The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, United States

5djinnooi 5:00 PM Apr 13, 2022

If only we had more time!
What an amazing museum! I absolutely loved the time we spent in the Met and wish we could have had longer. We had prepaid tickets for 10am and there was a slight queue when we arrived about 9.40/9.45am. Unlike MoMA and the American Museum of Natural History, there was a separate line for those who had prepaid tickets (and members) vs. those who hadn’t, so that may have helped. It was definitely a much less chaotic experience to enter the Met than at the other 2 museums, in any case! Make sure you pick up a museum map when you enter, as the place is massive and a bit of a labyrinth! The guards and volunteers are always happy to point you in the right direction if you get too discombobulated, though. We headed straight to the section with 19th and early 20th century European paintings, knowing that some of these (e.g., the van Goghs and Monets) would be bustling with people later on, and we were able to have some time enjoying these paintings almost completely by ourselves for some time. There were a number of paintings by my favourite artist, Cezanne, so I was very happy indeed ? (A previous reviewer complained that Christina’s World and Picasso weren’t on display, but Christina’s World is in MoMA, and both the Met and MoMA had works by Picasso on display during our visit in April 2022.) We also enjoyed the displays of musical instruments, Asian art, arms and armour and Egyptian art, though these were viewed in much less detail than I would have liked. The history contained in some of the artefacts is mind blowing - suits of armour worn by King Henry II of France and King Henry VIII of England, for example, and the antiquity within the section on Egyptian art and the Temple of Dendur, among others. Even Master Eight enjoyed our day at the Met, despite the lack of interactive displays and information aimed at children, and there were no complaints about being bored, so that was a definite plus! I think I would live in New York City for the Met alone. Barring that, this would be at the top of places to revisit should we ever come back this way.

5Geminican 5:00 PM Oct 28, 2022

World Class Museum
Four famous museums in the world: Louvre in Paris, France, the British Museum in London, UK, the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia, and the Metropolitan Museum in New York City, United States. This museum perhaps is the only one in the American continent that will provide the closest visiting experience as that of the British Museum and Louvre in terms of quantity, variety, and representation. You can't see everything in one day. Forming a visit and route strategy before tackling this museum is highly recommended. When I asked more than three staff at the visitor information kiosk about what are top three famous exhibits in this museum, unfortunately, none was able to provide. Unlike Louvre has Mona Lisa, The Venus de Milo, Winged Victory of Samothrace, etc. and the Rosetta Stone, Lewis Chessmen, and Assyrian Lion Hunt Reliefs at the British Museum; there seems to lack of consensus on the Metropolitan Museum's top three. This is something you will decide, and personal preference. For this reason, better picking themes that aligns with your interest. My personal top two at the Metropolitan Museums: * the Temple of Dendur * the 19th and Early 20th Century European Paintings featuring Monet, Gauguin, Van Gogh, and Picasso. Multiple famous Monet paintings are housed here. If you have time, spend at least two days to see them all. If you are short on time, I would recommend focusing on seeing "rare" sections: ones harder to see and tour in North America in terms of scale, quantity, and variety, such as: * Medieval Arts * Ancient Near Eastern Art * Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Later South Asia * Asian Art: especially the Tibetan Art, Indian, and Southeast Asian Art inside the Asian Art section Foods from the food courts are freshly made with healthy options and variety, though as expected, price is a lot more expensive than food trucks right outside the main entrance. The museum allows you to go in and out with your ticket, so may not be a bad idea to exit to grab lunch and come back in to save money.