NEW YORK — Anyone who hoped to commune with Christopher Columbus on Columbus Day was disappointed: He was booked solid. Monday’s tickets to the conceptual art installation that surrounds a 13-foot statue of the explorer with a well-appointed living room were all snapped up.

The exhibit, ‘‘Discovering Columbus’’ by Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi, has become a must-see cultural attraction in New York since it opened Sept. 20. Some 20,000 people have made the walk up six flights of stairs for the up-close view of Columbus, as well as the unique views of Midtown Manhattan and Central Park.