 2019

In this current climate, BENCHMARKS provides NYC youth with a public platform to express themselves on current issues in a constructive, creative and powerful way to effect social change. This comprehensive, student arts residency program inspires young people to confront major social issues and become engaged citizens through creating large-scale, meaningful artworks on benches for public display citywide, to effect social change. The resulting 30 benches have been colorfully painted to share the students’ messages with parkgoers in all five boroughs. This program serves up to 750 New York City public school students in grades 5-9 in 30 schools in disadvantaged communities citywide.

Locations: The benches can be found in Mullaly Park in the Bronx, Prospect Park Parade Ground in Brooklyn, Tompkins Square Park in Manhattan, Hoyt Avenue Sitting Area in Queens, and North Shore Esplanade in Staten Island.

This exhibition is presented by the Center for Educational Innovation’s Arts Education Program.

LEAP’s Public Art Exhibition: Empowering Students Through Social Justice and Visual Arts

Two wood panels on both sides of an entrance to the playground are painted with scenery, one of a beach and water with fish, the other of a building near a hill and tree, to illustrate social issues in their community.

June 5, 2019 to August 26, 2019

LEAP’s Public Art Program uses a social justice framework to empower middle and high school students to have a voice in their communities and express themselves on social issues through the creation and public exhibition of art. This program instills social responsibility and civic engagement, imparts artistic skills, concepts and techniques, and fosters peer leadership, self-confidence and collaboration. As part of each residency, students have a unique opportunity to meet with world-renowned artists at their studios, as well as galleries, museums, exhibitions, and other sites. For this year’s public art exhibition, students from seven New York City public middle schools in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island have adorned wood panels and small sculptural seating elements with colorful painted murals that touch upon critical social issues in their community and across the globe.

The tables can be found in Joyce Kilmer Park and Tremont Park in the Bronx, Coffey Park and South Oxford Park in Brooklyn, Auburndale Park and Evergreen Park in Queens, and Snug Harbor Cultural Center in Staten Island.

This exhibition is presented by LEAP.