From the outside, it's a humble former school—but step through the century-old structure's doors, and you'll find an always-changing exhibition spotlighting some of today's leading creators of visual art. MoMA PS1 is among the oldest and largest nonprofit contemporary art institutions in the United States, and it's been championing the newest works, artists, genres, and pronunciations of "gouache" since its founding in 1971.

While a shifting kaleidoscope of paintings, photographs, films, and sculptures fills the halls, a few pieces have found a more permanent home at the museum. Visitors can stop by to see works such as A bit of matter and a little bit more, which Lawrence Weiner painted on the doors at PS1's first exhibition; William Kentridge's Stair Procession, which has been waiting for the elevator since 2000; and In the Woods by Ernesto Caivano, an immersive landscape created from paint and paper.