No matter what time of year you visit, find out why Ithaca is one of the top 10 arts-vibrant medium-size communities in the United States!
DAY 1
MORNING
Start your arts odyssey by stretching your legs and breathing the fresh air at the Cornell Botanic Gardens Sculpture Garden. Let your imagination run free as you experience these “Sentinels of the Sixties”: abstract, ten-ton concrete sculptures created in the 1960s by Cornell undergraduate architecture students.
AFTERNOON
Stay on East Hill to grab lunch in collegetown and then head over to the world-famous Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art. The museum’s iconic structure was designed by I.M. Pei and houses more than 40,000 works in the permanent collection. The Johnson Museum welcomes visitors to experience original works of art across a wide spectrum of global traditions, time periods, and media for education, inspiration, and delight, and offers breathtaking views of Ithaca, Cayuga Lake, and the Cornell University campus.
EVENING
The greater Ithaca area offers something for everyone in terms of late-night entertainment! Check out our calendar to find out what’s happening tonight!
Fuel up at one of Ithaca’s coffee shops and head out to explore the 180 public murals in and around Ithaca! Print your own Ithaca Murals map to follow a self-guided tour, or book ahead for a private walking or bike tour. Ithaca Murals is a network of people transforming gray walls into beautiful, meaningful works of art that tell the stories of the diverse people who live here.
AFTERNOON
After lunch, spend the afternoon poking around Ithaca’s galleries. Downtown you’ll find the CAP ArtSpace, Community School of Music and Art, Ink Shop, Mink Gallery, Mix Gallery, and State of the Art Gallery. Nearby you can check out Artist Alley, Cherry Gallery, Corners Gallery, Ithaca College’s Handwerker Gallery, and the North Star Gallery. Check websites for hours!
EVENING
Time for some well-deserved rest! Take yourself to Cinemapolis, Ithaca’s first-run movie theater located in the heart of downtown, specializing in independent, foreign, and locally-produced films. Do as the locals do and order your popcorn with nutritional yeast! See what's now showing at Cinemapolis!
