Dia: Beacon, Beacon, NY

This past weekend I took a lovely scenic drive up to Beacon, NY. The town was beautifully historic, and I’ll share more of that soon, but first I want to share a big reason why many people visit Beacon in the first place.

Dia: Beacon is one of many locations run by the Dia Art Foundation. What once housed an old Nabisco box printing factory has been transformed into an expansive canvas for modern art. The collection spans from the 1960s to the present and is all shown in a wonderfully industrial setting (what can I say, I have a weakness for factory style big-pane windows).

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a fan of the classics. I spent a semester studying abroad in Florence, Italy and spent a lot of time reflecting on the works of Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Botticelli, to name a few. I found the deeper symbolism and meanings behind the works of these masters fascinating. I always have a harder time connecting with modern art, but sometimes we have to step out of our comfort zone and try something new.

I definitely did not love everything, but a few pieces did stand out. Some I admired for the standalone pieces themselves, but more often for how they interacted with the larger space. If I'm honest, being an industrial architecture admirer... sometimes the building itself was the best part. And that's the thing with modern art, you get to make of it what you want, which is the fun of it for me.

I hope you enjoyed this trip to Dia: Beacon and that it inspires you to take a weekend drive sometime soon! If you want to learn more about the collection, check out the museum website here. As always, please leave any questions or comments in the section below.

Keep exploring,

~V

Date & Locations: 8 October 2017 - Dia: Beacon Museum, Beacon, NY

Photos taken with: Nikon D5300, Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR Lens

the details

Location: Dia: Beacon, 3 Beekman St, Beacon, NY 12508
Hours: Thursday - Monday, 11am - 4pm (Hours are seasonal, check the website for current info)
General Admission: $15
Getting There:
- Driving - GPS to the above address, parking is free
- Train - Just down the street from the MetroNorth Beacon station, this is an easy walk from the train (Look into a special combined train & museum fare here)