Photograph: Krista SchluettaPopeye Bowery Graffiti Wall mural by John "Crash" Matos

Outdoor art: Amazing public art and street art in New York

New York is packed with dazzling public art installations, street-art murals and witty graffiti. Use our guide to plan a day out to see NYC’s best outdoor art.

Sunday April 21 2013

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Outdoor art—both sanctioned and illicit—dots the streets of NYC. But it’s hard to fully appreciate it if you don’t know what you’re eyeing or where to look in the first place. Remedy that with our guide to these great New York attractions, from expansive graffiti murals and obscure 19th-century statues to iconic public artworks and secret New York treasures. Get outdoors and discover NYC’s stunning range of alfresco art.

RECOMMENDED: Full guide to things to do outside in NYC

Public art

Art

New outdoor public art

Check out the best additions this spring and summer, including a cloudlike pavilion on Governors Island.

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Iconic public art

From the Wall Street bull to the LOVE sculpture: Make sure you’ve seen every piece of public art on our bucket list of world-famous pieces.

Art

Hidden public art

Did you know there’s a Keith Haring in a New York church? Make a point to seek out these ten stellar works.

Art

New York statues

Who the hell are these people? Discover the controversies and artistic vandalism behind three figurative sculptures.

Things to do

Public art tours

Discover some of NYC's best public art in places like the High Line and the subway.

Art

Public art on the High Line

Here’s a photographic rundown of pieces both past and current.

Street art

Art

Top ten spots to see street art

From storied walls to exciting new spaces, here are ten free outdoor spots to see the city’s best street art and graffiti.

Things to do

5 Pointz summer events

The Queens graffiti haven celebrates hip-hop’s 40th anniversary all season long.

Art

Street artists paint a mural (video)

Watch a time-lapse video of Chris Stain and Billy Mode painting a mural at the Bushwick Collective.

Art

Sheryo and the Yok paint a mural

Two street artists explain the process behind creating an expansive mural at the Bushwick Collective.

Art

Street art galleries and alternative spaces

Lois Stavsky of blog Street Art NYC picks some of the best places to catch a show.

Art

Graffiti styles

LES blog Bowery Boogie and @149St's Eric Felisbret explains common styles, and recommend artists to look for in NYC.

Things to do

Street art tours

Join a tour guide to explore the best street art and graffiti in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and learn about the craft itself.

Art

Graffiti art: A brief history

From the battlefields of World War II to the 21st-century 5 train, Time Out tracks the evolution of graffiti art.