Metropolitan Museum of Art
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One of the world’s great art museums, the Metropolitan is a veritable collection of museums, spanning 5,000 years of culture from every part of the globe. Each of its specialized galleries holds an abundance of treasures. It was founded in 1870 by a group who wanted to create a great art institution in America, and began with three private European collections and 174 paintings. The present holdings number over two million. The original 1880 Gothic Revival building by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould has been expanded many times. Recent additions include courts with huge windows overlooking Central Park.
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1. European Painting
The museum’s 2,500 Old Master and 19th-century European paintings form one of the greatest collections in the world and include many instantly recognizable masterpieces. Special strengths include the Rembrandts and Vermeers, and the many Impressionist and Post-Impressionist canvases.
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2. Egyptian Art
The largest collection of Egyptian art outside Cairo includes masks, mummies, statues, jewelry, the Tomb of Perneb, and the spectacular Temple of Dendur, c.15B.C., re-assembled as it appeared on the banks of the Nile.
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3. Michael C. Rockefeller Wing
Masks, wooden sculpture, gold and silver ornaments, Pre-Columbian gold, ceramics and stone from Mexico and Peru, and works of art from the Court of Benin in Nigeria are highlights among 1,600 objects of primitive art covering 3,000 years, and three continents.
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4. American Wing
Several floors display Tiffany glass, paintings, and period rooms spanning the 17th to 20th centuries, including one by Frank Lloyd Wright.
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5. Robert Lehman Collection
This extraordinary private collection, includes Renaissance masters, Dutch, Spanish and French artists, Post-Impressionists and Fauvists, plus ceramics and furniture.
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6. Costume Institute
Women’s fashions from ballgowns to mini-skirts, and menswear from the French courts to the present day; annual shows draw the crowds.
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7. Asian Art
The most comprehensive collection in the West features paintings, sculpture, ceramics, and textiles.
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8. Lila Wallace Wing
The Metropolitan has a growing display of art from 1900 to the present day, with works from Picasso to Jackson Pollock.
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9. European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
One of the museum’s largest collections reflects the development of art in Western Europe, and includes architectural settings, French and English period rooms, tapestries, and sculptures by Rodin and Degas.
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10. Roof Garden
From May to October the Iris and B. Cantor Roof Garden boasts outstanding annual displays of 20th-century sculpture. The garden also offers a fine opportunity to enjoy a drink with a peerless view of Central Park and the surrounding skyline.
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If this is your first time at the MET my advise would be going on Friday or Saturday because it closes later those days (9:00 PM). Friday and Saturday are also the best days for those who want to visit The Cloisters and the MET (you don't have to pay again when you go to both museums the same day). Go to The Cloisters first (because it closes around 5PM) and then head for the MET.
1 month ago
If you have a tight schedule, the must see are the European Painting rooms (second floor), the Egyptian Collection and the New Greek and Roman Galleries (visit Met.org for detailed information).
1 month ago
I would recommend checking the MET website to plan your visits in advance. You can find the museum's detailed floor plans in PDF which are also available at the information desk in several languages. The DK Eyewitness New York guide has several pages about the MET featuring its highlights and floor plans. I found it very useful in my first visit to the MET.
1 month ago
The best souvenir you can buy is by far the Museum Guide. It's available in English, French, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish. You can buy it at the beginning of you visit in the Gift Shop on the first floor so you can check it while you go around. It's organized by collection and includes a small section for The Cloisters.
1 month ago
If you want a great view of the Temple of Dendur wait until 15 or 10 minutes before the closing time. The usually crowded space will be almost empty and the temple will be beautifully illuminated. You will be able to take some great photos but remember FLASH IS NOT ALLOWED.
1 month ago
The suggested admission as for June 2008 is $20.00 but that includes all the special exhibitions. The MET is also included in the City Pass (go to citypass.com for details).
1 month ago
The first thing you must have in mind is that you WON'T be able to see it all even if you spend the entire day at the museum. I have been there 5 times and I haven't seen half of the collections!
1 month ago
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