Museum Overview
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the world's largest art museums, housing more than two million works of art from all parts of the globe. The two-million-square-foot building is nearly a quarter of a mile long and attracts around five million visitors each year. Founded in 1870, the museum has been at its current location since 1880, and has been greatly renovated and expanded since then. "The Cloisters" in Upper Manhattan features medieval art. Aside from the vast art collection, the Met hosts a variety of concerts, films, lectures, and other cultural activities.
The entire facility is wheelchair accessible and the museum offers special services for deaf (and hard of hearing), blind (and partially-sighted), as well as programs for other disabilities including learning problems.
Plan Your Trip
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is located along Central Park on 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street and is easily accessible with public transportation.
If you need a hotel room in New York, check NewYorkHotels.org.
Their hours on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays is 9:30am to 5:30pm. Fridays and Saturdays they’re open from 9:30am to 9:00pm. They are closed on Mondays (except holidays).
The recommended prices are $20 for adults, $25 for seniors, and $10 for students. Children under 12 (accompanied by an adult) are free. All New York City public school students, along with students from many of the area universities are entitled to free admission.
The Museum's Collection
One of the main priorities of the Met is to collect pieces relating to the American heritage from colonial times to present day. Furniture, crafts, sculpture, folk art, and historical paintings and portraits are on display. The Met has one of the world’s largest collections of masterpieces including works by da Vinci, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Michelangelo, Monet, Cezanne, as well as more contemporary artists.
Classic Greek and Roman period art includes marble, bronze, terracotta, glass, and metal sculpture and vessels. The Ancient Near Eastern Art department collects and displays art and artifacts from the Neolithic period through late antiquity. Stone, ivory, and early metal objects help visitors discover much about ancient cultures.
One of the most popular exhibits contains armor, weapons, and military paraphernalia from Medieval to modern times. Aside from the classic European knight's armor, there are styles from Asia, the Middle East, as well as early American weaponry.
The tribal and primitive art from Africa, Oceana, and the Americas showcased include a wide variety of works from simple tools and vessels to enormous and elaborate totem poles and ritual items, some modern and others dating back tens of thousands of years.
The Asian department contains calligraphy, ceramics, jade carvings, textiles, screens, paintings, religious items, and functional objects from every Asian civilization. The Costume Institute displays fashion and clothing design from around the world including pieces from the wardrobes of Jacqueline Kennedy, Christian Dior, and famous actors/actresses.
The Egyptian department contains artifacts from the Paleolithic period to the 4th century, AD. Housed in 40 galleries which are arranged chronologically, this department gives a fascinating glimpse into the times of the Pharaohs. The department of Islamic Art displays intricate works such as tapestries, ceramics, jewelry, religious items, and original architectural elements.
The Robert-Lehman Wing was inherited by the Met in 1969 and contains nearly 3,000 works including numerous classic works by the old masters. Other departments include musical instruments, photographs, architecture and interiors, and a library containing rare editions, manuscripts, and research volumes. Aside from all of the permanent exhibits, the Met showcases dozens of new topical and exciting exhibits each year. Visitors who want to see a specific piece can look up specific pieces on the museum's website to find out the history of the piece and where the piece is located.