Going a-round with Frank Lloyd Wright

In continuation of my Frank Lloyd Wright tour... when last in New York, we went to the Guggenheim. The cylindrical building is an architectural landmark, and I was interested in seeing how it functioned as an art museum. Built in 1959, the building's main gallery is a unique ramp that extends from the ground flour up 6 levels toward the skylight. 

As we ascended the ramp, we stopped off at each annex side room, which made our experience of the Rotunda disjointed. In retrospect, I'd recommended viewing the rotunda exhibit seamlessly as you climb, and then visiting the side rooms on your way back down. 

Overall, the view from the top was mesmerizing—and the parallel lines captivating. From there, you are able to see an overview of the main exhibition—on our visit it was Christopher Wool. The monochromatic-ness of Wool's work was quite striking when paired with the lines of the Guggenheim's architecture. 

The museum as a whole seemed small, and without the added interest of the ramp and the spiraling gallery, it would be underwhelming. It had some structural elements that seemed to interrupt the building flow, bathrooms that intruded and you had to walk around instead of passing seamlessly by.

But for any Frank Lloyd Wright fan, it's an interesting and important piece of history.