Walk along the eastern edge of Central Park on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, where the grand facade of the Metropolitan Museum of Art stands as a cornerstone of Museum Mile. Inside this expansive space, you are greeted by an encyclopedic collection that spans human history from the ancient Near East and Egypt through to the contemporary world.
Traverse Centuries of Global Heritage
The Met is organized into seventeen curatorial departments, allowing you to move through a vast timeline of human creativity. You can explore:
- Ancient Antiquities: Explore over 7,000 pieces from the Near East, including Sumerian steles and monumental stone lamassu figures from the Assyrian period.
- The Egyptian Collection: Experience what is considered the greatest collection of Egyptian art outside of Cairo.
- Asian Art: Wander through a dedicated wing housing over 35,000 pieces of Chinese, Indian, Japanese, and Korean art, including sculpture, metalworking, and calligraphy.
- Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas: Visit the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing to see items ranging from 40,000-year-old indigenous Australian rock paintings to 15-foot-tall memorial poles from New Guinea.
- European Masters: View thousands of paintings by Old Masters, including works by Rembrandt and Vermeer, alongside extensive collections of European sculpture and medieval art.
Experience Period Rooms and Decorative Arts
Beyond traditional paintings and sculptures, the museum offers a deep dive into the aesthetics of daily life through its specialized holdings:
- Period Rooms: Explore authentic interiors ranging from 1st-century Rome to modern American design.
- Decorative Objects: View extensive collections of musical instruments, costumes, accessories, and antique weapons and armor from across the globe.
Navigating the Collection
Because the collection is so vast that it would be impossible to see everything in a week, plan your visit with specific interests in mind. You might choose to spend an entire afternoon exploring the 40,000-square-foot Rockefeller Wing or focusing on the detailed craftsmanship of the Asian art department. If you are looking for a comprehensive experience of medieval European history, consider visiting The Cloisters, a secondary site of the Met located in Fort Tryon Park.
Nearby Landmarks
After your visit to the Met, you can explore other nearby sites or head into different areas of Manhattan and beyond. Nearby options include the Guggenheim Museum and the Frick Collection on the Upper East Side. Other notable New York City landmarks include the American Museum of Natural History, the Empire State Building, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, the Statue of Liberty, the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, and the BAM Peter Jay Sharp Building.
Start planning your visit today to experience one of the world's largest art museums and begin your journey through thousands of years of human history.