Metropolitan Museum of Art
Two million works spanning 5,000 years of human history
Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
Phone:
+1 212-535-7710
Tue-Thur 10:00–17:30
Fr-Sat 10:00–17:30
Sun 10:00–17:30
www.metmuseum.org
Met is one of the largest museums in the world. It's not really an insider's place, but we've never been to a more inspiring place, so the Met deserved a spot in our guide. Founded in 1870 by American businessmen and art lovers from the Union League Club, the museum was opened to the general public in 1872. The oldest building on the current site was designed by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould, and opened in 1880.
Today, it's a historical artifact all by itself! It would take a lifetime to take in the museum's entire collection of 2 million works spanning 5,000 years of human history. We highly recommend becoming a regular visitor. You just can't squeeze the ancient Near East, Asia, Africa, and Oceania into a single visit. Also, the Met's collection of ancient Egyptian art is considered to be one of the best in the world. And did we mention the outstanding collection of Impressionist art?
Every year, the museum receives generous donations from high-profile collectors. In 2013, Leonard Lauder donated 78 works, including 33 by Picasso.
