New York City is home to some of the most extensive art collections in the world thanks to museums like the Guggenheim and the Museum of Modern Art. It's also the location for several key art and fashion events each year, including the prestigious Armory Show.

The first and best-known Armory Show was held in early 1913 at the 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. Organized by the Association of American Painters and Sculptors, it was the first major exhibition of modern art in the US. For the first time, American audiences were exposed to the avant-garde of Europe: painters like Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Georges Seurat, and Marcel Duchamp. The classic realism that Americans were used to now gave way to the drama and symbolism of modern art. The show was a huge success and served to inspire dozens of American artists to experiment with new styles.

There would not be another exhibition like the Armory Show in New York until 1994, when four art dealers set up the Gramercy International Art Fair. This lasted until 1999, when the venue had to be changed to the 69th Regiment Armory and it became known once more as "The Armory Show."

In its current form, the Armory Show lasts for four days in March every year, usually being held at Piers 92 and 94 in central Manhattan. Its aim is to showcase international art, with contemporary art being shown inside Pier 92 and modern art dating back to the twentieth century in Pier 94. As many as 52,000 people have attended the annual event, bringing in 85 million dollars in art sales. The event has led to a redevelopment for the western end of Manhattan once it was relocated to the piers, and has inspired several panels, receptions, and performances as part of an overall festival known as Armory Arts Week.

If you're interested in attending the next Armory Show, you'll need to have all your travel arrangements and accommodations in place. The agency Turon Travel has a special relationship to art festivals like the Armory Show and provides several excellent discounts on hotels. Being in western Manhattan, the event is easy to reach by car, subway, taxi, or shuttle bus. If you're looking for a little more active entertainment, then you should arrive early to attend the Armory Party hosted the Museum of Modern Art, which features live music and DJs in a benefit concert.

More details and artist information can be found at the official Armory Show website.

Image by Susan Sermoneta on Flickr