The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met is one of the largest and greatest art museums on earth, holding some five thousand years of human creativity across two million works, from Egyptian temples and Greek marbles to European masters, arms and armour, and American art. On the edge of Central Park, it is so vast that it rewards focus rather than an attempt to see it all.

Background

A group of philanthropists, artists and businessmen founded the museum on April 13, 1870, and the first part of the main building at 1000 Fifth Avenue went up in 1880. By floor area it ranks third among the world's museums, and 17 curatorial departments look after the collection. The Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park, a much smaller second site, holds art and architecture of medieval Europe. In fiscal year 2025 the museum received 5,727,258 visitors, more than any other museum in the United States. The Rockefeller Wing at the south end keeps over 11,000 works from the Americas, the Pacific Islands and sub-Saharan Africa, including memorial poles 15 feet tall made by the Asmat people of New Guinea.

Source: Wikipedia, "Metropolitan Museum of Art"

Highlights

• The Temple of Dendur - the whole Egyptian temple reassembled in its glass hall.
• European paintings - the great galleries of Vermeer, Rembrandt and the Impressionists.
• The American Wing and arms and armour - the sweeping national and knightly collections.
• The rooftop garden - the seasonal roof with a view over Central Park.

When to go

Year-round; a fully indoor museum, ideal for any weather and worth a half day at least. Weekday mornings are quietest; the rooftop is a summer highlight.

Things to know

It is enormous, so trying to see everything exhausts, and choosing a few wings is wiser. It is busy, especially at weekends and around famous works. Admission is charged for most visitors, though New York residents pay what they wish.

Nearby

Central Park is at its doorstep; the Guggenheim and the other Museum Mile galleries are along Fifth Avenue.

Key facts