| The MET was formed in
1870 and has a spectacular collection. Walking down Fifth
Avenue, you're taken in by the building's immense structure
itself! Standing there at 1000 Fifth Avenue roughly between
80th & 84th Streets it takes up an above ground space
of maybe 8 square blocks? That's only my estimate. It's 1.5
million sq. ft and the museum's been here since 1880.
Within are more than two million works of art covering everything
from ancient through modern times. Only a small percentage
of the museum's permanent collection is on view at any given
time. Additionally, it has about 30 or so special exhibitions
every year alongside its catalogues, lectures and related
activities. There are guided tours, gallery talks, lectures,
concerts, films, teacher workshops and many educational programs.
Some of their collections are: ancient Near Eastern art;
arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas; Asian art; costumes;
drawings and prints; Egyptian art; European paintings; European
sculpture and decorative arts; Greek and Roman art; Islamic
art; European art in the Robert Lehman Collection; medieval
art; musical instruments; photographs; and 20th-century art
and of course my two favorites: American art and the arms
and armor collection.
Of all museums in New York City
this is my fave! Maybe 20 years ago, the suggested admission
was one dollar. It's gone way up over the years. I loved it
so much that years ago a friend and I would stand outside
on a hunt for the museum's entry buttons. People would drop
them on the sidewalk and we'd be there to pick them up so's
we could get in.....If only I'd known that Suggested Admission
means exactly that! SUGGESTED ADMISSION!!!......lol. Just
like the American Museum of
Natural History, if you can't afford the suggested amount
of $10 for an adult, then you can pay what you can. But do
remember that the museum survives on these donations.
Mind you, there are theme activities through the year. Something
for the kids around Halloween and for everyone at Christmas
time. I haven't checked, but I'm sure other major holidays
are covered as well!
The Cloisters is a branch of
the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Situated within Fort
Tryon Park, it'll be quite an experience going not just
through this museum, but through the park itself!
Note: The museum also has a huge
collection on display at their website. You can go there and
browse through over 35,000 objects they have through their
online display. Go to: The
Metropolitan Museum of Art to find out more.
Getting there by Subway: 6 leaves
you at a somewhat comfortable distance
Sources:
|
