The Metropolitan Museum of Art (“the Met”) was founded in 1870 to bring art to the American people. Set on Fifth Avenue and backing onto Central Park, it is now the largest art museum in the USA and the third most visited museum in the world, with almost 7 million visitors in 2018.
A visit could take you a day (or more!) to truly appreciate the vast array of paintings, sculptures, artefacts and even interiors on display, from ancient Egypt to the impressionists and modern-day America.
Tens of thousands of objects are on view at any given time in the two-million-square-foot building. It is home to over 26,000 ancient Egyptian objects, the largest collection of Egyptian art outside of Cairo, and the collection of 2,500 European paintings is one of the greatest in the world; the Van Gogh’s and Monet’s are always popular attractions but there are plenty of others to choose from – Matisse, Manet, Renoir, van Dyck, Vermeer…to name just a few!
Image by Van Gogh/The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Tips
- Be prepared for queues to go through security, even if you’ve booked your tickets in advance.
- Try to visit on a weekday, if possible, to avoid large crowds.
- If you’re buying tickets on the day then try purchasing them from a kiosk rather than the desk, as queues are likely to be shorter.
- Dining options can get crowded so break your visit up with a trip to a local café.
- Check out the rooftop garden for some amazing views over Central Park.
- You can use your ticket to also visit The Met Breuer and The Met Cloisters over 3 days.
Highlights
- Being able to see so many exquisite pieces of art in one place.