Minimalism at Full Scale in a Hudson Valley Factory

At a Glance

Dia:Beacon sits in the Hudson Valley town of Beacon, about 90 minutes from Manhattan by Metro-North. Opened in 2003 by the Dia Art Foundation, it is the most concentrated museum of Minimalism, Land Art, and Conceptual Art anywhere, presented as single-artist galleries across roughly 28,000 m²—one of the world's largest single-building museums.

From Nabisco Factory to Museum

The 1929 Nabisco printing factory came with ~300 north-facing skylights—ideal for light-sensitive work. Dia and artist Robert Irwin with Open Office restored rather than rebuilt, keeping the original floors, walls, and industrial windows.

Galleries

• Walter De Maria — The Equal Area Series: 25 pairs of stainless circles and squares across a long floor.
• Richard Serra — Torqued Ellipses: Cor-Ten steel you can walk inside.
• Michael Heizer — North, East, South, West: four geometric pits cut into the floor.
• Agnes Martin: eight grid paintings best seen in morning light.
• Sol LeWitt, Fred Sandback, Dan Flavin, Louise Bourgeois: entire floors or rooms per artist.

Visiting Tips

Metro-North Hudson Line from Grand Central to Beacon, then a 10-minute walk (weekend shuttle at the station). Budget 2–4 hours. A clear morning is best. Combine with Storm King Art Center for a Hudson Valley weekend.