The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Attraction in New York

QUICK REVIEW: Iconic. The collections are various, wide ranging, well to beautifully displayed, and a few erroneous to many overly limited exhibit labels for non-Western works (which how can that be a thing - QR codes hello!). It is generally exquisite! The items (legally obtained ones that is) are impressive. The building is its own artwork to be admired. Location next to Central Park provides proper company and wonderful visitor experience.

VEGAS-ization: There is a lot that is so worth it but, for far too long the bad has been building….

Why do you need 8 Restaurants … well 7 cause 1 is members only. Multiple event spaces, performance spaces, private parties, “nightly drink specials”, rooftop DJs, kids art event (ONLY $455! but non members $525), disposable single use plastic branded trinkets and food service items, accepting art and antiquities from KNOWN illegal art dealers and by illegal means, mega $ donations (society clout tax write offs) from known Opioid drug pushers … “VEGAS-ization” is way waaaaay out of control. I am all for museums being financially healthy, and using multiple revenue streams, but check yourself and stop wasting my taxes on your poison to the blood of history and god.

PRACTICAL: Food is tooooo easy to sneak in, Fridays kids & teens get packed out & really noisy (in a museum, when did that become a normal thing?), crowds & various lines are extensive even on Weekdays (but closed on Wednesdays), tickets $30 adult and no difference in price if you are a US citizen or foreigner though the museum receives various US federal subsidies as well as state and city subsidies. As a museum it is non-profit so does not pay taxes. Also it is tax exempt on its endowment, which makes it "America's biggest tax-subsidy museum beneficiary," according to Art Newspaper. Seriously get a $50+ ticket for foreigners/aliens so you can add enough bathrooms instead of buying more real estate.

HORRIBLE: The Annual Met Gala is an abomination- No entertainer pays for their ticket, they don’t pay for the clothes, And most even don’t pay for various other aspects of attending. Even though it is a “charity” event it costs $7M+ to produce AND Performers like Rihanna ask and get paid half $1M. Of course, these entertainers break every museum rule as a matter of purpose: They do flash photography, Commercial-for profit & exploitive photography (making 💰on public & private OF socials), smoking, touching art & art displays, generally act horrifying to the point there are Special Gala rules (no phones, no social media devices, no switch seats, no off limits areas, etc) which are promptly ignored to see what they can get away with. This is all in the name of raising $ for the Art Costume Institute. Which wouldn’t be bad, but when there is an actual historical costume of genuine significance (like the Monroe - Pres Kennedy party dress), The Institute is totally fine to knowingly endorse for months before the event, the super public display of destruction that no real costume preserver would ever allow.

Just realize how much “make a $ at any cost” is really what the MET has unfortunately become. Add ongoing Reports highlighting substantial “bonus” compensation packages for top executives, even during periods of financial struggles and staff reductions/staff poor treatment is heinous. So clearly you got $ to keep buying more real estate- so what amusement park item next? VR shows? Slots 🎰?

Check yourself on having a Gala annually filled with P Diddy & Gang of traffickers for literally the past 25 years. Anna Wintour, was labeled as one of Diddy's "human shields" in court. The MET thought it ok to have USHER & ASAP as committee members for 2025.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art receives a substantial amount of federal funding through various programs from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which are both...

Every time we visit The Met, we’re reminded why it’s one of the greatest museums in the world. This visit was no exception. We took our time moving between wings and were blown away by the range and quality of both the permanent collection and the special exhibitions.

We started in the Egyptian Wing, one of the museum’s most iconic spaces. The Temple of Dendur still steals the show. It is massive, dramatic, and perfectly framed by the glass wall overlooking Central Park. The sarcophagi, sculptures, and papyrus scrolls make the whole section feel larger than life. A must-see, especially for first-time visitors.

We wandered through a few modern paintings, then spent some time in the Tiffany exhibit which is gorgeous, colorful, and incredibly photogenic.

Next was Emily Sargent: Portrait of a Family. Her watercolors were a quiet gem. They are subtle, intimate, and technically masterful. Seeing her work up close gave us a new appreciation for her eye and sensitivity to light and detail. She definitely deserves more recognition.

We passed quickly through the Roman sculpture gallery on our way to lunch. The Italian sandwich was not good.

After eating, we visited Before Yesterday We Could Fly: An Afrofuturist Period Room, one of the most powerful and thought-provoking installations in the museum. A bold reimagining of time, identity, and space, it’s haunting, inspiring, and beautifully done. We left in total awe.

On our way to Casa Susanna, we passed through the European Paintings galleries.

Then came Casa Susanna, which was deeply moving. A powerful and intimate look at gender expression, identity, and chosen family in mid-century America. The storytelling was strong, and the curation respectful and emotionally resonant. It’s one of those exhibits that lingers with you.

We paused at the Arts of Africa, Oceania & the Americas, one of the most underrated wings in the museum. The pieces here—bold masks, intricate carvings, ceremonial objects—carry a deep cultural weight. We appreciated them even more as we made our way to the Between Latitude and Longitude exhibition, which was visually rich and conceptually layered.

Of course, we couldn’t miss the giant Jet Mist Granite horse relief which is a striking and monumental piece tucked into the architecture of the building itself.

We made the trek (somewhat off the beaten path) to the Modern and Contemporary Art wing, parts of which were cordoned off. This section is always bold, vibrant, and unpredictable. From Rothko to Warhol, it’s not the largest modern art collection in NYC, but it’s beautifully curated. I wished we had more time to linger here.

We wrapped up in the Asian Art wing, which spans China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. It’s a quiet treasure… peaceful and meditative, filled with scrolls, ceramics, Buddha statues, and textiles. A perfect place to recharge after the busy central galleries.

We finished with Colorful Korea, which was smaller than expected but still beautifully curated. It captured Korean visual culture through vibrant textiles and meaningful objects.

We focused our final energy on The Three Perfections, an exhibit exploring the harmony between Chinese poetry, painting, and calligraphy. It was serene and intellectually rich, but unfortunately, we ran out of time before we could fully absorb it.

As always, The Met’s permanent collection speaks for itself, but the special exhibitions on this visit made the experience feel especially dynamic and meaningful. We...

Only had two hours to spare while dropping by NYC, which was a shame as there's so much to see. It's definitely possible to see everything within that time, especially if you only want to catch the main attractions. But if you have the time, obviously make the most of it.

There's a bag check at the door, and visitors aren't allowed to bring in beverages or food and are asked to toss or finish them at the door (however candy was allowed and they also don't check small bags). Not a big issue overall - there are many water fountains inside as well as a cafe/eatery.

Despite the crowds, the queue to get a ticket doesn't take too long (~15 minutes), so it isn't a big issue if you didn't purchase one online ahead of time.

There are a variety of discounts available, some of which entitles visitors to pay as they wish. As an international student at a university in New York state (outside of NYC), all I had to provide was my student ID and zipcode. Friends paid from $1-10. Other discounts offer the ticket at a lowered price, though not pay as you wish.

Visited on the weekend and it was very crowded, so it's fairly unlikely that you'll get to enjoy many of the exhibits to yourself (though there are some less busier areas).

The main attraction at the moment appears to be the Caspar David Friedrich exhibit, with the Wanderer above the Sea of Fog as the crowning piece, on loan from Hamburg. It's on until mid-May, so there's still some time to catch it in person.

That said, there are plenty of recognisable and world famous works of art on display, some of which you'll just run into on accident. It's all part of the fun. The piece of Washington crossing the Delaware is especially grand and the room does it justice with how spacious it is.

Some of the exhibits are very immersive with the degree of care which had been put into decorating the interiors, though obviously not all are afforded this treatment.

There also appears to be some free musical performances, held on the second floor near the European section by the balcony overlooking the armour.

Overall, would highly recommend. Only issue is that it gets slightly stuffy, but it's nothing so bad that it takes away from the experience. There are a handful of open spaces too where it isn't noticeable.

Definitely would suggest taking a look at what is on display ahead of time and making a small note, but you'll definitely come across other things which...