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If you're visiting New York, you're probably taking part in this great internal debate – which museum should you visit: The Met or MoMA? Each has its own unique selling point. Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has a wealth of masterpieces from the 20th century, so if you love modern art there's no better place to be in the city; The Met, however, offers up millennia's worth of artefacts from all across the globe.
So if you're more in the mood for mummies than Magritte, then tickets for the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) will be more in line with what you need. The Met's catalogue encompasses a collection that takes world history into consideration and it does so to an arguably unrivalled degree. And don't forget, you can always visit both.
The highlights of the museum's huge collection will depend on what your own interests are. Your tickets to The Met will let you explore art and artifacts from an incredible range of cultures and time periods – it's not an exaggeration to say that there's something here for everyone.
One of The Met's most impressive exhibits is the Temple of Dendur, an ancient Egyptian temple dating back to 15BC. But how did it get there? UNESCO wished to save historic sites from the construction of the Aswan High Dam, so the temple was dismantled in Egypt and rebuilt in New York!
While there's an impressive collection of world art, you'll also find some proud slices of American history such as Emanuel Leutze's Washington Crossing the Delaware.
If you're a New York State resident or a student in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, then you're in luck – it's up to you what you pay. Just make sure you bring a valid ID with proof of your residency.
The museum's free if you're under 12, or a member or patron of the museum.
You can find a full list of admission prices here.
You'll definitely want to spend at least a few hours exploring The Met – its collection does cover most of human history, after all. Your best bet is to go in with an open mind and the willingness to explore the areas that grab your interest, whether that's Greek and Roman art, ancient Egypt, the medieval era, European or Asian masterpieces, the American Wing, or Modern and Contemporary art. Don't forget your camera!
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, also known as The Met, opened on February 20, 1872. The original building comprised of red brick and stone, but has since been updated with a facade in the Beaux-Arts style. It is located on 5th Avenue and 82nd Street, right by Central Park.
