Dia:Beacon Reviews

One of the best contemporary art museums in the world. No question.
One major flaw - the "North, Est, South West" sculpture is simply cordoned off. It's a large-scale permanent - and excellent - feature - and the museum professionals at Dia don't know how to show it, can't figure out a safe way.
Guided tour at opening time is the only thing they could come up with.
But not everyone can show up at the museum at 10am. I live in NYC, two hours away, been to Dia a dozen times - haven't seen this major work once.

Took a drive from the city only to be greeted by an unbelievable small Prada backpack ban. Other well known museums allow you to carry backpacks on one shoulder or handheld. The space is massive what s there to protect?? It s not the Capitol!

I felt they were so desperate to fill up the old factory space with mostly trash they considered as art, the bigger the installation the better, the more it doesn t make sense the better, just to make use of all the empty spaces in this former Nabisco box printing factory.

I liked the sculptures of Louise Bourgeois and Andy Warhol s abstract painting in multiple parts. One of John Chamberlain s sculpture and a neon installation of Dan Flavin.

just a train ride away, but you feel like you're in a whole new world. the wide open space in the gallery made it easy to take in all the art.

make it a day trip so you can see everything there is to offer. buy a book at the bookshop, or three. have lunch at the cafe.

The best museum I've been to so far. Large space filled with interesting and intriguing modern art. Also a fun day trip by train if you're visiting from NYC. Beacon has a couple of cute restaurants and bars you can visit after your visit to Dia.

A unique art museum in a tiny town. A good place to spend a half day, especially on rainny day.

Wonderful museum of contemporary art. Its location allows it to have really cavernous exhibition halls suitable for the installations.

An interesting collection of modern art in a beautiful area of New York State.

Great experience. Very provocative work on display. Museum staff generally good although photograph policy not well stated.

Very unusual. Massive space able to display large modern art pieces

Love it! If you are in the area, and love art, this a must.

Your life will be fuller if you go here.
This is a wonderful art collection that will delight some, infuriate some and mystify some. All of them will be better for having visited. Go there. You'll see.

I loved it here! So much art to appreciate!! Only thing that bugged me is that the staff were so stingy with getting close to the art. Within 2 feet they were scolding us saying 1 foot away from the art!!!!! It was annoying, but other than that this place was awesome to visit!!

Absolutely amazing modern art museum!! We enjoyed our time and $15 ia well worth a visit since it's a massive collection of exhibitions. Everything was very well laid out and lots of descriptions available for each piece. The docents and guides were also very knowledgeable and helpful.

Totally incredible museum. The curation is top notch and the works are absolutely amazing. Take at least three to four hours in this place, you won't regret it.

Modern art is a personal thing. This is a lovely old manufacturing plant repurposed as a museum. Nicely done. Huge.

Lovely musuem that's a good day trip from NYC. Try to take the tour if you can - very informative.

Art lovers and connoisseurs from all over the world regularly visit Dia:Beacon since its opening in 2003.

Major artists like Walter de Maria, Richard Serra, Dan Flavin, Michael Heizer, and many more exhibit here.

It is a must experience not to be missed.

The riverfront structure housing these intriguing works is a feat all of its own. Built of steel, concrete, and glass the old Nabisco printing factory was architected with slanting skylights that reflect-diffuse the flow of light; creating a softly glowing ambiance and complimenting and enhancing what Dia is all about.

Paradise for 60s-70s Minimalism. Great names, unique pieces. A must-see.

One of my favorite museums. The space is as compelling as the work.

An amazing museum/gallery space! Highly recommend spending one full day in the building so you get to see how the natural lights play an effect on the artworks.

Most art was very interesting! However some of the staff were very in your face, and the people who attended the gallery were quite prissy toward each other!

Amazing collection and a fabulous enviornment. Well worth the trip from NYC on the train.

Always an inspirational exhibition of iconic text book art works of minimalism and conceptual art. Good to see Lee Ufan and On Kawara.

An amazing collection and one of my favorite day trips outside the city. Don't miss the Richard Serra's in the back or the basement. Take Metro North up and bring a bottle of wine for the train. The scenery on the way up is almost as stunning as the art

While the Richard Serra sculptures at DIA Beacon steal the show, the museum houses an extraordinary catalog of work from some of the most famous sculptors in the modern era. From Michael Heizer to Donald Judd to Dan Flaven, one walk through this museum will give you enough knowledge to ace a section of a college level art history seminar.

Often seen as the brother (or sister) to the Stormking Art Center, just across the river, it is well worth the visit on it s own. Rather than try to do both on a hot summer day, save DIA Beacon for the winter, and do Stormking in Peak Fall.

Outstanding!! Simply the very best modern art museum for large works I have ever seen. It was our 3rd or 4th visit. It was the best best. Read the information cards about each artist and get much more out of a visit. Don't miss the Serras in the former railroad dock on the first below ground level. This repurposed Nabisco factory is truly spectacular for viewing large no pieces and installations. It is also a beautiful spot above the Hudson beautifully landscaped. Definitely worth a journey, as the Michelin red guide might say

The large art works at this museum are quite inspiring

It's a must see museum. The work simply can't be captured in any other way than living and breathing it.

Great space to experience the monumental Serras, and the Warhol room is amazing.

An art museum about 2 hours drive from Manhattan. The contents of the exhibition are a little strange and many are interesting. There are many large exhibits that make use of the huge space, and it is worth seeing. I think young people are particularly interested in them, because they tend to be pop. Recently, it has been often featured in art magazines, and will it become popular in Japan? Personally recommended is underground. You can see exhibitions that would not be possible if the building itself was a Japanese art museum like an art space. There is no loss to go.

Was closed but honestly I was just excited to be there. 5 stars!

Always a wonderful experience - powerful pieces arranged with the space they should have. This is a trip worth making more than once. The Cafe is surprisingly good, and the grounds are a very relaxing bonus. Bonus: the Dia:Beacon offers complimentary admission with identification to all residents of Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Sullivan, Ulster, Washington and Westchester counties the last Sunday of every month!

Just breath taking!! The installations are very unique and open to your personal interpretation.

An interesting museum, not to everyone's taste. I enjoyed it...Just felt do much more art could have be placed in the space.

Great space to have remarkable works of imagination

Great facility, awesome how this museum began the renaissance of this town. However, I can't speak for some of the art as I may not be sophisticated enough to get it.

Huge contemporary art museum with lots of interesting pieces. I recommend getting here early, it can get busy later in the day. The garden area outdoor is a nice touch.

Easily one of the best and most breathtaking museum experiences I've encountered. The space (indoor and outdoor) really immerse you in the art experience.

A place to find peace and beauty. Dia is always an incredible experience.

Museum of modern art, in a building very AD OC ex Nabisco

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, modern art certainly is not all things to all men, but a couple of wow moments here for sure. The scale of the facility for one is deceptive and two there were a couple of works that really made this long journey worthwhile. Very reasonable cafe too.

My favorite art museum. The exhibits are well presented and the setting is great for a day out of the city. I really enjoyed everything here.

Too bad it keeps charging nyc residents who bring visitors.

Great place - best place to show and experience minimal art. if someone is not very fond of minimal art (like me), this is the place to change your mind!

It's OK. Maybe not with the whole drive but I liked it. I didn't find any if the art to be terribly moving. Some was cool or neat but nothing terribly profound.

Wonderful space with lots of interesting works. The museum's is so large that is only felt crowded at the entrance.

Great museum !
Dia: is easy access from the train station in Beacon. Terrific installation show currently being presented.
Buy a ticket and get on the train!

This place exemplifies the fact that art can be anything, no matter how little effort or thought.

A beautiful space which, for me, was more impressive and inspiring than the art on display.

Bothering to take the train from NYC to Beacon to come here was one of the best decisions of my life! This place is so rewarding and thoroughly enjoyable. I loved it.

After driving through rush hour I arrived at 5:40pm prepared to pay the admission fee for a 20 minute peek inside. Was told they stop letting people in at 5:30. Really? Then don t keep hours until 6pm. Won t be back.

Beautiful location. The building itself is a work of art. Staff was friendly and the galleries really were a sight to see, especially some of the hand-drawn work on the walls.

City folk: take a train out of town and enjoy this spacious museum. Modern art, new and edgy. After, walk the town and enjoy a meal.

Worth the trip, 100%. Will be back now that the grounds are open! (Tip: check to see if the outdoor exhibits are open; they aren't open until Spring after Winter - still a huge amount of work to view and a really gorgeous escape)

Gorgeous museum and grounds! Highly recommend for a day trip from New York. Easily accessible from the metro north train.

Lots of interesting and picture worthy exhibits. Plus, they're all permanent, so you can go back and see it again any time. My personal favourite is the community bed.

A very entertaining place to visit. The old warehouse is perfectly suited to the exhibits. As with all modern art, what we all like is very subjective, but the explanations given with each piece really help you understand what the artist was getting at. Well worth a visit.

Expansive space and artwork that can't be shown elsewhere

An amazing place at least I'd you have the room in your mind to open up to it.
There is for instance a room with large grey plexiglass panels that look like nothing until my wife tells me to look at our reflections in those panels and I suddenly saw an enormous canvas "painted" in subdued colors.
Beautiful, just let your mind go there.

Simply amazing is a day's worth of browsing. Incredible views. Bring a picnic blanket to eat outside.

Eclectic modern art museum in an industrial setting on lovely grounds. Close to transportation and downtown Beacon. Some pieces are out there, but interesting none the less.

Gorgeous artwork and museum aesthetic. Well worth the visit these photos don t do it justice.

The space is incredibly...It is worth the trip for that aspect alone. The artwork is a mixed bag... some is impressive and some can best be described as "what's that and why is it here?" The biggest drawback the day we visited was a large staff of black clad high school or college aged gallery workers (or volunteers) who take their jobs way too seriously, walk around with walkie talkies and incessantly scold patrons regarding the rules. We saw nothing outrageous regarding other patrons that day... many of these workers just seemed to be incredibly uptight. It might be better for the artworld if some of the collection was damaged by patrons so that it could be removed and put in the garbage where it belongs!

Fantastic modern art museum.
A lot of light-related art pieces in a beautiful and very large warehouse just 10 min away from the Beacon train station.

Honestly was a waste of time going to this museum. If your an art fanatic & love art beyond measure then it must be the place for you. But this place literally has walls painted black & white, fluorescent lights on walls and a pile of glass. Like I don't get it.. the Dali museum is much better.

Awesome place. One of my favorite museums. Highly recommend.

Nice Art, Fantastic Space, staff is snobby for no good reason and admission cost is too high.

Modern art n installations in a perfect home lit by warm natural light and wabisabi wood floors. Every time I visit, I wish to come more often and just sit, be filled with more inspiration.

The scale of this place is amazing and somewhat disorienting, you could really spend quite a bit of time here.

I've been here many times. Such a great place to walk around and enjoy the art! I'm not particularly educated in art, but I have fun every time I go here.

The price is a little expensive for admission to be honest, but it's worth the experience.

Very "modern" and pretentious. Most of the art is of the unskilled variety: piles of rubble, geometric primitives, fluorescent bulbs in simple patterns, etc. but there were also a few interesting sculptures.