Commonly known as The Met, The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 by Americans after an inspiring trip to Paris. It was decided that the United States needed a national institution and artistic landmark comparable to the Louvre and The Met was established to furnish artistic understanding, inspire, and encourage the development of creativity.
The Met has been located in the same grand, neoclassical structure on 5th Avenue since 1880 and has added on new structures such as the Cloisters, a religious and traditional style collection of galleries. More than just a museum, The Met and its beautiful facade have been used as a filming location for several movies including The Thomas Crown Affair, Maid in Manhattan, When Harry Met Sally, and Hitch starring Will Smith.
The Met is one of the largest museums in the world with two million square feet of galleries and exhibits. Permanent collections include works by Rembrandt, Albrecht Durer, Georgia O’Keeffe, El Greco, Renoir, and Winslow Homer. Five paintings by Vincent Van Gogh including his beautiful piece, Cypresses, three sketches by Leonardo da Vinci, and five paintings by Pablo Picasso are also on display for visitors.
The Met is open daily with guided and/or audio tours available as well as suggested itineraries so that you are able to view as much as possible during your visit.