This sprawling encyclopedic museum, founded in 1870, houses one of the biggest art collections in the world. Its permanent collection has more than two million individual objects, from Egyptian temples to American paintings. Known colloquially as ‘The Met,’ the museum attracts over six million visitors a year to its 17 acres of galleries – making it the largest single-site attraction in New York City. In other words, plan on spending some time here. It is B-I-G.
The museum has an unrivaled collection of ancient Egyptian art, some of which dates back to the Paleolithic era. Located to the north of the Great Hall, the 39 Egyptian galleries open dramatically with one of the Met’s prized pieces: the Mastaba Tomb of Perneb (c 2300 BC), an Old Kingdom burial chamber crafted from limestone.
On the museum’s 2nd floor, the European Paintings’ galleries display a stunning collection of masterworks. The ‘New Galleries for the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Later South Asia’ are comprised of 15 incredible rooms that showcase the museum’s extensive collection of art from the Middle East and Central and South Asia.
In the northwest corner, the American galleries showcase a wide variety of decorative and fine art from throughout US history. The 27 galleries devoted to classical antiquity are another Met doozy, some of which are dramatically illuminated by natural daylight.
The most popular galleries with children are generally the Egyptian, African and Oceania galleries (great masks) and the collection of medieval arms and armor – all of which are on the 1st floor. The Met hosts plenty of kid-centric happenings (check the website) and distributes a special museum brochure and map made specifically for the tykes.
One of the best spots in the entire museum is the roof garden, which features rotating sculpture installations by contemporary and 20th century artists. (Jeff Koons, Andy Goldsworthy and Imran Qureshi have all shown here.) But its best feature are the views it offers of the city and Central Park. It’s also home to the Roof Garden Café & Martini Bar , the best place in the museum for a sip — especially at sunset. The roof garden is open from April to October.
A desk inside the Great Hall has audio tours in several languages ($7), though you can access audio tours for free if you have a smartphone. Docents also offer guided tours of specific galleries (free with admission). Check the website or information desk for details. If you can’t stand crowds, avoid weekends.
