America is a land of rebellion and invention, fertile ground for the artistic spirit to flourish and expand the boundaries of form and function. It's estimated that a quarter of the world's top art museums are located right here in the U.S.A. We've got pop art pioneers (Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein), renowned art shows (Art Basel Miami, Frieze NYC and LA), world famous photographers (Arbus, Avedon, Leibovitz, Stieglitz), and a flair for street art districts like in LA, Miami, New York, Atlanta, and San Francisco. And throughout history, you'll find great art collectors among the wealthiest private citizens, who are still today some of the most prolific and prestigious collectors.
Nine Muses Travel specializes in the arts and culture of a destination, and I work with expert guides to curate the most incredible experiences including private museum visits, artist meet and greets, working artist studio access, behind the scenes opportunities at museums, auction houses, and private collections - all in the company of top curators, art historians, artists, designers, architects, and gallerists. Just imagine being welcomed into the home of a Hollywood movie star or into one of art dealer Larry Gagosian's homes to admire their private art collections. You cannot arrange this level of VIP access on your own, but Nine Muses Travel can!
Some of the best American architecture (and my personal favorites too) are Art Deco and Modern architecture of the 20th century from 1945 and on. Art Deco started in France and really took off in the U.S., and prominent examples include the Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, Chicago skyscrapers (some of the first in the world), and Miami Art Deco historic district (one of the world's largest). Modern 20th Century architecture has a great many masterworks throughout the U.S. by legends such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Renzo Piano, Saarinen, Meier, I.M. Pei, and Mies van der Rohe. Some of their finest works are found in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago, and I can arrange for you to have privileged entrée alongside acclaimed architects.
In each of these U.S. destinations, you can easily spend a week immersing yourself in world-class art and architecture experiences and staying in hotels with distinctive design and art collections!
New York City & The Hudson Valley
Stay at Baccarat Hotel New York, Four Seasons Hotel New York, Mandarin Oriental, New York, or The Peninsula New York, and in the Hudson Valley, stay at the bucolic artist retreat of Troutbeck.
Key Experiences
NYC architecture with a top architect - on land or by helicopter
Contemporary art galleries tour
Auction house insider experience before collections go on sale
Private working artist's studio experience
Dia:Beacon private tour
Museum pre and post opening tours: The Met, MoMA, The Guggenheim, The Frick, The Whitney
Los Angeles
Stay at The Peninsula Beverly Hills, Shutters on the Beach and Hotel Bel-Air, Dorchester Collection.
Key Experiences
Contemporary art gallery immersion
Private filmmaking workshop
Downtown LA architecture tour including Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall
Private museum tours: LACMA, The Getty, The Broad, MOCA, The Fowler Museum
Washington, D.C.
Forget politics and just come to appreciate the astounding neo-classical architecture, monuments, and museums. Stay at Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C., The Hay-Adams, Rosewood Washington, D.C. and The DuPont Circle.
Key Experiences
Art inside the U.S. Capitol private tour
Nighttime monuments boat tour
Private museum tours: National Gallery of Art, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Phillips Collection, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, The Kreeger Museum.
Miami
Stay at 1 Hotel South Beach, COMO Metropolitan Miami Beach, Faena Hotel Miami Beach, Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club and The Setai, Miami Beach
Key Experiences
Hands on graffiti workshop to make your own mural with a top graffiti artist
Wynwood Street art tour of murals and graffiti of artists from around the world
VIP contemporary private art collections experience with art curator
Little Havana food, art, and culture walking tour
Cuban art experience with Cuban immigrant artists
VIP Art Deco architecture tour inside hotels and private homes with an Art Deco expert
MiMo and the Design District with a Miami art insider
Santa Fe & Taos
With hundreds of years of influence from Pueblo arts and culture, these towns are enclaves of artists drawn here from around the world. Stay at Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado Santa Fe, Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi and Inn and Spa at Loretto.
Key Experiences
Private glass blowing experience
Insider artist's studio visit
Downtown Santa Fe art and culture walking tour
Canyon Road / The Railyard District art galleries tour
Georgia O'Keefe home and studio private tour
Taos art and culture tour
Private tour of the Earthship Site
Abiquiu and Ghost Ranch private tour to see O'Keefe's vibrant landscapes in person
Chicago
A lot of museums have reopened, and I can arrange your visit before or after public hours. Stay at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago and The Peninsula Chicago.
Key Experiences
Modern and contemporary art insider tour
Antique or modern yacht tour with wine and a famous architect or architecture expert
Frank Lloyd Wright architecture tour in and outside the city
Robie House VIP tour
Historian guided tour of The Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago architecture tour by helicopter
Behind the scenes at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Field Museum, Art Institute of Chicago
Boston & The Berkshires
Everybody knows by now I LOVE THE BERKSHIRES. Stay in Boston a couple of days then head west. Don't miss The Clark's Impressionists, and save an entire day for Mass MoCA's sprawling industrial campus (aka "my happy place"). Stay at Four Seasons Hotel Boston, Mandarin Oriental, Boston and XV Beacon, and in the Berkshires enjoy Wheatleigh, Blantyre and Canyon Ranch, Lenox.
Key Experiences
Private tour of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Ultimate all-access Harvard art experience
Mass MoCA private guided tour
Norman Rockwell Museum private tour
Private guided tour of The Clark
Philadelphia
Stay at Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center - the actual hotel, not the landscaping place!
Key Experiences
Philadelphia murals tour and interactive art workshop
Private tour of spectacular gardens like Chanticleer Gardens
Private museum tours: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Barnes Foundation, Rodin Museum
Texas
Texas has a history of oil wealth that brought in some truly great art, plus the cool cachet of Marfa is on every contemporary art lover's list. Stay at Four Seasons Hotel Austin and Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek
Key Experiences
Tour the Dallas art districts with a local architect
Galleries and studios insider tour
Graffiti tour and hands-on workshop
Houston art touring: Rothko, Flavin, and Twombley
Private tours of Amon-Carter Museum and Modern Art Museum of Ft. Worth
San Antonio Mexican-American studios and galleries
Marfa studios and The Block tour
Charleston & the Low Country
Charleston is becoming a hub for local artists, and Savannah is blossoming as a center for contemporary art too. Stay in Charleston at Belmond Charleston Place, The Dewberry Charleston and Zero George Street or the idylls of The Montage Palmetto Bluff and The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort.
Key Experiences
Charleston architecture with a local architect
Savannah art tour with famous artists from SCAD
Garden and grounds tour of Middleton Place
San Francisco
Leave your heart or rejuvenate it in this city being reclaimed by artists in real time. Stay at Cavallo Point - the Lodge at Golden Gate, Fairmont San Francisco, The St. Regis San Francisco.
Key Experiences
San Francisco Museum of Art early access tour
De Young Museum private VIP tour
San Francisco galleries and studios with a local insider
Mission District insider's private tour
Other notable art destinations
Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob: Laurel Highlands, PA
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art: Bentonville, Arkansas
Taliesin: Spring Green, WI
Taliesin West: Scottsdale, AZ
Dali Museum: St. Petersburg, FL
Andy Warhol Museum, Mattress Factory, Frick, and Carnegie Museums: Pittsburgh, PA
Chihuly: Seattle, WA
Other cities: Las Vegas, Nevada; Asheville, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Palm Springs, California
Nine Muses Travel works with exceptional tour operators who add unparalleled value for my clients.
Expert guides for private tours: historians, naturalists, artists, unique locals
Exclusive experiences
Comfortable, sanitized, and luxurious vehicles
Custom-designed routings
24/7 real-time support
Competitive rates at four and five star properties with strict health and safety protocols
Deep destination knowledge
Flexible and worry-free cancellation policies, including 100% refunds until shortly before travel
Contact Nine Muses Travel when you're ready to paint the town any color you'd like and learn more about me and what I can do for you!
I design journeys that inspire by highlighting local arts and culture, history, and cuisine for intellectually curious clients longing to feel deeply inspired by exciting destinations, culinary delights, and authentic cultural experiences on a life-changing, joyful journey of discovery.
Danielle Dybiec
President of Nine Muses Travel