Metropolitan Museum

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, commonly referred to as the Met, is a world class museum.  First opened in 1870, it has one of the finest and most comprehensive art collections in the world, with over 2,000,000 pieces.  The Met is the most visited museum in the United States and one of New York City’s most popular attractions.

The museum is split into 17 curatorial departments, and houses works from the twentieth century all the way back to the Lower Paleolithic Period, more than 100,000 years ago.  Some of the museum’s most famous works come from its collection of European paintings.  There are a significant number of paintings by Monet, Vermeer, and Rembrandt, among others.

One of the highlights of the museum is its Egyptian wing, said to be second only to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.  Much of the collection comes from archaeological expeditions the Met funded between 1906 and 1941.  “William” the hippo, a blue, ceramic hippopotamus dating from around 1900 BCE is the museum’s unofficial mascot.  An actual Egyptian temple was donated by Egypt when it was threatened by the rising waters of the Aswan High Dam.

There is also a significant Islamic art collection here.  It has pieces dating from the founding of Islam up through the nineteenth century, from Spain to India.  The collection includes tapestries, calligraphy, sculptures, and pottery.  Needless to say, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a must see for anyone interested in history or art.

Address: 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street
Telephone: (212) 535 7710
Website: www.metmuseum.org
Opening hours:
Sunday, Tuesday-Thursday 09:30-17:30, Friday and Saturday 09:00-21:00
Closed Mondays.
Admission charge:
$20.00 Adult
$15.00 Senior (65+)
$10.00 Student
Children under 12 are free