The Met
Founded in 1870, The Metropolitan Museum of Art was created to have a museum and library of art so people can not only study and admire the artwork but also see how art can and does function in everyday life. Today the iconic Met lives in two different locations, The Met 5th Ave. (the original) and The Met Cloisters. Each of which highlights the best and most iconic pieces from 5,000 years ago until today. Their mission is to show the crossing of cultures, ideas, and creativity through different cultures, nations, and eras.
Plan Your Visit to The Met
The Met’s admission is donation based, and they have their suggested donations on the site. You can purchase your tickets online, and even set up a group visit, which is perfect for families, classes, or groups of co-workers. Another great offer that The Met has is their own audio guide, which guests can rent to hear a curator talk through each piece in great detail so they have a perfect idea of what masterpiece they are viewing. QR codes are posted around the museum for visitors to scan and listen to as well, so bring your headphones! Be sure to check out which exhibits and collections are up before you go. The Met is also part of New York City’s famous and beautiful Museum Mile, which highlights some of the best museums that New York has to offer.
Current Exhibits
There are tons of exhibits coming in and out of the Met throughout the year. Below are just a few. To view all current exhibits click here.
The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism
Through July 28 at the Met Fifth Avenue explores the comprehensive and far-reaching ways in which Black artists portrayed everyday modern life. Explore 160 works of painting, sculpture, photography, film, and more, and learn about the new black cities that came about in the 1920s-1940s in New York City’s Harlem.
Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion
Until September 2 at the Met Fifth Avenue, enjoy the Costume Institute’s spring 2024 exhibition which focuses on the sensory capacities of masterworks in the collection. When an item of clothing enters the institute’s collection, it becomes a “motionless artwork” that cannot be worn, touched, or smelled. This exhibition brings these once-unalive pieces back to life through cutting-edge tools of artificial intelligence and computer-generated imagery. There are 220 garments and accessories from four centuries all connected through the theme of nature.
The Roof Garden Commission: Pretrit Jalilaj, Abetare
Through October 27, view Kosovar artist Petrit Halilaj’s sprawling sculptural installation on the Met’s roof. Halijaj’s work is connected to the recent history of his native country, Kosovo, and the cultural and political tensions within the country.
The Met 360° Project
In order to allow viewers to explore some The Met’s most iconic spaces, the museum created a series of six short videos. The series was created with spherical 360° technology to showcase the museum’s art and architecture like never before. To watch this award-winning series, visit The Met’s official website today.
“If I had to choose a single destination where I’d be held captive for the rest of my time in New York, I’d choose the Metropolitan Museum of Art.”
—Tim Gunn, Project Runway
Getting to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Experience The Met via Amtrak to the Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station in New York City—Don’t forget to use the New York By Rail 15% discount!
