a lazy afternoon at The Met

Transported to Another World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

One of the most awe-inspiring buildings in New York City is The Met. Distinguished and iconic, the museum sparks joy, even as you walk the steps of the grand entrance. Once you advance past the Great Hall, you are immediately transported to 19th Century Europe, Medieval Times, and Ancient Asia. As you wander from room to room, you gain access to worlds beyond your wildest dreams.

If you have an entire day at the museum, spend time examining each object and exploring every corner of every room on every floor (don't forget the roof!). If you are spending a slow moving afternoon browsing the art, I suggest a quick peek at the museum map to create an itinerary that allows time for your favorite periods or artistic mediums. My first trip to The Met was more for exploration and to get a lay of the land. I knew I wanted to see the Impressionist Paintings and the Modern Art but otherwise was happy to wander without agenda. Stick around to see the beautiful spaces I discovered on my afternoon walk around the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The architecture inside the building was the biggest and best surprise of my day at the museum. Each section had a distinct style of architecture to mimic the time period. I was impressed with the quantity of light filled spaces which are often absent in art museums.

After I explored the first floor and visited The Great Hall, Medieval Art, Arms & Armor, and European Sculptures, I ascended the grand staircase to the second floor. As I wandered the Asia Art wing of the museum, I was reminded of my time in Japan and Hong Kong and longed for the days when we can travel to Asia again. Also housed on the second floor, The 19th and 20th Century Paintings wing was a treasure trove of world famous paintings and extreme beauty. While the Art Institute of Chicago is home to some of my favorite Impressionist Paintings, it was exhilarating to see other works of art, by these distinguished artists, for the first time.

Turning 180 degrees on the art spectrum, my next stop was the Modern Art wing of The Met. Here bright light and wide open spaces allowed for reflection and contemplation. While the Impressionist area of the museum was packed (even during Covid-19 social distancing), the Modern Art wing was quiet and calm.

Heading from the bright light to the dark basement, another focal point of the afternoon was the Anna Wintour Costume Center. The dresses were incredible and each told the story of the influential woman who wore them. The colors and styles spanned many decades, but each were as beautiful today as they were in their heyday. I'll take one of each, please.

While my love of art tends to lean towards the "pretty", I was very much intrigued by the ancient ruins from the Egyptian wing. The mosaic columns and the Temple of Dendur are stunning but the Sphinx of Hatshepsut is truly astounding. The Sphinx was created with Pharaoh Hatshepsut's face on a sphinx body, making it unique, even for it's time. With the calming water and floor to ceiling windows, this area of the museum was one of the most adored.

My last stop on my lazy afternoon at The Met included a walk through the American wing. The rooms are designed to resemble actual rooms of the time period and every detail was something I wished I could incorporate into my own home (kind of like Ikea, right?). One specific area of the American Wing that I really enjoyed was the Tiffany Glass and artist Louis Comfort Tiffany's sketchbook. The museum has a vast collection of Tiffany objects and I'll admit that I didn't really know much about the famous artist, despite hearing about Tiffany Glass my entire life.