One of my favorite places to explore in New York City is the Metropolitan Museum of Art, also known simply as the Met. The Met is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious art museums — on the level of the Louvre in France. However, unlike the Louvre, which is an ocean away, the Met is only a PATH ride and a walk away. Here are some of my favorite parts of the Met.
As a history and civil engineering student, I find old buildings awe-inspiring. The Met is then my holy grail. The main facade of the Met is in the Beaux-Arts style, with towering columns and ornate sculptures. Made of gorgeous limestone adorned with trees and dancing fountains, the outside of the Met itself could be likened to the work of art that it contains.
The first stop inside is the Great Hall. A towering room with majestic marble arches, huge vases for exotic flowers, and room for notable performers at special events, the Great Hall is a sight to behold. From the Great Hall, the Grand Staircase frames the edge of the Great Hall. Ascending to the great galleries within the museum, the Grand Staircase is one of my favorite spots to take a picture to show the wonder of itself and the Great Hall.
Once inside the exhibits, there is a near-infinite amount of works of art from across time and space. There are entire wings dedicated to the Dark Ages, with a 52-foot tall screen towering over a dark room with works of art from Medieval Europe. To the sides are ornate rooms from royal France, the Catholic Church, and even the transition from Ancient Rome into the Medieval period.
Even farther into the Met, there are sprawling exhibits from everything imaginable: a football field-sized room filled with American furniture, thousands of artifacts from Ancient Egyptian tombs, art of Native Americans, some examples of the first written words from early civilizations, a towering temple (which the room was built around it), hundreds of ancient marble statues, and even the famous painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware River.
One of the most fascinating parts of the Met is the sheer size of the building. With their layout, there is just an endless amount of rooms that can make it seem like the museum is never-ending. Since most art must be climate-controlled, no windows make time pass super quick. One time, I got there at 10 in the morning, expected to leave for lunch, and then realized it was 5 p.m.!
The Met is a jewel of New York City. Often one of the highlights of things-to-do lists in New York, America, and even worldwide bucket lists! With all of its wonders, it is near-perfect, but even more, it is very cheap for students! As a Stevens student counting as an NJ resident, Stevens students qualify for the pay-what-you-wish program. If you ever find yourself free, consider exploring the world at the Met!
