Are you ready to explore the The Met Cloisters and have a medieval experience in NYC? Located inside the beautiful Fort Tyron Park, this museum will keep you breathless all the way!
I have to confess that I had never been to The Cloisters, until this past weekend when a good friend from my meditation group invited me to go! It had been on my must-see list since forever, but because it’s location is a bit distant, I was always postponing the visit.
So, this time I had agreed to go with her and there no way I would cancel it. So, after the Feeding Program we help coordinate o Saturday morning at Tompkins Square Park, I grabbed the subway and started heading North.
The best option to get up to Fort George, is to get the A Express train (blue line), up to Dyckman Street. It will be just steps from the entrance of Fort Tyron Park, where The Met Cloisters is located.
In addition, the 1 train (red line), also passes through there, but it’s a local train, so it stops many more times along the way.
A bit of History:
To start, many people don’t know that The Cloister is actually part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The museum opened to the public in May of 1938 and is focused on art and architecture of medieval Europe.
It’s located at Fort Tyron Park with a priceless view of the Hudson River – and I have the say, the sunset there is amazing!
The museum has obviously medieval structures and might look as if it’s quite old, but during construction, the architects behind this project simply gathered beautiful inspirations and elements of medieval cloisters.
“Approximately 2,000 works of art from medieval Europe, largely dating from the 12th through the 15th century and including exquisite illuminated manuscripts, stained glass, metalwork, enamels, ivories, and tapestries, are exhibited in this unique context.”
But wait! What is a “cloister”?
“A covered walk in a convent, monastery, college, or cathedral, typically with a wall on one side and a colonnade open to a quadrangle on the other.”
See the video above for a great footage of The Met Cloisters during it’s construction!
What NOT to miss when going there:
It’s hard to even start listing what you can’t miss, since the entire collection is breathtaking, but I’ve listed below the main ones that people are always asking about.
Plus, they have beautiful gardens that you can enjoy with no rush and just take your time!
- The Unicorn in Captivity (from the Unicorn Tapestries)
- The Treasury
- The Belles Heures of Jean de France, duc de Berry
- The Cloisters Cross
- Stained-glass windows from the castle chapel at Ebreichsdorf, Austria
- Virgin ca. 1250
- Annunciation Triptych (Merode Altarpiece)
During a few months a year, you can actually enjoy a super nice café with outdoor seating! The Trie Café is open seasonally from April to October and offers light fare in a super nice outdoor setting.
Lastly, if you want to go home with a few gifts for your loved ones and yourself, the Met Store is located just off the Main Hall. You’ll be able to find jewelry, home gifts, publications, stationery, and more inspired by the art, architecture, and gardens of medieval Europe.
Oh, and don’t get lost! Be sure do download their Museum Map!
For visitors from outside New York State:
Adults: $25
Seniors (65 and over): $17
Students: $12
Members and Patrons: Free
Children (under 12): Free
For NY residents: Pay as you wish
General admission tickets include exhibitions. It’s valid for three consecutive days at The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters.
If you want us to help you organize your visit, or for corporate requests, contact our experts.
Lastly, did you know The MET
has a great store with some of the most unique products and gadgets?
The physical location is in SoHo, but thankfully you can find everything online as well! You can find anything from Prints & Posters, Books, Stationery & Art Supplies, Clothing & Accessories and even Home Decor. Have fun shopping!
Hours:
Open 7 Days a Week
March – October: 10am – 5:15pm
November – February: 10am – 4:45pm
Closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25th and January 1st
Location: 99 Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort Tyron Park
Photo Credit: ©Behind the Scenes NYC
*Last Upload on Feb/2020.*
Fê is our Founder & CEO! She’s Brazilian (Yup! Not a New Yorker!), but her indescribable passion and curiosity for NY makes her a New Yorker by heart. Fê worked in companies like Kimberly Clark, Quintessentially, Vogue Brazil and Iguatemi Group, and after 12 years of working for these fantastic companies, she decided to go solo and move to NYC!
She lives in Brooklyn since April of ’15 and has been tirelessly working on BTSNYC, working with huge companies on corporate projects, practicing her Arhatic Yoga meditations, finding time for gym and friends! Phiuf!
