Chelsea runs from the Meatpacking District up the west side of Manhattan. It is where the High Line begins, where most of the city's blue-chip contemporary galleries cluster in the West 20s, and where Chelsea Market fills a former Nabisco factory.
A 1.5-mile park on a disused elevated freight line, running from Gansevoort Street up to Hudson Yards, free and open daily.
Dozens of contemporary art galleries fill the blocks between 10th and 11th Avenues in the West 20s, most free to enter, quietest on weekday afternoons.
A food and shopping hall in the old Nabisco complex, plus Little Island and the Hudson River Park piers on the waterfront.
The High Line, the galleries and the waterfront parks are free. Chelsea Market is a commercial food hall. Gallery opening hours vary and many close on Sundays and Mondays; check individual listings.
String the High Line, a few galleries, Chelsea Market and the river piers into one loop rather than treating any as a single destination.
Thursday evenings often have openings; weekday afternoons are calm. Weekends the High Line itself gets very crowded.
The A, C, E, 1, 2 and 3 lines all serve the edges of the neighbourhood, and it connects on foot to the Village and Hudson Yards.
Is the High Line free?
Yes. It is a public park, free and open daily, with seasonal hours that run later in summer.
Can anyone go into the galleries?
Yes. Commercial galleries are free and open to the public during their posted hours, no appointment needed for most.
How long should I allow?
A half day covers the High Line, a handful of galleries, Chelsea Market and a stretch of the waterfront.
When is it least crowded?
Weekday mornings and afternoons. The High Line is busiest on weekend afternoons and at sunset.
Chelsea developed in the 19th century on the estate of Clement Clarke Moore and was long a working waterfront and warehouse district.
From the 1990s it became the centre of New York's contemporary art trade, and the 2009 opening of the High Line on the old West Side freight viaduct reshaped the neighbourhood again.
This page is an independent guide for visitors, covering any organisation in the neighbourhood.
