Where to Find the Best NYC Street Art

Edited on September 10, 2026

Rise NY by @mta_original and @hiphopismyreligion

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The Best NYC Street Art and Where to Find It

New York City is full of great public art. Famous street artists and famous graffiti artists flock to the Big Apple to paint incredible murals and graffiti art. If you’re looking for the best NYC street art, this guide will give you a few key locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx so you can snap photos of those great NYC murals.

As always, I was joined on my search for famous New York Street art with Ms. Madelyn Pew, my French bulldog. She’s joined me before for my Los Angeles Street Art, Chicago Street Art, and San Francisco Street Art guides. She makes the perfect model, and quite frankly, she’s great company.

Don’t want to explore on your own? Check out this amazing Brooklyn Street Art Tour. Or learn to make your own street art with a Brooklyn Graffiti Lesson.

Maddie in First Street Green Art Park

1. First Street Green Art Park, East Village

Located in a lot at 33 East 1st Street, this street art space has been standing in the Lower East Side since 2008, when First Street Garden incorporated the lot into First Park through the NYC Parks and Partnership for Parks. This park is a great place to spot street art in NYC. It’s also a great place to start your street art tour, as the next few locations are all within walking distance of this neighborhood.

There are multiple walls here that are always changing and bringing new art to the community.

ADDRESS: 33 East 1st Street

George Floyd Memorial, The Bowery Wall, Nolita

2. The Bowery Wall Mural, Nolita

I love the Bowery Wall. There’s always something new and interesting in this New York mural hot spot.

The Bowery Wall in Nolita is located on the northwest corner of Houston Street and Bowery. It first came into existence when Keith Haring painted his first public work on this very wall. Throughout the years, it’s switched between a public art space and an advertising space, but thankfully it’s now reserved exclusively for NYC street artists.

There are several other murals and NYC graffiti located in the area if you wander around the surrounding blocks.

ADDRESS: 76 East Houston Street

3. Freeman Alley, Lower East Side

Walk down the street, and you may miss this little alleyway. The best way to find this amazing art space is to look for Freeman’s Restaurant. That will lead you into a magical wonderland of street art and one of the biggest collections of graffiti art in New York.

ADDRESS: Between Bowery and Chrystie Street

Art by Daniello Mastrion, Bushwick Collective, Brooklyn

4. Bushwick Collective, Bushwick, Brooklyn

If you go looking for street art in only one place outside of Manhattan, make it the Bushwick Collective. This massive collection of Brooklyn graffiti and largely hip-hop-inspired murals is one of the most impressive collections of New York City street art.

The Bushwick Collective was started by Bushwick native Joe Ficalora. It begins on Jefferson Street and continues on Troutman Street towards Saint Nicholas Avenue.

ADDRESS: 427 Troutman St.

5. The Audubon Mural Project Street Art, Chelsea, NYC

Located along the High Line, The Audubon Mural is an impressive display of bird murals. Unfortunately, we didn’t budget our time correctly and saved it for our last day in NYC. Sadly, it was pouring rain, so we missed capturing photos. But we did manage to visit Hudson Yards, which has a few indoor murals like the one pictured above from street art artist @marshmadeart.

Mural by @marshmadeart

6. Coney Art Walls, Coney Island, Brooklyn

We visited NYC over Thanksgiving, which admittedly is not a great time to go to Coney Island. But if you’re visiting NYC in the summer or spring, I recommend making the trip out to see the Coney Art Walls, an outdoor museum of street art curated by Joseph J. Sitt and art dealer Jeffrey Deitch. The walls bring thousands of visitors in the summer months when they spring to life with some of the best street art New York City has to offer.

The Coney art walls attract some of the best street artists from around the world. But again, late fall or winter is not the time to visit the walls.

ADDRESS: 3050 Stillwell Ave

New York Wall Mural by Kobra Street Art located in Soho.

More Places to Find New York Graffiti and Street Art NYC

There are a few more places we weren’t able to hit up on our recent trip to NYC that offer some great graffiti and murals. NYC is full of great street art in all boroughs. If you have the time, here are a few more places to visit on your NYC street art tour.

Welling Court Mural Project:

The Welling Court Mural Project is a collaborative art project in the borough of Queens led by Jonathan Ellis. The Welling Court Murals Project displays murals from 150 artists from New York City and countries around the world. Some of the most notable artists to take part in the project include Lady Pink, Tristan Easton, Cey Adams, Wane COD, Greg Lamarche, and Queen Andrea.

ADDRESS: To get there, take the N or W subway line to the Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard stop. From there, walk west on Astoria Boulevard for 10 to 15 minutes toward 12th Street.

Big Pun Memorial Mural:

The Big Pun memorial mural is one of the most popular murals in NYC.

ADDRESS: 910 Rogers Place, Bronx, NY.

100 Gates Project:

The 100 Gates project is a partnership between merchants and street artists to bring murals to roll down gates throughout New York City. You can read more about the project and its locations here on the 100 Gates Project website.

Dumbo Walls, Dumbo:

Started in 2012, the Dumbo Walls began with eight walls near the York Street subway station. The space has now grown to include works by studio artists, street artists, graphic designers, and more.

For locations, visit the DUMBO Walls website.

Graffiti Hall of Fame, Harlem:

This wall in East Harlem has attracted street artists for more than thirty years. Unfortunately, the park is sometimes closed to the public, so you may not be able to get up close and personal depending on your luck. However, you will be able to photograph the art through the fence.

ADDRESS: East 106th & Park Ave.

Coney Island in the off-season

That’s The Best New York City Graffiti Art and Murals

I hope you’ve enjoyed this tour of NYC street art. As you can see, the streets have a lot to offer. If you have another area with great NYC street art to recommend, please leave it in the comments below.

Happy travels!

Frequently Asked Questions About NYC Street Art

Where can you find the best street art in New York City?

Some of the best-known places to see NYC street art include the Bushwick Collective, the Bowery Wall, Freeman Alley, First Street Green Art Park, Welling Court, DUMBO, and the Audubon Mural Project. Because murals are frequently replaced, the artwork you encounter may differ from the photographs in this post.

What is the best neighborhood for street art in NYC?

Bushwick is usually the best choice if you want to see a large concentration of murals during one outing. Begin near the Bushwick Collective around Troutman Street and St. Nicholas Avenue, then explore the surrounding blocks. New pieces regularly appear alongside older murals, tags, and paste-ups.

Is the Bushwick Collective free to visit?

Yes. The Bushwick Collective is an outdoor collection of murals painted on buildings throughout the neighborhood, so there is no admission fee or official entrance. You may visit independently or pay for a guided tour that provides information about the artists and local graffiti culture.

How much time should I allow for the Bushwick Collective?

Allow approximately two hours for a relaxed self-guided visit. You may need longer if you plan to photograph numerous murals, take a guided tour, or explore beyond the central streets. Visitors with limited stamina should choose a smaller loop rather than attempting to inspect every painted wall in Brooklyn.

Which subway station is closest to the Bushwick Collective?

The Jefferson Street L station is closest to the central collection, but it is not currently step-free. Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues, served by the L and M trains, is accessible and may be an alternative, although it requires a longer walk or roll. Check the MTA’s accessible-station list and elevator status before traveling.

Where can I see street art in Manhattan?

Good Manhattan locations include the Bowery Wall, Freeman Alley, and First Street Green Art Park on the Lower East Side. The Graffiti Hall of Fame is in East Harlem, while the Audubon Mural Project is spread across Hamilton Heights and Washington Heights.

Where is the Bowery Wall?

The Bowery Wall is at the corner of Houston Street and the Bowery in Lower Manhattan. Keith Haring famously painted the wall in 1982, and it later became a rotating showcase for established street artists. Since the featured mural changes, consider the possibility of finding artists, scaffolding, or a freshly painted wall as part of the experience.

Is Freeman Alley worth visiting?

Freeman Alley is worth visiting if you enjoy dense layers of graffiti, stickers, paste-ups, and smaller-scale street art. It is much more compact than the Bushwick Collective and can easily be combined with the Bowery Wall and First Street Green.

Is First Street Green Art Park free?

Yes. First Street Green is a public art space beside First Park on the Lower East Side. Its walls host changing murals, installations, and cultural events, so repeat visitors may find something completely different. NYC Parks provides more information about First Street Green.

Where can I find the Audubon bird murals?

The Audubon Mural Project is concentrated in Hamilton Heights and Washington Heights—not Chelsea or along the High Line. Murals appear on walls, doors, and business shutters throughout Upper Manhattan. Use the official Audubon Mural Project map because the works are spread across many blocks and some shutter paintings are only visible when businesses are closed.

Is Welling Court still a good place to see murals?

Yes. Welling Court in Astoria, Queens, remains a community mural destination with artwork spread across several residential and industrial blocks. It is less centralized than an enclosed art park, so save a map before arriving and expect to explore ordinary neighborhood streets.

Can you still visit Coney Art Walls?

Do not plan a trip around Coney Art Walls without confirming current access. Although some tourism listings still describe the attraction, other recent visitor information reports that the former outdoor museum is closed to the general public except during certain events. Fortunately, Coney Island occasionally features other murals near Surf Avenue, the boardwalk, and local businesses.

Is the Graffiti Hall of Fame open to the public?

The Graffiti Hall of Fame is located at the Jackie Robinson Educational Complex in East Harlem. Because the murals are on school property, direct access is not always available. Visitors can often see portions through the fence, but should not enter the grounds unless public access is clearly permitted.

Do NYC street-art murals change?

Constantly. Murals may be painted over, damaged, tagged, restored, or replaced with new commissions. Treat addresses and photographs as starting points rather than guarantees—street art has never shown much interest in maintaining conventional office hours.

What is the best time to photograph New York street art?

Weekday mornings generally offer fewer pedestrians and parked vehicles. Overcast days provide even light and reduce glare, while bright mornings can create strong shadows between buildings. Some murals painted on business shutters are easiest to see early in the morning, late in the evening or on Sundays.

Is it free to see street art in New York City?

Most outdoor murals can be viewed for free from public sidewalks. Guided walks charge a fee but may provide valuable context about the artists, neighborhood history, and the difference between commissioned murals and unsanctioned graffiti.

Should I take a guided NYC street-art tour?

A guided tour is helpful if you want to understand the artists, techniques, and cultural history behind the work. A self-guided tour offers more flexibility for photography, rest breaks, and unpredictable energy levels. Before booking, ask about the total distance, pace, stairs, seating, and restroom stops.

Is NYC street art wheelchair accessible?

Many murals can be viewed from public sidewalks, but that does not make every route fully accessible. Visitors may encounter broken pavement, crowded corners, construction, steep curb cuts, and objects blocking the sidewalk. Subway accessibility also varies considerably, so plan each neighborhood separately and check elevator status immediately before leaving.

What is the most accessible place to see street art in NYC?

The Bowery Wall is one of the easiest major murals to view because it faces a public sidewalk and requires no admission. Freeman Alley and First Street Green are relatively close, but their surfaces, entrances, and surrounding sidewalks should be evaluated individually. Bushwick offers many more murals but requires considerably more walking or walking or rolling.

How can I explore NYC street art with a chronic illness?

Choose one neighborhood, identify a handful of priority murals, and schedule a café or hotel break afterward. Bring water, weather protection, and any medication you may need, since outdoor routes do not always provide seating or restrooms. A private tour may offer more control over pace, but confirm whether transportation and guaranteed rest stops are included.

Is it safe to explore NYC street art independently?

Popular mural areas are regularly visited, but they are still active residential and commercial neighborhoods. Explore during daylight, remain aware of traffic and your belongings, and avoid blocking doorways or photographing residents without permission. If a street feels uncomfortable or unusually isolated, move on—there will always be another wall.

Can I photograph NYC street art?

You can generally photograph murals visible from public streets for personal use. Avoid touching the work, entering private property, or obstructing businesses while composing a photograph. Commercial use may involve additional intellectual-property considerations, so obtain appropriate advice or permission when necessary.

Can I see all the locations in this guide in one day?

No sensible person needs that much subway drama. The locations are spread across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. Combine the Lower East Side locations during one outing, devote another to Bushwick, and visit the remaining areas on separate days.

What should I bring on an NYC street-art walk?

Bring comfortable shoes, water, a charged phone, a portable battery, and weather protection. A saved map is helpful because murals can be difficult to identify by street address alone. Travelers with mobility or health concerns should also mark accessible subway stations, restrooms, and places to sit before beginning.