Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met and Cloisters museums are world renowned for their vast collection of medieval art

Entrance and Facade of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Entrance and Facade of the Metropolitan Museum of Art cc licensed photo by mbarrison

Nestled on eastern edge of Central Park, The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the most visited sites along New York City's Museum Mile. Known to locals as "The Met", the museum was founded in 1870 by a group of wealthy financiers and artists as an educational institution to cultivate art appreciation. The halls of The Met contain over two million works of art representing cultures spanning the globe from the Stone Age to modern day.

Visitors to The Met could spend weeks exploring the vast collections housed in the museum's 250 rooms. To get the most out of your visit, plan to visit the special exhibitions and more popular collections (Greek, Roman, Egyptian, 19th Century European paintings) early and visit other areas during peak hours. Various tours and lectures in a variety of foreign languages are given free of cost.

Part of the collection of medieval art and architecture is housed at The Met Cloister Museum in Upper Manhattan. Located at 99 Margaret Corbin Drive in Fort Tryon Park, overlooking the Hudson River, The Cloisters has been constructed from sections of medieval French monasteries and houses approximately 3,000 works of European art dating from the third to ninth century. Be sure to take time to wander the beautiful gardens after a coffee or light lunch at Trie Cloisters or posh New Leaf Cafe.

In the Main Building, there are several eateries ranging from moderate to expensive within the museum. During the summer months, The Met opens its Roof Garden Cafe, offering al fresco dining with panoramic views of the New York City skyline. During extended hours on Friday and Saturday, the Met offers a quintessential New York experience with a string quartet above the Great Hall. Cocktails and appetizers are available by candlelight at the Balcony Bar or enjoy the summer night sky at the rooftop martini bar.

Facts For Your Visit

Fee: Yes. See the official website for details.

Metropolitan Museum of Art Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays

  • Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Wednesday: Closed
  • Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Friday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
  • Saturday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
  • Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Address: 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028, USA

Phone: (212) 535-7710

Official Website: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Metropolitan Museum of Art Reviews

Rated 4.8 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating Although it was extremely crowded, staff worked to get everyone inside quickly as it was raining. All of the staff I interacted with were professional and courteous. The experience is incredible. There is a wide variety of art to see with a large collection of each genre. You have to plan on multiple visits to enjoy all this place has to offer.
Mark Krug - in the last week

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3 Star Rating The Met itself is an extraordinary building, both outside and in - architecturally. It is gigantic and you may need more than one visit to take in the vast range of exhibits on show. That being said, a lot of the items on display seem to be crammed in without any value or context, a collection of redundant objects found in more than one room. And although parts of this museum collate pieces from around the world (which of course is great for entry education), it feels as if they have simply obtained anything pertaining to the area in hand, and bunched them together to quickly to showcase Egypt, Greece, etc. I feel it lacks a bit of cohesion. It’s missing engagement seen through other museums I’ve visited.
Zack Austin - a week ago

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5 Star Rating Grate museum, unique and huge! it’s must have to visit if you are in New York, be sure to have plenty of free time and comfortable shoes on to walk through this museum. Not sure if small kids will have enough patience to walk as it’s crowded and really big. Different rooms, wonderful expositions in many floors. Its better to get tickets before and still a long tail to the entrance but it worth it. Museum opens at 10 am. Tickets cost is 30$ each and for kids till 12 are free. Love it, was wonderful experience.
Evgeniya Khlopchenyuk - 2 months ago

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5 Star Rating The MET was incredibly busy the day after Christmas. The nonmember line was down the street. Having a membership gave us a shorter line and quicker access. Impossible to cover everything in one day. We went to the Manet/Degas exhibit specifically, which was really cool. I liked the way they prepared the exhibit, and I was able to appreciate most every piece on display without feeling rushed. Busy still, but enjoyable. Their nativity scene with all the miniatures was also incredible and impressive. For those who can visit the museum more often, a membership is worth the cost.
Alex Zucker - a month ago

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5 Star Rating Huge museum, grab a map and just start walking. I would start at one end, walk to other end, go up to next floor and do the same. We saw a special Exhibit about Harlem Artist. Incredible and the fashion exhibit on lower level is always a must see. Try not to stop and think about all the tombs and artifacts that were "taken" from All over the world 🙄
Virginia Todd - a week ago

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Directions

Subway and Bus Line Nearest Station Walking Time
4,5,686th Street10 minutes
1 / M8686th Street5 minutes
C / M7981st Street2 minutes
A (To the Cloister Museum and Garden)190th Street10 minutes

How to get to Metropolitan Museum of Art by Subway and Bus

Take the 4, 5, or 6 train to 86th Street and walk three blocks west to 5th Avenue. Alternatively, take the 1 train to 86th Street, then the M86 cross-town bus to 5th Avenue or take the C train to 81st Street, then the M79 bus to 5th Ave.

To get to the Cloisters Museum and Garden, ride the A train to 190th Street and exit via the elevator. Walk north on Margaret Corbin Drive .

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