Art at the Armory Show and how to plan your September visit

The Armory Show brings together galleries showing modern and contemporary art, from established programs to younger galleries, in booths arranged across the Javits Center's large halls. Sections typically include focused presentations and curated areas alongside the main gallery booths.

• Read the exhibitor list in advance and mark your priority booths on the floor plan.
• The Javits run begins with a VIP preview, and the public days fill the rest of the week.
• A full day lets you see the fair at a comfortable pace with breaks.
• Booths range from single artist presentations to group hangs, so take a moment at each to understand what the gallery is showing.

The Javits Center sits on the far west side of Manhattan, near Hudson Yards. The subway station at 34th Street and Hudson Yards is a short walk away, and buses and taxis run along the avenues. Chelsea's gallery blocks are a short walk or ride to the south, which makes it easy to go from the fair to gallery openings in the evening.

September is the biggest opening month for New York galleries, so plan the week as a fair plus a gallery season.

• Give the fair one full day, ideally on a weekday.
• Use Thursday evening for openings in Chelsea and on the Lower East Side, where many galleries open together. Our chelsea art galleries guide and lower east side galleries guide help plan the route.
• Keep an afternoon for tribeca art galleries, close to the Lower East Side.
• Read our art exhibitions nyc guide to track new shows, and the city overview of art galleries nyc.
• Many galleries open Tuesday to Saturday and close Sunday and Monday, which matters if you arrive at the end of the fair.

In a hall as large as the Javits Center, a priced list from each booth you like keeps your notes straight, and staff share one when asked.

• Ask about a work by title and booth number, and photograph the label.
• At the Armory a hold might last until the end of the day, rarely longer, because the September crowd moves quickly.
• If a work is sold, ask whether the gallery has related work in its inventory or upcoming work by the artist.
• Ask what the price includes. New York sales tax may apply depending on delivery, and crating and shipping usually appear as separate lines on the invoice.

Our collector's guide to buying from galleries explains what to expect on the invoice after a September purchase at the Javits Center.

The fair is large, so a little preparation pays off.

• Make a short list of galleries and artists and find them on the floor plan before you arrive.
• Ask galleries you already follow whether they will be at the fair and what they plan to show. Many send a PDF of available works or a private viewing room link in advance.
• Keep a simple list with booth, gallery, title and price, which makes follow up emails quick to write.

Booth staff speak with many visitors, so keep your first question short and specific. Ask before photographing work. If you are only looking, say so. If you are interested, give your name and email so the gallery can send details. Avoid long negotiations in a crowded booth, and arrange a call or a gallery visit instead.

Send one short email in the days after the fair, naming The Armory Show, the booth and the work by title, with one clear question about price, availability or related work. Give galleries a few days to catch up after the fair closes. If the gallery invites you to its space in New York, the September openings are a natural moment to visit. Our calendar of US art fairs shows the autumn and winter fairs that follow.