If you have a penchant for museums and enjoy visiting them during your travels, you’re likely familiar with The Met in New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, located on the eastern edge of Central Park off the famed Fifth Avenue, boasts over 2 million pieces in its collection. Discover what you need to see at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in this article.
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What to See at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City was officially established in 1870 by a group of financiers, business people, and artists aiming to bring art to the American people and educate them in the field. The museum first opened its doors on February 20, 1872, originally located at 681 Fifth Avenue, where an office building stands today.
The MMoA’s collections hail from all around the world, spanning African folk art and European paintings, to Islamic art and rare pieces from the 4th century. The museum houses over 25,000 photographs, divided into five thematic units. Several guided tours of the Museum Highlights take place daily, introducing visitors to the best pieces from around the museum.
During the tour, you can see, for example, the Cubiculum Nocturnum, a remarkably realistic reconstruction of a Roman bedroom from around 50-40 BC. It was found in the town of Boscoreale and was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24, 79 AD. The Metropolitan Museum of Art also hosts a rich collection of works by Vincent van Gogh. Here you can view Sunflowers from 1887, The Potato Peeler from 1885, and Irises from 1889.
For a list of current exhibitions and displays, visit the museum’s website. At the same location, you can find the museum schedule.
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Fun Facts About the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Around 3.2 million people visit the museum annually (as of 2022), down from 6.1 million visitors a year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The MMoA rounds out the top ten most visited museums in the world, with the Louvre in Paris leading the list with 7.8 million visitors. The Met saw its busiest day in December 1986, when 52,333 people flocked to the museum.
The museum itself possesses over 2 million works of art. In order to adequately care for all of them, the institution has 17 curatorial departments. In total, the museum employs 2,500 people, more than a third of whom are volunteers.
The largest painting in the museum is Emanuel Leutz’s Washington Crossing the Delaware; the painting measures 648 cm wide and 379 cm tall.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art permanently employs a florist, whose duties include creating five large bouquets for the Great Hall each day. The floral installations in the Egyptian wing of the museum sometimes reach heights of up to 6 meters. The florist is the Dutchman Remco van Vliet, whose family once supplied flowers to the local royal court.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York boasts a collection of 5,000 musical instruments. Among them is the world’s oldest surviving grand piano, built in 1720 by Bartolomeo Cristofori, the Italian who invented the instrument.
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Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met)
🚇 How to Get to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is situated at 1000 5th Avenue in Central Park, a few blocks from the Guggenheim Museum. The nearest subway stations are 86th Street (green lines 4, 5, and 6) and 86th Street (yellow lines N, Q, and R).
🎟️ Tickets to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
You can purchase tickets for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City online in advance to avoid waiting in line. Adult tickets cost $30, while seniors aged 65 and older pay $22.00. Children under 12 can enter for free.
The New York Pass and CityPASS can also be used for admission.
🕒 Opening Hours of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue is open Sunday through Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. On Fridays and Saturdays, the museum is open from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm. It is closed on Wednesdays, as well as on Thanksgiving, December 25, January 1, and the first Monday in May.
⌚ How Much Time Is Needed for a Visit
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is expansive; a tour usually takes between 4 and 5 hours. If you’re an art enthusiast and wish to thoroughly examine the exhibits, it’s advisable to split your visit over several days. Tickets are valid for three consecutive days.
Before your visit, plan out the exhibits you wish to see. To assist with this, the museum offers a mobile app for Android and iPhone users.
💡 Good to Know
There are several cafes and bistros inside the museum where you can take a break and grab a bite to eat. It’s recommended that you pick up an audio guide at the beginning of your tour to learn more about each exhibit.
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Photos of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York
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